Volume I Part 2 (1/2)

MY DEAR HARLEY,

This is my birthday. Many happy returns of the day to you and me.

I took it into my head yesterday to get up an impromptu dinner on this auspicious occasion--only my own folks, Leigh Hunt, Ainsworth, and Forster. I know you can't dine here in consequence of the tempestuous weather on the Covent Garden sh.o.r.es, but if you will come in when you have done Trinculizing, you will delight me greatly, and add in no inconsiderable degree to the ”conviviality” of the meeting.

Lord bless my soul! Twenty-seven years old. Who'd have thought it? I _never_ did!

But I grow sentimental.

Always yours truly.

[Sidenote: Mr. Edward Chapman.]

1, DEVONs.h.i.+RE TERRACE, _27th December, 1839._

MY DEAR SIR,

The place where you pledge yourself to pay for my beef and mutton when I eat it, and my ale and wine when I drink it, is the Treasurer's Office of the Middle Temple, the new building at the bottom of Middle Temple Lane on the right-hand side. You walk up into the first-floor and say (boldly) that you come to sign Mr. Charles d.i.c.kens's bond--which is already signed by Mr. Sergeant Talfourd. I suppose I should formally acquaint you that I have paid the fees, and that the responsibility you incur is a very slight one--extending very little beyond my good behaviour, and honourable intentions to pay for all wine-gla.s.ses, tumblers, or other dinner-furniture that I may break or damage.

I wish you would do me another service, and that is to choose, at the place you told me of, a reasonable copy of ”The Beauties of England and Wales.” You can choose it quite as well as I can, or better, and I shall be much obliged to you. I should like you to send it at once, as I am diving into all kinds of matters at odd minutes with a view to our forthcoming operations.

Faithfully yours.

FOOTNOTES:

[5] This fragment of a diary was found amongst some papers which have recently come to light. The Editors give only those paragraphs which are likely to be of any public interest. The original ma.n.u.script has been added to ”The Forster Collection,” at the South Kensington Museum.

[6] ”Sunday, under Three Heads,” a small pamphlet published about this time.

[7] ”Bentley's Miscellany.”

[8] No other date, but it must have been 7th February, 1839.

1840.

[Sidenote: Mr. H. G. Adams.[9]]

1, DEVONs.h.i.+RE TERRACE, YORK GATE, REGENT'S PARK, _Sat.u.r.day, Jan. 18th, 1840._

DEAR SIR,

The pressure of other engagements will, I am compelled to say, prevent me from contributing a paper to your new local magazine.[10] But I beg you to set me down as a subscriber to it, and foremost among those whose best wishes are enlisted in your cause. It will afford me real pleasure to hear of your success, for I have many happy recollections connected with Kent, and am scarcely less interested in it than if I had been a Kentish man bred and born, and had resided in the county all my life.

Faithfully yours.