Ever your faithful and obliged.
The Earl of Carlisle.
Gad's Hill Place, Higham by Rochester, Kent,
Wednesday, Aug. 8th, 1860.
My dear Lord Carlisle,
Coming back here after an absence of three days in town, I find your kind and cordial letter lying on my table. I heartily thank you for it, and highly esteem it. I understand that the article on the spirits to which you refer was written by —— (he played an Irish porter in one scene of Bulwer's comedy at Devonshire House). Between ourselves, I think it must be taken with a few grains of salt, imperial measure. The experiences referred to "came off" at ——, where the spirit of —— (among an extensive and miscellaneous bodiless circle) dines sometimes! Mr. ——, the high priest of the mysteries, I have some considerable reason—derived from two honourable men—for mistrusting. And that some of the disciples are very easy of belief I know.
This is Falstaff's own Gad's Hill, and I live on the top of it. All goes well with me, thank God! I should be thoroughly delighted to see you again, and to show you where the robbery was done. My eldest daughter keeps my house, and it is one I was extraordinarily fond of when a child.
My dear Lord Carlisle, ever affectionately yours.
P.S.—I am prowling about, meditating a new book.
Mr. W. H. Wills.
Office of "All the Year Round,"
Tuesday, Sept. 4th, 1860.