LEAVE OF ABSENCE. 109 



Mrs. G was much surprised to find me so young ; she 



had pictured to herself a quiet, squat, middle-aged figure, sober 

 and staid : I fear I have lost ground by showing my real, the 

 ideal being so much more author-like and responsible. She has 

 persuaded me to undertake a manual of the Algee, which I shall 

 amuse myself at this coming winter, if Hooker can find a pub- 

 lisher. It is to be a " familiar " affair. 



To N. B. Ward, Esq. 



Dublin, Oct. 23rd, 1839. 

 I am inexcusable for never having written to you since 

 I left your roof, especially in not having replied to your kind 

 letter of July, informing me of the termination of poor Christy's 

 sufferings. When I saw him in June I thought I was taking 

 farewell of him, though I did not look to his end being so near. 

 He seemed so wonderfully cheerful, and lie spoke with interest 

 of some bulbs I was to send him, and was looking forward with 

 pleasure to a trip to the sea-coast. 



The cause of my silence has been a dislike to writing, almost 

 amounting to inability to string sentences together, under which 

 I have been almost ever since we parted, and from which I 

 am but just emerging. I suppose it is natural that the feverish- 

 ness which I had so lately passed through should be succeeded by 

 a dead and idle state of mind, which makes any exertion pain- 

 ful, and often impossible. This ennui is, I am happy to say, 

 lessening, and I hope finally to drive it off, notwithstanding 

 the dull days of November which are approaching. Perhaps 

 one cause of it is the uncertainty which hangs over my future 

 movements. My family are very averse to my returning to the 

 Cape, and till the thing be decided one way or the other I find 

 it difficult to settle down to any regular occupation. At the 

 suggestion of Hooker and ' Mrs. Griffiths I have commenced a 

 " Manual of British Algse," but it gets on slowly, as I have not 

 yet properly warmed to it. I am almost ashamed to mention 

 Bentham's name, never having thanked him for the package 

 I got from you in London, and yet you tell me you have another 

 from him for me ! Nothing, however, can be farther from my 

 intention than to slight him, as there are very few whose 

 acquaintance I am more desirous of cultivating. I look upon 



