[Postmark: April 7, 1846]
Tuesday.
They have just sent me one proof, only — so I have
been correcting everything as fast as possible, that, returning
it at once, a revise might arrive, fit to send, for this that
comes is just as bad as if I had let it alone in the first
instance. All your corrections are golden. In ‘ Luria,’ I
alter ‘ little circle ‘ to ‘ circling faces ‘ — which is more like
what I meant. As for that point we spoke of yesterday — it
seems ‘ past praying for ‘ — if I make the speech an ‘ aside,’
I commit Ogniben to that opinion : — did you notice, at the
beginning of the second part, that on this Ogniben’s very
entry (as described by a bystander), he is made to say, for
first speech, ‘ I have known so many leaders of revolts ‘ —
‘ laughing gently to himself ? This, which was wrongly
printed in italics, as if a comment of the bystander’s own,
was a characteristic circumstance, as I meant it. All these
opinions should be delivered with a ‘gentle laughter to
himself — but — as is said elsewhere, — we profess and we
perform ! Enough of it — Meliora sperumus !
What am I to say next, my Ba ? When I write my best
and send ‘ grateful’ to you — you send my proof back,
grateful (h) Then I must do and say what you hate . ,
for I am one entire gratitude to you, God knows ! May
He reward you.
It is late ; bless you once again, my dearest ! You have
nothing so much yours as R.
My mother says that I paid only fifteen or sixteen
pounds for the Venice voyage, and much less for the
Naples one — ten and no more, she thinks — and I think ;
but that represents twenty — as the other, twenty five or
thirty pounds, to a person unconnected with the freighting
party. (In the first ship, Rothschild sent a locomotive entire
with all its appurtenances, for one article, to Trieste). Can
I make enquiries for you ? Nay, I will and at once.