“You have herewith three chapters of ‘Sir B.’ for Nov. No., and if so be that you need a fourth, there will be time to write it when I see these in proof; but I thought it as well to keep the reader in suspense about the interview, all the more because I know no more of what is coming than he does! My impression is that these chapters will do: my womankind like them, and only complain that there are no female scenes in the No. But there shall be crinolines to the fore hereafter. “I shall now set to work to write an ‘O’Dowd’ on my late Spezzia life and experiences. “What a fuss they are making about the Fenians, as if rebellion was anything new in Ireland! It is only an acute attack of the old chronic com-plaint, and wants nothing but bleeding to cure it. “Some vile sailor, I suspect, has walked off with my May No. Magazine, and I have not the beginning of the ‘Sir B.’ Will you send it to me? “My wife is very poorly again, but this month coming round renews so much sorrow to her that I suspect the cause may be there. “I have just this moment heard that the new squadron is coming back to Spezzia. If so, it will be the ruin of me--that is, if I go there; and indeed I am seriously thinking of pitching my consular dignity to the devil, and becoming a gentleman again, if only, as my coachman says, ‘for an alternative.’” _To Mr John Blackwood._ “Villa Morelli, _Oct_. 1,1865. “The squib I enclose will, I think, be well-timed. It is a letter supposed to be found on a Fenian prisoner, a Col. Denis Donovan, Assistant Adjutant-General, Fenian army, from Major-General M’Caskey, who has been asked to take command of the National Forces. It can be introduced to the reader thus. “My wife says I have written nothing to equal this.” _To Mr John Blackwood._ “Villa Morelli, Florence, _Oct_. 8,1866. “You will have received before this the Fenian squib. I have little courage to ask how you like it. Of course it would be easy enough to make a long and strong paper out of the condensed materials of M’Caskey, but I don’t water my milk, though my experiences with the public might have taught me that it would suit us both best. “I have mislaid--perhaps some one has carried off--my ‘Rebel Songs,’ for I heard a threat of the kind in connection with some autograph balderdash. They are, however, no loss either to the cause or the public. The best was one called ‘The Devil may care.’ I add a verse (as it strikes me) for the public-- “You don’t read ‘O’Dowd’ and don’t like its style; But then to my conscience I swear You buy things that are worse, And some not worth a curse, And for _my_ part--the Devil may care!” _To Mr John Blackwood._ “Villa Morelli, Florence, _Oct_. 12,1865. “Take care that M’Caskey’s letter is not amongst the ‘O’Dowds.’ Cornelius never heard of him, nor has he any knowledge of ‘Tony Butler.’ Mind this.