Volume Ii Part 22 (2/2)
I received your affectionate little letter here this morning, and was very glad to get it. Poor dear Arthur is a sad loss to me, and indeed I was very fond of him. But the readings must be fought out, like all the rest of life.
Ever your affectionate.
[Sidenote: Mr. W. C. Macready.]
GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT, _Sunday, Oct. 13th, 1861._
MY DEAREST MACREADY,
This is a short note. But the moment I know for certain what is designed for me at Cheltenham, I write to you in order that you may know it from me and not by chance from anyone else.
I am to read there on the evening of Friday, the 3rd of January, and on the morning of Sat.u.r.day, the 4th; as I have nothing to do on Thursday, the 2nd, but come from Leamington, I shall come to you, please G.o.d, for a quiet dinner that day.
The death of Arthur Smith has caused me great distress and anxiety. I had a great regard for him, and he made the reading part of my life as light and pleasant as it _could_ be made. I had hoped to bring him to see you, and had pictured to myself how amused and interested you would have been with his wonderful tact and consummate mastery of arrangement.
But it's all over.
I begin at Norwich on the 28th, and am going north in the middle of November. I am going to do ”Copperfield,” and shall be curious to test its effect on the Edinburgh people. It has been quite a job so to piece portions of the long book together as to make something continuous out of it; but I hope I have got something varied and dramatic. I am also (not to slight _your_ book) going to do ”Nickleby at Mr. Squeers's.” It is clear that both must be trotted out at Cheltenham.
With kindest love and regard to all your house,
Ever, my dearest Macready, your most affectionate.
P.S.--Fourth edition of ”Great Expectations” almost gone!
[Sidenote: Miss Hogarth.]
ANGEL HOTEL, BURY ST. EDMUNDS, _Wednesday, Oct. 13th, 1861._
MY DEAREST GEORGY,
I have just now received your welcome letter, and I hasten to report (having very little time) that we had a splendid hall last night, and that I think ”Nickleby” tops all the readings. Somehow it seems to have got in it, by accident, exactly the qualities best suited to the purpose, and it went last night not only with roars, but with a general hilarity and pleasure that I have never seen surpa.s.sed.
We are full here for to-night.
Fancy this: last night at about six, who should walk in but Elwin! He was exactly in his usual state, only more demonstrative than ever, and had been driven in by some neighbours who were coming to the reading. I had tea up for him, and he went down at seven with me to the dismal den where I dressed, and sat by the fire while I dressed, and was childishly happy in that great privilege! During the reading he sat on a corner of the platform and roared incessantly. He brought in a lady and gentleman to introduce while I was undressing, and went away in a perfect and absolute rapture.
[Sidenote: Miss Hogarth.]
ROYAL HOTEL, NORWICH, _Tuesday, Oct. 29th, 1861._
I cannot say that we began well last night. We had not a good hall, and they were a very lumpish audience indeed. This did not tend to cheer the strangeness I felt in being without Arthur, and I was not at all myself.
We have a large let for to-night, I think two hundred and fifty stalls, which is very large, and I hope that both they and I will go better. I could have done perfectly last night, if the audience had been bright, but they were an intent and staring audience. They laughed though very well, and the storm made them shake themselves again. But they were not magnetic, and the great big place was out of sorts somehow.
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