“‘You may write to Hazlitt that I will certainly go to Winterslow, as my father has agreed to give me 5l.
* The whole of this letter will appear in the forthcoming new edition of the correspondence of Elia; it is not printed faithfully by Talfourd. |
| A VISIT IN PROSPECT. | 171 |
“So far Martin has written, but further than that I can give you no intelligence, for I do not yet know Phillips’ intentions, nor can I tell you the exact time when we can come. Nor can I positively say we shall come at all, for we have scruples of conscience about there being so many of us. Martin says if you can borrow a blanket or two, he can sleep on the floor without either bed or mattress, which would save his expenses at the Hut, for if Phillips breakfasts there, he must do so too, which would swallow up all his money. And he and I have calculated that, if he has no inn expenses, he may as well spare that money to give you for a part of his roast beef. We can spare you also just five pounds. You are not to say this to Hazlitt, lest his delicacy should be alarmed; but I tell you what Martin and I have planned, that if you happen to be empty-pursed at this time, you may think it as well to make him up a bed in the best kitchen.
“I think it very probable that Phillips will come, and if you do not like such a crowd of us, for they both talk of staying a whole month, tell me so, and we will put off our visit till next summer.
“The 14th of July is the day when Martin has fixed for coming.
“I should have written before, if I could have got a positive answer from them.
“Thank you very much for the good work you have
| 172 | THE LAMBS AT WINTERSLOW. |
“Martin Burney has been very ill, and still is very weak and pale. . . . . I cannot write any more, for we have got a noble ‘Life of Lord Nelson’ lent us by our poor relation, the bookbinder, and I want to read as much of it as I can.
“On reading Martin’s note over again, we guess the Captain means him to stay only a fortnight. It is most likely we shall come the beginning of July.
