This so astonishing reception of Teufelsdrockh in your New England circle seems to me not only astonishing, but questionable; not, however, to be quarreled with.  I may say:  If the New.  England cup is dangerously sweet, there are here in Old England whole antiseptic floods of good hop-decoction; therein let it mingle; work wholesomely towards what clear benefit it can.  Your young ones too, as all exaggeration is transient, and exaggerated love almost itself a blessing, will get through it without damage.  As for Fraser, however, the idea of a new Edition is frightful to him; or rather ludicrous, unimaginable.  Of him no man has inquired for a Sartor: in his whole wonderful world of Tory Pamphleteers, Conservative Younger-brothers, Regent-Street Loungers, Crockford Gamblers, Irish Jesuits, drunken Reporters, and miscellaneous unclean persons (whom nitre and much soap will not wash clean), not a soul has expressed the smallest wish that way.  He shrieks at the idea.  Accordingly I realized these four copies from [him,] all he will surrender; and can do no more.  Take them with my blessing.  I beg you will present one to the honorablest of those “honorable women”; say to her that her (unknown) image as she reads shall be to me a bright faultless vision, textured out of mere sunbeams; to be loved and worshiped; the best of all Transatlantic women!  Do at any rate, in a more business like style, offer my respectful regards to Dr. Channing, whom certainly I could not count on for a reader, or other than a grieved condemnatory one; for I reckoned tolerance had its limits.  His own faithful, long-continued striving towards what is Best, I knew and honored; that he will let me go my own way thitherward, with a God-speed from him, is surely a new honor to us both.

Finally, on behalf of the British world (which is not all contained in Fraser’s shop) I should tell you that various persons, some of them in a dialect not to be doubted of, have privately expressed their recognition of this poor Rhapsody, the best the poor Clothes-Professor could produce in the circumstances; nay, I have Scottish Presbyterian Elders who read, and thank.  So true is what you say about the aptitude of all natural hearts for receiving what is from the heart spoken to them.  As face answereth to face!  Brother, if thou wish me to believe, do thou thyself believe first:  this is as true as that of the flere and dolendum; perhaps truer.  Wherefore, putting all things together, cannot I feel that I have washed my hands of this business in a quite tolerable manner?  Let a man be thankful; and on the whole go along, while he has strength left to go.