and heroically cheerful to me, in her poor weak state),--I must
use the five minutes, which have fallen to me today, in
acknowledgment, _du_e by all laws terrestrial and celestial, of
the last Book* that has come from you.

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* "The Conduct of Life."
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I read it a great while ago, mostly in sheets, and again read it
in the finely printed form,--I can tell you, if you do not
already guess, with a satisfaction given me by the Books of no
other living mortal. I predicted to your English Bookseller a
great sale even, reckoning it the best of all your Books. What
the sale was or is I nowhere learned; but the basis of my
prophecy remains like the rocks, and will remain. Indeed, except
from my Brother John, I have heard no criticism that had much
rationality,--some of them incredibly irrational (if that matter
had not altogether become a barking of dogs among us);--but I
always believe there are in the mute state a great number of
thinking English souls, who can recognize a Thinker and a Sayer,
of perennially human type and welcome him as the rarest of
miracles, in "such a spread of knowledge" as there now is:--one
English soul of that kind there indubitably is; and I certify
hereby, notarially if you like, that such is emphatically his
view of the matter. You have grown older, more pungent,
piercing;--I never read from you before such lightning-gleams of
meaning as are to be found here. The finale of all, that of
"Illusions" falling on us like snow-showers, but again of "the
gods sitting steadfast on their thrones" all the while,--what a