Autograph letter signed with initials : Torquay, to Richard Hengist Horne, [1840 June 14].

Returning a copy of "The Statesmen" which he had sent her and commenting on its negative review of his play; comparing him to [George] Darley as a tragedian; saying of Darley "You know he is a spirit of the Athenæum. I care for the Athenæum - but as to poetry, they are all sitting (in mistake) just now, upon Caucasus for Parnassus - & wondering why they dont see the Muses...And to his mind - the c̲a̲u̲s̲e̲ of the abundance of poetical genius in the old times, was...the difficulty they had in writing! - We spell too well for anything!! - There's a discovery! - It comes to this. If poetry under any form be exhaustible, Nature is - and if Nature be -- we are near a blasphemy. I, for one, c'd not believe in the immortality of the soul...which reminds me of another sort of taking turns - the sort you propose -- in cruel jest as I must suppose. You think it w'd be a good joke to take the 'click of small machinery' into y'r Gregorian chaunt! - Well - I can only answer in sober sadness - that I sh'd like to do anything with you - both for the pleasure's sake & the honor's sake - but I am afraid of you. You w'd tread on me if I were so near, with the great Gregory foot - & everybody w'd talk of want of proportion.;" expressing her desire to go to London but referring to her illness saying "For the present,...certainly the window has been opened twice - an inch, - but I cant be lifted even to the sofa without fainting - and my physician shakes his head or changes the conversation (which is worse) whenever London is mentioned. But I do grow stronger; and if it becomes possible, I shall go -- w̲i̲l̲l̲ go! That sounds better - does'nt it? Putting it off to another summer is like a never;" thanking him for his note saying "I really thought you had gone to America - or were tired of me - worse still. I never thought of 'neglect' - that being such a wrong word - but otherwise, I lie here fancying all sorts of things in heaven & earth - It is a shame to expect all this stuff to be read by any person with their time filled as yours must be - Never mind throwing aside what I write for your leisure. Never let me be in the way. Pray dont;" saying she would have liked to have given him one of her poems to read before submitting it to the Monthly Chronicle but she is sending it directly to the editor so "...that I may not wear you quite away. Now if you are tired you are avenged - for I am too!"