However, as our friendship has had such a frightful _secousse_ and wants steadying, I pay you every possible little attention, so I write this hurried line to say that the few letters which have yet arrived, and two stray papers, all speak in the highest tones of The Book, and of its success, and how well it is got up, and we are longing for a copy of it, and George is politically at ease from its being spoken of as a _personal_ narrative, and altogether it seems like an amusing incident. William is full of gratitude for all the trouble you have taken about it. We have subsided from the interests of Afghan politics into the daily difficulties of keeping ourselves from being baked alive. I may say we have _risen_ to this higher pursuit, for it is much the more important of the two, and of much more difficult achievement. China promises to be amusing; they are arming themselves and fitting up little innocent American ships, and collecting war junks; and my own belief is that they are so conceited and so astucious that they will contrive some odd way of blowing up all our 74’s with blue and red fireworks, take all our sailors and soldiers prisoners, and teach them to cut out ivory hollow balls. Lord Jocelyn is staying with us, but will sail in about ten days in the _Conway_. He goes merely as a volunteer with representatives of the Dragoons, and George has arranged that he is to be passed into any ship that is likely to see most service. He has great merit in the ardour with which he looks about for information and for service, and I hope the Chinese will not take him prisoner. So the dear little Queen is now Mrs. A. C. I hope she will be happy; and they may say what they like of her, but she certainly contrives to conduct herself wonderfully, through a great many trying ceremonies,--never awkward, and yet just shy enough, and I like her so for being so affectionate to Aunt Adelaide. Pray tell Mrs. Drummond I have had her letter and Theresa’s journal, much to my heart’s content, and I would have written her another line, but I am horrified at the price of letters. Not but what I guessed my journal would cost a great deal too much--but £2. 8. 0! I am horrified in the English sense. Here that would be dog cheap--24 rupees. I never speak to anybody for less. The long hand of my watch caught in the other, and the watchmaker charged 20 rupees for bending it up a hair’s breadth. But still, £2. 8. 0 for a letter! I flatter myself your office pays for this. Good-bye. Ever yours, E. EDEN. _Miss E. Eden to Mr. C. Greville._ CALCUTTA, _July 6, 1840_.