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  My Dear Old Friend,

This afternoon I recd. your kind p.c. of June 23rd & thank you for it with all my heart. I at once sent it on to Wallace.

I was very pleased to note that at the time of writing you were "keeping tolerably fairly" & that you were "free from marked pain or bother."—from which I conclude that on the whole you are   maintaining the slight improvement which the last few weeks have brought you. For this "small mercy" we are very grateful, but we wd like to hear of your getting out-of-doors again, without any return of the old unpleasant sensations.

Glad to hear, too, that H.L.T. & Warry are "well & flourishing." Please give them & Mrs Davis my kindest regards.

So Dr Bucke leaves on July 8th by the "Britannic"—a really splendid ship. She passed our steamer,   the "British Prince," when I was going to America & we had a good look at her.

The Doctor will probably arrive in Liverpool about July 15th or 16th & as Bolton is only 30 miles from Liverpool we shall expect to see him soon after his arrival & he will make my house his home during his stay amongst us.

Wallace called here last night, during my absence from town on business, & left one of the "Good Byes" & two of the portraits for me. One of the latter ("The Laughing Philosopher") appears in my photograph of the interior of John Burroughs's   study at West Park.

I particularly like the large head & will copy it as well as one or two of the others

Saturday July 4th 91 8p.m.

I have just returned from Anderton where Wentworth Dixon, Mrs. Dixon & boy have been spending the afternoon with J.W. Wallace

We walked through beautiful Rivington to the secluded spot—christened by J.W.W. "Anderton College"—where we celebrated your birthday

The day was gloriously fine—the sun streaming   out of a cloud-dappled sky of deepest azure, down upon lake, wood, moorland & hill, the heat tempered by a gentle refreshing breeze which sighed thro' the arboreal roof of our sylvan assembly room.

While sitting there we mooted the proposal I mentioned in my last letter to H L.T. & wh. he has mentioned in the postscript of his letter to you viz. to send him across the Atlantic to see you. We are all very anxious for   him to do so & every thing is being done to pave the way for him & to induce him to go. The only thing now awaiting is his consent & that I regret to say we have not yet got. We are sure that the trip would do him a great deal of good & we know that he longs to see you but I think he is rather afraid of the excitement But we must wait a little & try him again before we give up the idea. Perhaps a word from you would help us.

But my time is up. Good night & god bless you

Yours affectionately J Johnston