So the confession is not a dreadful one, after all, and mine may involve more evil, and would to ninety-nine out of a hundred 'sensible and cultivated people.' Think what Mrs. Ellis would say to the 'Women of England' about me in her fifteenth edition, if she knew!
And do _you_ know that dear Miss Mitford spent this day week with me, notwithstanding the rain?
I have forgotten what I particularly wished to say--viz. that I never thought of _expecting_ to hear from you. I understand that when you write it is pure grace, and never to be expected. You have too much to do, I understand perfectly.
The east wind seems to be blowing all my letters about to-day; the _t's_ and _e's_ wave like willows. Now if crooked _e's_ mean a 'greenshade' (not taken rurally), what awful significance can have the whole crooked alphabet?
[Footnote 124: By Hans Andersen; an English translation by Mary Howitt was published in 1845.]
[Footnote 125: Duchesses in the French court had the privilege of seating themselves on a _tabouret_ or stool while the King took his meals; hence the _droit du tabouret_ comes to mean the rank of a duchess.]
_To Mrs. Martin_ Saturday, January 1844 [should be 1845].[126]
I must tell you, my dearest Mrs. Martin, Mr. Kenyon has read to me an extract from a private letter addressed by H. Martineau to Moxon the publisher, to the effect that Lord Morpeth was down on his knees in the middle of the room a few nights ago, in the presence of the somnambule J., and conversing with her in Greek and Latin, that the four Miss Liddels were also present, and that they five talked to her during one _séance_ in five foreign languages, viz. Latin, Greek, French, Italian, and German. When the mesmeriser touches the organ of _imitation_ on J.'s head, while the strange tongue is in the course of being addressed to her, she translates into English word for word what is said; but when the organ of _language_ is touched, she simply answers in English what is said.
My 'few words of comment' upon this are, that I feel to be more and more standing on my head--which does not mean, you will be pleased to observe, that I understand.
Well, and how are you both going on? My voice is quite returned; and papa continues, I am sorry to say, to have a bad cold and cough. He means to stay in the house to-day and try what prudence will do.