12 Nicholson, Hemans — Nicholson Correspondence. 



wish to be ever my guide. As I am certain that I have nearly exhausted 

 your patience by this long letter, I will only entreat your farther 

 indulgence, whilst I beg you to accept, my dear Sir, the good wishes 

 and grateful esteem of your unknown, but sincere, 

 and much-obliged young friend, 



Felicia D. Browne." 



A few days later Mr. Nicholson received a batch of 

 letters from the Brovvnes enclosing a copy of one from the 

 soldier brother in Spain. Mrs. Browne writes 



" the approbation you have bestowed upon my dear Felicia's last 

 production is truly grateful to her and to me and all the praises she 

 receives stimulate her most ardently to the improvement of her talents 

 that she may attain real excellence. She is most zealously devoting 

 herself to jo/?*^ reading and she says that her 'England and Spain' 

 shall soon be no more to be compared with what she is now meditating 

 than her first publication is to that. I pray God most fervently, that 

 she may ever preserve that simplicity of mind and manner and single- 

 ness of heart, which are now the chief ornaments of her character, and 

 that the commendations she daily receives may only prompt her to 

 devote her talents and genius to His glory and the cause of virtue." 



In her letter, Harriett, referring to Felicia having 

 herself written to thank Mr. Nicholson, writes, " I must 

 express a hope, that she will not supplant me in your 

 regard, or that her writing to you, will not be the means 

 of depriving me of so valuable a correspondent." Of 

 public events she says, " We, who are so much interested 

 in every account from that country (Spain), open every 

 newspaper almost in fear and trembling, and read the 

 intelligence of every viclorious battle with peculiar 

 pleasure. Felicia is particularly delighted that her hero, 

 Palafox, has gained anotJier victory, and added another 

 laurel to his wreath." On February i, Mrs. Browne sent 

 a very long letter relating entirely to her son George, 

 whose regiment had suffered much at Corunna, and 

 during the retreat which preceded that victory. " He is 

 in most miserable plight, for he has lost all he possessed 

 in the world, and is worn to a skeleton." The delicate 



