"Laws stronger than human will are on the side of earnest self-defence; and the aim at the impossible, which in other things may be folly only, when the path of search is dark with misery and red with blood, is not folly only, but guilt to boot. I should not have used so largely in this letter the privileges of free utterance had I not been conscious that I vie with yourselves in my admiration of the founders of your republic, and that I have no lurking sentiment either of hostility or of indifference to America; nor, I may add, even then had I not believed that you are lovers of sincerity, and that you can bear even the rudeness of its tongue. "I remain, dear sir, very faithfully yours, "W. E. GLADSTONE. "CYRUS FIELD, Esq." [Illustration: LAST TWO PAGES OF LETTER FROM MR. GLADSTONE, DATED NOVEMBER 27, 1862. [See pp. 146-149.]] "PALACE HOTEL, BUCKINGHAM GATE, "LONDON, _December 2, 1862_. "_My dear Sir_,--Your letter of the 27th ultimo was duly received, and for it please accept my thanks. "I should have answered your letter at once, but I have been trying to find in London some documents to send you, for I am sure that if you have facts you will draw correct conclusions from them. "As I have not been able to obtain the papers that I want, I will send them to you on my return to New York. "I hope that you will get time to read the small book called _Among the Pines_, which I left at your house last Friday. "May I send a copy of your letter to Mr. Seward at Washington and my brother in New York? "With much respect I remain "Very truly your friend, "CYRUS W. FIELD. "Right Hon. W. E. GLADSTONE." "11 DOWNING STREET, WHITEHALL, "_December 2, 1862_. "_My dear Sir_,--I thank you for the kind reception you have given to my officious letter. "You are quite at liberty to make any use of it which you think proper except publication, which you would not think of, and I should deprecate simply on account of the tone of assumption with which I might appear to be chargeable. "I thank you very much for _Among the Pines_, which I am reading with great interest. "I am glad to find you are going to Cliveden, and I am sure you will enjoy your visit. "Believe me, my dear sir, "Most faithfully yours, "W. E. GLADSTONE. "CYRUS W. FIELD, Esq." And again he wrote: "11 CARLTON HOUSE TERRACE, "_December 9, 1862_. "_My dear Sir_,--I have again to thank you for _Among the Pines_, a most interesting and, as far as I can judge, a most truthful work. It seems to open to view more aspects of society and character in the slave States than _Uncle Tom's Cabin_, and to be written without any undue and bewildering predominance of imagination.