Letters of Edward FitzGerald to Fanny Kemble (1871-1883) Part 25

XCVII.

[_Dec._ 1881.]

MY DEAR MRS. KEMBLE:

I _will_ write to you before 1881 is gone, carrying Christmas along with him. A dismal Festivity it always seems to me--I dare say not much merrier to you. I think you will tell me where, and with whom, you pa.s.s it. My own company are to be, Aldis Wright, with whom Shakespeare, etc., a London Clerk, may be--that is, if he can get sufficient Holyday--and one or two Guests for the Day.

I forget if I wrote to you since I had a letter from Hallam Tennyson, telling me of a Visit that he and his Father had been making to Warwicks.h.i.+re and Sherwood. The best news was that A. T. was 'walking and working as usual.'

Why, what is become of your Sequel? I see no more advertis.e.m.e.nt of it in Athenaeum and Academy--unless it appears in the last, which I have not conned over. Somehow I think it not impossible--or even unlikely--that you--may--have--withdrawn--for some reason of your own. You see that I speak with hesitation--meaning no offence--and only hoping for my own, and other sakes that I am all astray.

We are reading Nigel, which I had not expected to care for: but so far as I got--four first Chapters--makes me long for Night to hear more. That return of Richie to his Master, and dear George Heriot's visit just after! Oh, Sir Walter is not done for yet by Austens and Eliots. If one of his Merits were not his _clear Daylight_, one thinks, there ought to be Societies to keep his Lamp trimmed as well as--Mr. Browning. He is The Newest Shakespeare Society of Mr. Furnivall.

The Air is so mild, though windy, that I can even sit abroad in the Suns.h.i.+ne. I scarce dare ask about Donne; neither you, nor Mowbray--I dare say I shall hear from the latter before Christmas. What you wrote convinced me there was no use in going up only to see him--or little else--so painful to oneself and so little cheering to him! I do think that he is best among his own.

But I do not forget him--'No!'--as the Spaniards say. Nor you, dear Mrs.

Kemble, being your ancient Friend (with a new name) LITTLEGRANGE!

What would you say of the OEdipus, not of Sophocles, but of Dryden and Nat Lee, in which your uncle acted!

P.S. You did not mention anything about your Family, so I conclude that all is well with them, both in England and America.

I wish you would just remember me to Mr. H. Aide, who was very courteous to me when I met him in your room.

This extra Paper is, you see, to serve instead of crossing my Letter.

XCVIII. {230}

[_Feb._ 1882.]

MY DEAR MRS. KEMBLE:

This week I was to have been in London--for the purpose of seeing--or offering to see--our dear Donne. For, when they told him of my offer, he said he should indeed like it much--'if he were well enough.' Anyhow, I can but try, only making him previously understand that he is not to make any effort in the case. He is, they tell me, pleased with any such mark of remembrance and regard from his old Friends. And I should have offered to go before now, had I not judged from your last account of him that he was better left with his Family, for his own sake, as well [as]

for that of his Friends. However, as I said, I should have gone up on Trial even now, but that I have myself been, and am yet, suffering with some sort of Cold (I think, from some indications, Bronchial) which would ill enable me to be of any use if I got to London. I can't get warm, in spite of Fires, and closed doors, so must wait, at any rate, to see what another week will do for me.

I shall, of course, make my way to Queen Anne's, where I should expect to find you still busy with your Proof-sheets, which I am very glad to hear of as going on. What could have put it into my head even to think otherwise? Well, more unlikely things might have happened--even with Medes and Persians. I do not think you will be offended at my vain surmises.

I see my poor little Aconites--'New Year's Gifts'--still surviving in the Garden-plot before my window; 'still surviving,' I say, because of their having been out for near a month agone. I believe that Messrs. Daffodil, Crocus and Snowdrop are putting in appearance above ground: but (old Coward) I have not put my own old Nose out of doors to look for them.

I read (Eyes permitting) the Correspondence between Goethe and Schiller (translated) from 1798 to 1806 {231}--extremely interesting to me, though I do not understand--and generally skip--the more purely AEsthetic Part: which is the Part of Hamlet, I suppose. But, in other respects, two such men so freely discussing together their own, and each other's, works interest me greatly. At Night, we have The Fortunes of Nigel; a little of it--and not every night: for the reason that I do not wish to eat my Cake too soon. The last night but one I sent my Reader to see Macbeth played by a little 'Shakespearian' company at a Lecture Hall here. He brought me one new Reading--suggested, I doubt not, by himself, from a remembrance of Macbeth's tyrannical ways: 'Hang out our _Gallows_ on the outward walls.' Nevertheless, the Boy took great Interest in the Play; and I like to encourage him in Shakespeare, rather than in the Negro Melodists.

Such a long Letter as I have written (and, I doubt, ill written) really calls for Apology from me, busy as you may be with those Proofs. But still believe me sincerely yours

Though Laird of LITTLEGRANGE.

XCIX.

[_Feb._ 1882.]

MY DEAR LADY:--

The same Post which brought me your very kind Letter, brought me also the enclosed.

The writer of it--Mr. Schutz Wilson--a _Litterateur general_--I believe--wrote up Omar Khayyam some years ago, and, I dare say, somewhat hastened another (and so far as I am concerned) final Edition. Of his Mr. Terriss I did not know even by name, till Mr. Wilson told me. So now you can judge and act as you see fit in the matter.

If Terriss and Schutz W. fail in knowing your London 'habitat,' you see that the former makes amends in proposing to go so far as Cheltenham to ask advice of you. Our poor dear Donne would have been so glad, and so busy, in telling what he could in the matter--if only in hope of keeping up your Father's Tradition.

I am ashamed to advert to my own little ailments, while you, I doubt not, are enduring worse. I should have gone to London last week had I believed that a week earlier or later mattered; as things are, I will not reckon on going before next week. I want to be well enough to 'cut about' and see the three friends whom I want to see--yourself among the number.

Blakesley (Lincoln's Dean) goes to stay in London next week, and hopes to play Whist in Weymouth Street.

Kegan Paul, etc., publish dear Spedding's 'Evenings,' {233} etc., and never was Book more worth reading--and buying. I think I understand your weariness in bringing out your Book: but many will be the Gainers:--among them yours always

LITTLEG.

C.

[_Feb._ 1882.]

MY DEAR MRS. KEMBLE:

I have quoted, and sent to Mr. Schutz Wilson, just thus much of your Letter, leaving his Friend to judge whether it is sufficiently encouraging to invite him to call on you. I suppose it is: but I thought safest to give your _ipsissima verba_.

'It is so perfectly easy for any one in London to obtain my Address, that I think I may leave the future Mercutio to do so at his leisure or pleasure.'

I dare say you are pretty much indifferent whether he ventures or not; if he does, I can only hope that he is a Gentleman, and if he be so, I do not think you will be sorry to help him in trying to keep up your Father's traditionary excellence in the part, and to save Mr. Terriss--to save Mercutio--from the contagion of Mr. Irving's treatment of Shakespeare--so far as I have seen of it--which is simply two acts of Hamlet.

As I told you, I know nothing--even hitherto heard nothing of Mr.

Terriss. His friend, S. Wilson, I have never seen neither. And I hope you will think I have done fairly well in my share of the Business.

f.a.n.n.y Kerrich, my Niece, and a capital Woman, comes to me to-day, not more for the purpose of seeing myself, than my Brother's Widow who lives alone in a dismal place three miles off. {234a} I am still wheezy, and want to get in order so as to visit my few friends in London next week.

{234b}

You see there is no occasion for you to answer this: for, even if I have done amiss, it is past recall; and I am none the less ancient Friend