_19 juillet_.--Je m'empresse de vous remercier de votre lettre, et de vous dire que je vous enverrai jeudi, a Dieppe, une voiture pour vous chercher a l'Hotel de la Plage a deux heures apres midi, a moins d'avis contraire. Toutefois je dois vous prevenir que M. Alexandre Dumas, qui habite pres de Dieppe, et auquel j'avais demande de venir dejeuner ici l'un de ces jours, en lui laissant le choix du jour, m'annonce qu'il viendra dejeuner au chateau le jeudi 22. Le dejeuner est a onze heures et demie. Si vous desiriez le rencontrer il faudrait que vous partiez le matin de Dieppe. Dans ce cas, sur un avis de vous, je vous enverrais la voiture a neuf heures du matin, au lieu de deux heures apres midi. So on July 21st, Reeve, with Mrs. Reeve, left London for Dieppe, whence they went on to the Chateau d'Eu. On the 26th they went on, through St. Quentin, Namur, and Liege, to Aix, where, for the next fortnight, Reeve drank waters and took baths. They then returned through Brussels and London, reaching Foxholes on August 14th. And there they stayed for nearly three months, during which time, beyond noting a few visits or visitors, the Journal is a blank. On November 6th they returned to London. _To Mr. T. Norton Longman_ _C. O., November 26th_.--I have not for a long time read a book so fascinating to me as these Reminiscences of Carlyle; for though he calls them reminiscences of Irving &c., they are, in fact, essentially an autobiography. It is impossible to present the details of life with more attractive clearness and picturesque effect. The most curious thing is that the style, instead of being a mass of cloudy affectation, is simple, flowing, and natural. To me, especially, all this is most captivating. The account of Mrs. Montagu, Coleridge, the Bullers, the Stracheys, &c. revives a thousand recollections. It was through the Bullers that we first knew Carlyle, and I suppose in due time he will relate his intimacy with the Austins and Sterlings in the same manner. It is right to say that there are many persons still alive who will not be pleased at having their portraits drawn by so strong a hand--Mrs. Procter, for instance. Altogether, I think the book is eminently interesting and valuable, and will have a very large circulation indeed. It is the sort of book everybody likes to read, and in this case it is backed by names of great celebrity. I will send the MS. back to you on Monday. What a wonderful thing it is that Froude should have had the patience to copy all this out in his own handwriting! I dined last night with the Chancellor, and found both him and the Home Secretary deep in 'Endymion.' Everybody abuses it more or less, but everybody reads it, so the abuse does not go for much. Only Lady Stanley (the dowager) declares she could not get through the first volume. Such is the strength of party feeling. _From the Duc d'Aumale_ Chantilly, 2 decembre.