“The opening of your intercourse with Peel is excellent, and you must not be too modest in not improving it as proper opportunities offer. I am far more fearful of your neglecting these than anything else. You may do service without advocating particular measures, but keeping to the sound tone of politics in general. I am anxious for your interview with the Duke. He is brief, sententious, and fond of plain and distinct answers. Leave nothing which you do not comprehend, and speak distinct and loud. Remember he hears imperfectly.
“I am sure Sir William will be true. Pray send him the ‘Life of Burns.’ It has done you infinite credit. I could give you very good authority where you and I seem to differ,1 but you have chosen the wiser and better view, and Burns had a right to have his frailties spared, especially post tantum temporis. All people applaud it. A new edition will immediately be wanted. I can tell you some good and accurate facts respecting him.
“The ‘Fair Maid’ has had great acceptation here, and gives me encouragement to think I may work out my temporal salvation, which I shall scarce think accomplished till I do not owe £100 in the world. In the meantime all goes on well.
“Anne and I are well and happy, save when we think, which is very often, of poor Johnnie.
1 Lockhart “gently scanned” the last years of Burns at Dumfries. |
| A SCULPTOR | 41 |
“Pray continue to write when anything occurs. You know how ignorant we are here.”1
