consequence is happy, for she is a lovely creature and the only joy of a fond mother.  Alfred Tennyson’s boy was christened the other day by the name of Hallam Tennyson, Mr. Hallam standing to it in person.  This is just as it should be on all sides, only that Arthur Hallam would have been a prettier name.  You know that Arthur Hallam was the lost friend of the “In Memoriam,” and engaged to Tennyson’s sister, and that after his death, and even after her marrying another man, Mr. Hallam makes her a large allowance.

We have just escaped a signal misfortune; my dear pretty pony has been upon the point of death with influenza.  Would not you have been sorry if that pony had died?  He has, however, recovered under Sam’s care and skill, and the first symptom of convalescence was his neighing to Sam through the window.  You will have found out that I too am better.  I trust to be stronger when you come again, well enough to introduce you to Mr. Harness, whom we are expecting here next month.  God bless you, my dear and kind friend.  I send this through dear Mr Bennoch, whom I like better and better; so I do Mrs. Bennoch, and everybody who knows and loves you.  Ever, my dear Mr. Fields,

    Your faithful and affectionate friend, M.R.M.

P.S.—­October 17.  I have kept this letter open till now, and I am glad I did so.  Acting upon the hint you gave of Mr. De Quincey’s kind feeling, I wrote to him, and yesterday I had a charming letter from his daughter, saying how much her father was gratified by mine, that he had already written an answer, amounting to a good-sized pamphlet, but that when it would be finished was doubtful, so she sent hers as a precursor.

    Swallowfield, November 11, 1852.

I write, dearest friend, and although the packet which you had the infinite goodness to send, has not reached me yet, and may not possibly before my letter goes,—­so uncertain is our railway,—­yet I will write because our excellent friend, Mr. Bennoch, says that he has sent it off....  You will understand that I am even more obliged by your goodness about Mr. Dillon’s book than by any of the thousand obligations to myself only.  Besides my personal interest, as so great a compliment to my own work, Mr. Dillon appears to be a most interesting person.  He is a friend of Mr. Bennoch’s, from whom I had his history, one most honorable to him, and he has written to me since I wrote to you and proposes to come and see me. You must see him when you come to England, and must see his collection of engravings.  Would not dear Dr. Holmes have a sympathy with Mr. Dillon?  Have you such fancies in America?  They are not common even here; but Miss Skerrett (the Queen’s factotum) tells me that the most remarkable book in Windsor Castle is a De Grammont most richly and expensively illustrated by George the Fourth, who, with all his sins as a monarch, was the only sovereign since