“Old Begration once told the Duke of Wellington that the discovery of a French horse-shoe ‘not roughed’ for the frost in the _month of October_ was the reason for the burning of Moscow. They said: ‘These French know nothing of our climate; one winter here would kill them,’ It was the present Duke told me this story. “You will have had my O’D. on the Conference before this, and if the Debate offer anything opportune for comment I’ll tag it on. The fact is, one can always do with an ‘O’Dowd’ what the parson accomplished when asked to preach a charity sermon,--graft the incident on the original discourse. Indeed I feel at such moments that my proper sphere would have been the pulpit. Perhaps I am more convinced of this to-day, as I have gout on me. Don’t you know what Talleyrand said to the friend who paid him a compliment on his fresh and _handsome_ appearance as he landed at Dover?--‘Ah! it’s the sea-sickness, perhaps, has done it.’” _To Mr John Blackwood._ “Villa Morelli, Florence, _July_ 10, 1864. “What a hearty thing it was with you to send me the Bishop’s letter. I hope I may keep it. Do you know that it was by the merest accident that I did not allude to _himself_ in the paper--or, rather, it was out of deference to his apron; for one of the most brilliant evenings I ever remember in my life was having the Bishop and O’Sullivan to dine with me and only two others, and Harry Griffin was the king of the company. Moore used to say, when complimented on his singing the melodies, ‘Ah! if you were to hear Griffin.’ But why don’t he recognise me? When we are ready with our vol. i. I shall ask you to send one or two, or perhaps three or four, copies to some friends. Let me beg one for the Bishop, and I’ll send a note with it. I think your note _will_ do me good. It _has_ already, and I am down and hipped and bedevilled cruelly. “Palmerston will, I take it, have a small majority, but will he dissolve? “I only ask about the length of T. B. on your account; for my own part I rather like writing the story, and if the public would stand it, I’d make it as long as ‘Clarissa Harlowe.’” _To Mr John Blackwood._ “Florence, _July_ 11, 1864. “I send you a short O’D. on the Debate, and so I shall spare you a letter. If, as now, there is no time for a proof,--though I think there may,--look to it closely yourself. My hand at times begins to tremble (I never give it any cause), and I find I can scarcely decipher some words. How _you_ do it is miraculous. My gout will not _fix_, but hangs over me with dreariness and ‘devil-may-careisms,’ so that though I have scores of great intentions I can _do_ nothing. “I count a good deal on a two hours’ swim, and I am off to take it by Wednesday. If the sharks lay hold on me, finish T. B. Marry him to Alice, and put the rest of the company to bed indiscriminately.” _To Mr John Blackwood._ “Florence, _July_ 12, 1864.