I was about to write to you when I received your welcome letter. You knew I should come from a somewhat longer distance than this to give you a hearty God-speed and farewell on the eve of your journey. What do you say to Monday, the fourth, or Saturday, the second? Fix either day, let me know which suits you best--at what hour you expect the Inimitable, and the Inimitable will come up to the scratch like a man and a brother. Permit me, in conclusion, to nail my colours to the mast. Stars and stripes are so-so--showy, perhaps; but my colours is THE UNION JACK, which I am told has the remarkable property of having braved a thousand years the battle AND the breeze. Likewise, it is the flag of Albion--the standard of Britain; and Britons, as I am informed, never, never, never--will--be--slaves! My sentiment is: Success to the United States as a golden campaigning ground, but blow the United States to 'tarnal smash as an Englishman's place of residence. Gentlemen, are you all charged? Affectionately ever. [Sidenote: Miss Dickens.] DEVONSHIRE TERRACE, _Friday, Sept. 8th, 1848._ MY DEAREST MAMEY, We shall be very glad to see you all again, and we hope you will be very glad to see us. Give my best love to dear Katey, also to Frankey, Alley, and the Peck. I have had a nice note from Charley just now. He says it is expected at school that when Walter puts on his jacket, all the Miss Kings will fall in love with him to desperation and faint away. Ever, my dear Mamey, Most affectionately yours. [Sidenote: Mr. Effingham William Wilson.] 1, DEVONSHIRE TERRACE, YORK GATE, REGENT'S PARK, _Nov. 7th, 1848._ "A NATIONAL THEATRE." SIR, I beg you to accept my best thanks for your pamphlet and your obliging note. That such a theatre as you describe would be but worthy of this nation, and would not stand low upon the list of its instructors, I have no kind of doubt. I wish I could cherish a stronger faith than I have in the probability of its establishment on a rational footing within fifty years. Faithfully yours. [Sidenote: Mr. Frank Stone.] DEVONSHIRE TERRACE, _Tuesday, Nov. 21st, 1848._ MY DEAR STONE, I send you herewith the second part of the book, which I hope may interest you. If you should prefer to have it read to you by the Inimitable rather than to read it, I shall be at home this evening (loin of mutton at half-past five), and happy to do it. The proofs are full of printers' errors, but with the few corrections I have scrawled upon it, you will be able to make out what they mean.