
Many thanks to you, my dear old friend, for your kindness in sending me the Philadelphia paper (with the marked paragraph) received on the 24th inst and the Engineering Record (containing your pithy and entirely admirable sketch of the career of your late brother Jefferson) received today. Both are welcomed for their own sake but mainly as messengers of the glad tidings that at the time of their dispatch you were in better health than when you last wrote to me. I hope sincerely that this is so & I am longing to hear a better report.
I trust you have spent a truly happy Christmastide & that the New Year may bring
you renewed health with every blessing & vigour with every blessing & "joy, shipmate joy!"
I am anticipating the publication of your forthcoming volume with pleasurable & eager interest. Will you please be kind enough to forward four copies to me (for myself JWW and two of the friends) and I will remit the cash on receipt?
We had a thoroughly enjoyable old fashioned Christmas day here—a sort of ideal
day—a snow mantled outer world, a
keen frost and
a dry crisp atmosphere, but no sunshine—and we spent it in the orthodox fashion,
beginning the day by listening to the Christmas Carollers singing their joyous
songs & choruses in the early morning—it was very nice to lie abed
and hearken to the blending voices of the singers wafted in melody across the
moonlit, snow-clad street—dining at the house of a friend in the orthodox
English style upon roast goose & plum pudding with (—tell it not
in Gath!—) brandy
sauce—finishing the day by a little social "party" at our house.
Since then there has been a thaw but the temperature has again fallen to freezing
& there has been another slight fall of snow in the night. As I write the sun is shining
fitfully on the white-roofed houses & a few sparrows are pecking up the breadcrumbs
on the outer window-sill. Poor brave, blithe-hearted, russet-coated little birdies!
It is a hard winter for you and your tiny companions. I wonder how many of you will survive
it to gladden our hearts & to make our vernal woodlands vocal with your
sweet melodiousness! Never mind! Cheer up! For
"Soon shall the winter's foil be here;
Soon shall these icy ligatures unbend
and melt. A little while
And air, soil, wave suffused
shall be in softness, bloom growth
A thousand forms shall rise
- - - - - - - - - - - -
With these the robin, lark, &
thrush, singing their songs—"
One result of our Xmas gathering was a proposal to give a free dinner & entertainment to 500 of the poor children in the "slums" of Bolton. The necessary money having been promised the treat will take place shortly.
Another treat in store for us is a Children's Party which my wife & I intend giving in our house, when we expect some 40 or 50 of our friends' children to spend the afternoon & evening in games, fun & such general jollification as the youngsters delight in. Oh! that we could have you to come amongst us on that night!

It will interest you to know that I have received a brief letter of acknowledgment of my "Notes" & of your portrait from Lord Tennyson—in his own hand—& a really splendid letter from your friend John Addington Symonds, a copy of which I herewith enclose as I thought you wd be pleased to read it. Perhaps Dr Bucke wd like to see it, too. If you think so you might send it to him.
I also send you copies of some verses I sent to some of my friends & a
copy of this week's Annandale Observer containing
a notice of my "Notes." I—like Mr
Rome—am a native of Annan, in Scotland, where my dear, good,
old father & mother still reside.
I have just heard from JWW that he has received a paper from you.
With kindest regards & best wishes for the new year to all your household & with best heart—love to yourself

