I quitted Babylon, now nearly eleven weeks ago, for this said sweet mysterious solitude. London I dearly, dearly love--except during the months of August, September, and October, when it goes to sleep, and lies utterly torpid. When I quitted it very early in August, London life was, as it were, at dead-low water-mark. I was myself somewhat jaded with a year's severe exertion in my lawful calling, (what that may be, it concerns none of your readers to know,) and my family also were in want of change of air and scene; so that, when the day of departure had arrived, we were in the highest possible spirits. _Our_ house would--we reflected--within a few hours put on the dismal, dismantled appearance which almost every other house in the street had presented for several weeks, and we, whirling away to ----; but first of all it occurred to me to lay in a stock of our good friend Lee's port and sherry, (for where were we to get drinkable wine at ----?)--ditto, in respect of six pounds of real tea--not _quasi_ tea, _i.e._, raisin-stalks and sloe-leaves--three bottles of whisky; four of Anchovy sauce; and four of Reading or Harvey's sauce; two pounds of mustard, and some cayenne and curry-powder: having an eye, in respect of this last, to--hot crab! a delicious affair! Arrangements these which we are resolved always to make hereafter, having repeatedly experienced the inconvenience of not doing so. Having packed up every thing, and given special orders for the _Times_ to be provided daily, and the _Spectator_ weekly, away we go--myself, wife, three hostages to fortune, and three other persons, and--bless him!--Tickler; Timothy Tickler--that sagacious, quaint, affectionate, ugly-beautiful Skye terrier, which found its way to me from you, my revered friend--and is now lying gracefully near me, pretending--the little rogue--to be asleep; but really watching the wasps buzzing round him, and every now and then snapping at them furiously, unconscious of the probable consequences of his success,--that, "If 'twere _done_, when 'tis done, _Then_--'twere well it were done quickly!"