shadows. But I have always 'the belief that a trip across the
sea would have abated your despair of us. The world is laid out
here in large lots, and the swing of natural laws is shared by
the population, as it is not--or not as much--in your feudal
Europe. My countrymen do not content me, but they are
susceptible of inspirations. In the war it was humanity that
showed itself to advantage,--the leaders were prompted and
corrected by the intuitions of the people, they still demanding
the more generous and decisive measure, and giving their sons and
their estates as we had no example before. In this heat, they
had sharper perceptions of policy, of the ways and means and the
life of nations, and on every side we read or heard fate-words,
in private letters, in railway cars, or in the journals. We were
proud of the people and believed they would not go down from this
height. But Peace came, and every one ran back into his shop
again, and can hardly be won to patriotism more, even to the
point of chasing away the thieves that are stealing not only
the public gold, but the newly won rights of the slave, and
the new muzzles we had contrived to keep the planter from
sucking his blood.

Very welcome to me were the photographs,--your own, and Jane
Carlyle's. Hers, now seen here for the first time, was closely
scanned, and confirmed the better accounts that had come of her
improved health. Your earlier tidings of her had not been
encouraging. I recognized still erect the wise, friendly
presence first seen at Craigenputtock. Of your own--the hatted
head is good, but more can be read in the head leaning on the
hand, and the one in a cloak.