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you are by no means in the number of those who 

 depend for their comfort or amusement upon things 

 without ; and our opportunities of meeting are now 

 so rare, that I am but too glad to catch you in any 

 time or place. In the course of my downward 

 journey through life, there are but few things have 

 vexed me more than the interruption to those an- 

 nual visits which used to pass between us, and which 

 were periods on whose recurrence, like a school- 

 boy for his holidays, I used to reckon from year to 

 year. If possible, do let them be renewed : not 

 many more summers, in the course of nature, can 

 be allotted to either of us ; and our time of life is 

 not such when we can with prudence expect, or 

 wish, to form many new friends ; still less can we 

 be willing to part with those we have : every year, 

 as it goes, necessarily diminishes their number. 

 Since 1823 more than ten of the persons with whom 

 I was then in correspondence are dead. I disco- 

 vered the fact accidentally in turning over my 

 letters, and I do not know when I have felt so 

 painful a chill. But the effect will be good, if it 

 leads me the more to value those who are left, and 

 among these there is assuredly no one to whom I 

 owe more, or for whom I feel a greater regard, than 

 yourself. Do, my excellent friend, let us endeavour, 

 as far as in us lies, to recall the times that are past, 

 when I used to mark the years by your visits, and 

 counted upon their recurrence from August to Au- 

 gust. As one advances in life, and sees the friends 

 of our youth gradually drop about us, the number 

 decreases of those to whom it is possible fully and 



