Dear Miss Faithfull, Thank you for your very kind letter of 30th - indeed we hardly know what to hope or pray or wish for -The work is very great & glorious -but to leave this 'Land of 'such dear souls - this dear dear 'Land' is very bitter. We sing
the 'Marsellaine' & 'Cheer boys cheer' - (if you know the words of the latter composition you will see they are very appropriate) & work all day & we cry all night. What has happened was in times before 'public crises' is happening & ____ will happen again -that is many people will give us a gt. deal of advice -some good - & some -not good, many men of worth care to go with my father -many acquaintances suggest he shd. take with him & reform their neés -to - weél Relations. Some old friends break our hearts by saying they shall never live to see us again -& one or two will that our Heaven hearted Katie shd. not accompany us -but - as it is only for the sake of the ideal -[to each mind diffrnt] that the sacred soul cd. ever surrender old duties for new -& since neither 'wit' nor beauty nor 'good position' nor competence were ever that to her, she has not forsaken us - Her honour is for the love of the abstract - & of abstract subjects - & where that is lacking all the 'kingdoms of the world & the glory of them' lack the background of the sure foundation that will not vanish with them. This is true - if you have once lived with the 'immunities & st____s' without them all else is as nothing 'dull unprofitable, beat' -& as Miss Hershel very well shows in speaking of her brother, those who have lived within the 'Radience of Genius' cannot descend - nor ever cd. any consideration, even so sacred as that of a further sphere of ____ness, nor aid to those that are loved, make it for a moment possible - So -whilst I have hitherto in bygone days deplored, I cannot but more gtly rejoice - for tho I take it, there is no earthly happiness like the sweet comradeship of two duly united hearts (a fair harmonious duet) wch we shd always wish for our friends as every other earthly & eternal good - yet it is better that those we love should have an inner haven that outer vices can neither make nor mar - having this appearance that when the soul awakes complete in itself after the eternal likeness it will 'be satisfied' -& so - dear Miss Balfour is Aunt Rose & you are you, I, I, & Katie is
Katie to us still - & whatever is, is best. If (as a friend sd was) there is one lesson life has taught us it is that It 'is not our test' - Heyho! It is almost intolerable to see precious lives ground out - 'Oh if I were king of France or much better Pope of Rome, 'I'd have no fighting men abroad nor weeping maids at Home'
Paper has, 'WRESSIL LODGE. WIMBLEDON COMMON. SW.' printed on it in blue ink.