I know I shall always have your kind sympathy in these unpleasant visitations, and I wish they did not come to intrude so often. But this time I really and truly do hope, unless some luckless draught gets hold of me, that I shall pick up quickly, and not have such dreary stories to tell you.
Dr. Lipscomb says that it is just having let my health run down that is the reason, and I mean to be very careful. I am up in my room part of the day comfortably, and hope to get downstairs to-morrow.
I greatly look forward to a good talk by and by over many matters, and I was very sorry that Dr. MacDougall could not come this week, but further on I hope we shall have a chat. You will doubtless (or very likely) have seen flourishes in the papers about a testimonial! to my unworthy self—but to my horror yesterday I had a letter from Mr. —— stating that he was trying to procure a pension for me; and the Member for H—— and (I understood Lord ——) would most likely use their influence.
Just think what could possess him—what a to-do there would have been. But I wrote earnestly representing how misappropriate such a grant would be to a person so well off as myself, and it being such a troublesome matter, I got Dr. L. to read my letter. I hope I may have quite stopped his operations (and politely), but assuredly I should feel inexpressibly lowered if I accepted a “pension.”
I have been collecting for “Reminiscences” very fairly well, but I have been afraid to prepare whole papers lest
April 2, 1901.
I must write a line to give, I believe, a soundly good report of myself in reply to your letter, which arrived 4.50; it is very good of you to write so kindly. I have been down to-day for about six hours, and I do hope now to steadily regain my strength.
You will let me have your address, will you not? And I shall hope to write something more worth reading.
Mr. —— has on my urgent representation stopped his applications as to a pension.
P.S.—The typewriting seems to me beautiful, and I hope soon to have more work ready.