12 Cork St., B[urlington] G[ardens]. - Thanks for Wortley's £2; not sure of current balance as Salomons is away; probable costs of granite monument to Hood with a bronze bust by Campbell; favours very simple inscription. Should not get involved with publication of Hood's verse; Moxon will get someone like Dickens to ensure sales. Pleased by Houghton's appreciation of George Sand and the 'humanitaires' but the Fourierists are superior in their ability to organise labour; Milnes would see this if he could conquer his aversion to Fourier's neologisms and read attentively. 'Suppose you stood naked on Kennington Common, on a frosty day, which would you prefer - A humanitaire contemplating you with moistened heavenward eyes & folded arms... A Lord Ashley, who would put you on one glove towards clothing you... Or a Fourierist who would furnish you with a complete suit, and supply its proper warmth to every shivering nerve?' - only the last can solve problems as diverse as the destiny of Constantinople and the economy of a poultry yard; breadth of vision. If visiting Paris Milnes must meet Daly and Pelletan, 'a cher ami once I fancy of G. Sand'.
Re memorial to Thomas Hood.
12 Cork St, B[urlington] G[ardens], London. - Is recommending Thomas Hood's son Tom for a place at the Charterhouse; asks Milnes to use influence with Lord Wharncliffe or one of the other governors to secure presentation. Postscript. - Admires Lord Dudley Stuart's defence of the woman recently molested by the police - 'It is not by treating them as dogs, that we shall make them more like women'.
Denmark Road, Diss. - Met a son of Thomas Hood at Miss Forrest's; he is teaching but would like to join staff of British Museum. Bumstead is 'doing something in old books again'.
Hackney Common, South Hackney. - Sending copy of his Monody on the late Thomas Hood. Invites Milnes to subscribe 10 shillings 'for 2 copies, in gold Letter on Enamel'.
Including many letters re Thomas Hood and family, Fourierism etc.
245 and 247 enclosing notes from C. Daly, [Jul. 1845?] and Mar. 1848.
Printed notepaper, Town Hall. - Will contact Houghton nearer the time of the Hood lecture; hopes he will preside. Was pleased to visit Kensal Green; the Cemetery Ranger says Hood's is the most visited grave.
Encloses cheque [no longer present] from W. Hackblock of Denmark Hill, subscribing for family of Thomas Hood.
Clifton. - Pledges £10 for 'poor Hood'; dined with Landor yesterday at Eagles's
Will subscribe twenty guineas for the Hood family.
Thornwood Lodge. - Sends cheque for widow of Hood, 'who veiled the sensitiveness of his poetical spirit in so light & bright a wimple of fanciful mirth' that his serious moments made one ashamed of having laughed so carelessly.
Thanks Ward for magazine and news of [Thomas] Hood; enlisting Lord Francis [Egerton?] was a good idea; sends newspaper account [no longer present] of Birmingham Athenic Institute, which would welcome copies of the magazine. Ward's otherwise striking Camberwell article gave the impression he had not met Susan Cleverly. [Meinhold's] Amber Witch is an obvious fraud; Fourierism is flawed in requiring to be understood as a complete system, for mankind lives on mixed crumbs of philosophy; 'All that's great & good in the world is got at indirectly by the masses - the Philosopher, of course, may hold the complete and abstract Truth'.