"My Dear Brother,--I am very much obliged to you for your kindly telling me your plans, and giving me a hope of seeing you before you go to Rome. The period you mention as the probable one for your mission at St. George's, will most likely be the very best for me to see you, as we shall probably remove to London about the middle of February, and remain till after Easter; so I shall look forward with much pleasure to an occasional visit. I am much obliged to you for telling me of the intended change in your dress. I should never have guessed its probability, having erroneously believed it simply illegal; but I find that was a mistake. You will, I hope, not wonder or blame me, if I beg you to visit me at my own little home, No. 38, St. James's Place, and not at the Palace, when you are looking so remarkable. I don't want to figure in a paragraph, and so novel a sight in the Palace might lead to some such catastrophe. A day's notice of your visit will always enable me to meet you, and Caroline and Kitty, and probably others of those that remain to me of my ancient belongings, may thereby sometimes get a glimpse of you, though we should be always able to have our _coze_ in a separate room. I almost wish you would take me under your cowl to Rome. How I should like once more to see the Colosseum (and to learn to spell its name), and the Vatican! but hardly at the cost of a long journey, either. "Fritz and Bessy [Footnote 11] are coming here next Thursday on a two days' visit to the Queen, and when I have seen them I will tell you of their plans. I suppose they will be at Althorp till after Easter. Believe me, my dear brother, "Very affectionately yours, "S. Lyttelton." [Footnote 11: Lord and Lady Spencer.] {395} When Father Ignatius went to St. James's Place to pay the visit arranged for in this letter, he experienced some difficulty in getting as far as his sister. The porter who opened the gate did not know him, and was, of course, astonished to see such a strange figure demanding an interview with his mistress. He would not let him in until he got special orders from Lady Lyttelton herself. Father Ignatius used to contrast this servant's mode of acting with that of another who admitted him once to Althorp. This last servant did not know him either; but seeing he looked tired, he took him into his lodge, got him some bread and cheese and a glass of ale for refreshment. By-and-by the Earl passed, and was highly amused at seeing George regale himself with such satisfaction on the servant's fare. The servant made some apologies, but they were quite unnecessary, for Father Ignatius never forgot his kindness, and used to say that he enjoyed the porter's pittance far more than the viands of the "Big House," as he used to call it.