But the moment has not yet come, and doubtless never will; and
now I have delayed so long, that America and England seem to have
anticipated me in their congratulations.
I read the book aloud to my wife, and both she and I have felt that we
never knew anything of the Nile before. There is something beyond
descriptive power in it. You make me feel almost as if we had been there
ourselves. And then you are such a luxurious traveller.... The fragrance
of your chibonque was a marvellous blessing to me. It cannot be
concealed that I felt a little alarm, as I penetrated the depths of
those chapters about the dancing-girls, lest they might result in
something not altogether accordant with our New England morality; and
even now I hardly know whether we escaped the peril, or were utterly
overwhelmed by it. But at any rate, those passages are gorgeous in the
utmost degree. However, I suppose you are weary of praise; and as I have
nothing else to inflict, I may as well stop here.
S---- and the children and I are plodding onward in good health, and in
a fair medium state of prosperity; and on the whole, we are quite the
happiest family to be found anywhere. We live in the ugliest little old
red farm-house you ever saw....
What shall you write next? For of course you are an author forever. I am
glad, for the sake of the public, but not particularly so for your own.
Very soon after the issue of the "Seven Gables," another lighter
literary project was put into execution.
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