I am particularly silly, or not, I don’t know; they say here, that I am; but it seems to me impossible for anybody who really cares for a dog, to think quietly of his being in the hands of those infamous men.  And then I know how poor Flushie must feel it.  When he was brought home, he began to cry in his manner, whine, as if his heart was full!  It was just what I was inclined to do myself—­’ and thus was Flushie lost and won.’

But we are both recovered now, thank you; and intend to be very prudent for the future.  I am delighted to think of your being in England; it is the next best thing to your being in London.  In regard to Miss Martineau, I agree with you word for word; but I cannot overcome an additional horror, which you do not express, or feel probably.

There is an excellent refutation of Puseyism in the ’Edinburgh Review’—­by whom? and I have been reading besides the admirable paper by Macaulay in the same number.  And now I must be done; having resolved to let you hear without a post’s delay.  Otherwise I might have American news for you, as I hear that a packet has come in.

My brothers arrived in great spirits at Malta, after a three weeks’ voyage from Gibraltar; and must now be in Egypt, I think and trust.

May God bless you, my dear cousin.

Most affectionately yours,
E.B.B.

To John Kenyan 50 Wimpole Street:  November 5, 1844.

Well, but am I really so bad? ’ Et tu!’ Can you call me careless?  Remember all the altering of manuscript and proof—­and remember how the obscurities used to fly away before your cloud-compelling, when you were the Jove of the criticisms!  That the books (I won’t call them our books when I am speaking of the faults) are remarkable for defects and superfluities of evil, I can see quite as well as another; but then I won’t admit that ’ it comes’ of my carelessness, and refusing to take pains.  On the contrary, my belief is, that very few writers called ’ correct ’ who have selected classical models to work from, pay more laborious attention than I do habitually to the forms of thought and expression. ’ Lady Geraldine ’ was an exception in her whole history.  If I write fast sometimes (and the historical fact is that what has been written fastest, has pleased most), l am not apt to print without consideration.  I appeal to Philip sober, if I am!  My dearest cousin, do remember!  As to the faults, I do not think of defending them, be very sure.  My consolation is, that I may try to do better in time, if I may talk of time.  The worst fault of all, as far as expression goes (the adjective-substantives, whether in prose or verse, I cannot make up my mind to consider faulty), is that kind of obscurity which is the same thing with inadequate expression.  Be very sure—­try to be very sure—­that I am not obstinate and self-opiniated beyond measure.  To you in case, who have done so much for me, and who think of me so more than