I don't know whether I told you that I lodge at the house of a dress-maker in Albemarle-street, who has collected around her a perfect garland of English, French, and Italian girls. All is decorum itself; but there are many talents among them which can be turned to account--among others, that of a French girl, who has a genius for cooking, and has thus enabled me to entertain my kind friend L---- in my own little home. Dinner, concert (droll enough it was, for the performers were all 'couturières'), a little dance for the young ladies, a great many artificial flowers, a great many lights, a very few intimate friends;--in short, a sort of rural fête in this busy town. The poor girls were delighted, and it was almost morning before they went to bed, though the duenna kept faithful watch and ward to the last moment. I was greatly praised and thanked by all; though in their hearts they no doubt liked my young friend L---- much better. _Nov. 28th._ A great actor,--a true master of his art, certainly stands very high. What knowledge and power he must have! How much genius must he unite with corporeal grace and address!--how much creative power, with the most perfect knowledge of wearisome 'routine!' This evening, for the first time since my residence here, I saw Macbeth,--perhaps the most sublime and perfect of Shakspeare's tragedies. Macready, who has lately returned from America, played the part admirably. The passages in which he appeared to me peculiarly true and powerful, were, first, the night-scene in which he comes on the stage after the murder of Duncan, with the bloody dagger, and tells his wife that he has done the deed. He carried on the whole conversation in a low voice, as the nature of the incident requires;--like a whisper in the dark,--yet so distinctly, and with such a fearful expression, that all the terrors of night and crime pass with the sound into the hearer's very soul. Not less excellent was the difficult part with Banquo's ghost. The fine passage-- "What man dare, I dare. Approach, then, like the rugged Russian bear, The arm'd rhinoceros, or Hyrcanian tiger; Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves Shall never tremble. Or be alive again, And dare me to the desert with thy sword; If trembling I inhibit, then protest me The baby of a girl. Hence, terrible shadow! Unreal mockery, hence!" &c.