Newport, Rhode Island. - Success of The Scarlet Letter etc in England; Hawthorne has enhanced unpoetic life of New England with a romance of its past; Hawthorne's reclusive habits; encloses an autograph [no longer present]; is sending Hawthorne's last volume, and a pamphlet of his own, via Chapman in the Strand. Report of poor American display at the Great Exhibition will be a timely blow to national vanity, but it does demonstrate America's lack of an underclass 'to produce luxuries for others, while they starve themselves'; hopes the same can be said in 1951 or 2051. Would like to revisit London. Has read Mrs Browning's noble new poem [Casa Guidi Windows] and Companions of My Solitude [by Arthur Helps]. Postscript: letters should always be addressed to Cambridge, Mass.
Methods used by Thompson, Henry Lushington, Macaulay and Douglas Heath in telling the time
[On headed notepaper for Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland]: - Arrived without losing any of his luggage. There was 'rather a crowd in the station', but they [he and Charlie?] got a carriage near the engine which 'none of the boys had found' and had it to themselves by the end of the journey. Has 'already finished Realmah [by Arthur Helps], and thinks it one of the best stories he has read; wishes it were longer, for 'quite half is conversation', which he does not enjoy as much. Hallam is teaching them, for which Robert is 'very glad'; they have only had 'two schools so far' with him but finds him interesting already. Has 'got on all right', but has not yet been asked to construe. Ordered his 'bluer' as soon as he could, and will get it tomorrow or the next day. [Thomas Macaulay] Booth is in Robert's house, and 'took middle shell'; Robert is 'trying to help him a little at first'. Hopes that his father's 'cold is better, and that his speech will be a success'. Will write to his grandfather soon. Charlie is well, and Robert walked with him this morning. Jas gone to football for the last three days, and they have had 'several good games'. It snowed this morning, and there was a 'hard frost'.
[On headed notepaper for Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland]: - Thanks his father for his letter. Dreamt last night that he was 'conversing with a conservative', who said that 'there would be an election this spring' in which the Conservatives would 'lose 100 seats', primarily due to his father's speeches. Cannot remember much else, but 'hope[s] it will come true, if not this Easter, at all events some day'.
Is glad the picture [the portrait of his father by Frank Holl?] 'looks well': liked it a great deal when he saw it two weeks ago, but it was 'then only on the floor'. Has 'two copies of verses' in a drawer at Inkerman, one about Inkerman and another on a quotation in ancient Greek which is 'not so good'. Does not think he has a rough copy here, but will send one if he can find one, or if he writes another good one. Is 'so glad' Hallam is teaching them, as he is very interesting.
Has been 'working hard and preparing [his] construing', though he 'came to grief once with Welldon': after preparing carefully 'with the notes', he could not remember one particular part, and Welldon thought he had 'not prepared it at all'. This is 'the result of a reputation for not preparing' which he must try hard to reverse. Has not been late 'for any schools'.
They had some 'fair skating last Thursday', but there was a thaw the morning after; was glad he did not send for his skates as he almost did. His house is 'very good this term'; he does not mean in games, though they are 'not bad in torpids'. Has been reading Realmah [by Arthur Helps] and likes it very much. Charlie is reading it now and has lent Robert [Kinglake's] Eothen, which he will read when he has time.
Grosvenor Hotel, Park St. - [His brother] Edward Turner Boyd Twistleton was with him in early August, and was a member of a party from Broughton Castle to Edgehill, where 'he explained the Bearings of the Fight with all the Precision of one who had been in it'; he 'never saw him again'. Edward 'had evidently been ailing, tho he told noone of it, both in Eye Sight, the Liver, and the Head'. Thinks these symptoms led his brother to cross the Channel 'that he might trouble no one'. Lord Saye and Sele's son received a telegram from the landlord of the Hotel des Bains at Boulogne on 4 Oct., summoning him over; he found Edward 'sinking' and he did not survive the evening of the 5th.
Transciption of the report of the Chief Physician of the hospital at Boulogne, Dr Dehannel, 18 Oct. 1874, which found that the primary cause of symptoms and death was 'Cerebral Affection localised at the point where the Optic Nerves take root'.
Since it is 'no longer a secret', mentions that in 1860 Lord Granville offered Edward the Clerkship of the Council now held by Sir Arthur Helps, on the resignation of Mr Bathurst.
Re article by Lord Houghton in the Fortnightly Review on 'The Position and Practice of the House of Lords' (published Jan. 1872).