XV. FLORENCE AND SPEZZIA 1865
To Mr John Blackwood.
“Villa Morelli, Florence, Jan. 6, 1866.
“I have just got your kind letter. I thank you for it heartily. The second instalment of ‘Tony’ and the ‘O’Dowd’ [paper] will be time enough in March.
“I am walking over the hills every day getting up my new tale; I truly think I have got on a good track.
“I’ll send you a couple of short O’Ds. for February. When Parliament meets we shall not want for matter.
“I send one now on ‘Tuft-hunting.’ You will see I had Whately in my head while I was doing it.
“My hope and wish is to be able to begin a new story in the April No. Will this suit your book?
“You can’t imagine how anxious I feel about ‘Tony.’ Let me hear from you how it is subscribed? Mudie is, I think, the novel barometer; what says he? If the book is not known as mine, all the better. At least, I have such faith in my bad luck that I would rather any one else fathered it.
“If it were not for the cheer of your hearty letters I don’t know what I should do, for I am low—low!”