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28
London, July 2nd 1882
Dear Jervy---I’m afraid this will be a poor apology for a letter; somehow I have lost the mood for correspondence, I seem to be utterly devoid of ideas or information of any sort. Yours of June 17 from the ‘backwoods’ came duly & since then Julia has heard from you. I regret the hardship you are enduring, but believe it will do you a world of good & result pleasantly. I’ve had some hard work these past four weeks to fashionably bad houses & look for harder times the next two, which will close my London engt, after which we shall tour a little in Holland, Germany & Swit-
land for a rest, prior to the confounded provincial engagements. I daresay you hear all that I can tell you through the folks at home who hear often from Julia. She is having a jolly time with her relatives here and is as jolly a little fellow as ever. Edwina is quite well now, the doctors say, but she sees few people & visits fewer. I long to be at my German work, my contracts are signed---to begin in Berlin, & with a German company. Have seen nothing of the [Boughtons?] yet---believe they are out of town, ‘tis fashionable to be out of town at this season, the London [term?] is over. I came
too late, last year I came too early. We three are sitting at one table scribbling away for dear life---this being my first quiet Sunday at home I have lots of letters to answer that have accumulated during the past few weeks. The more of London I see the more I long to live here---I mean in the summer, the fall & winter are perhaps more depressing than elsewhere, but the houses are so cosy & hospitable that ‘outdoors’ is soon forgotten: I daresay, however, that when our cot at Newport is finished & our young ones are married I shall be contented to remain at home. Abbey
has engaged [Irving?] for six months next year & wants me to fill the time here at the Lyceum during Irving's absence, but I hardly think it would be wise to work so laboriously for mere fame, at my time of life. The English critics have said all they can of me, yet the masses do not come to my theatre; it would take me several years to get a “following” sufficient to fill my benches; were I ten years younger I could seize the opportunity. Met Aldrich here--he, Winter & Barrett come together. they are scattered now; Hutton is here just now & he’s the only one I loaf with. H.R.H. came one night last week & had a chat with the Cardinal during an ‘entire act.’ Julia says he winked at her. Good night, old friend.
Edwin