I have been reading and am reading Bentham's _Memoirs_; he could write
plain English before he invented his strange lingo, and the account of
his childhood and youth is exceedingly entertaining. Fanny reads to us
at night, much to Waller's interest and entertainment, Lieutenant Eyre's
account of that horrid Cabul expedition--what a disgrace to the British
arms and name in India. Mr. Pakenham and his nice wife came in while I
was writing this, and when I asked him if the prestige of British
superiority would be destroyed in India, he said, "No: we have redeemed
ourselves so nobly."
Waller is occupied every spare moment perfecting a Leyden phial, coated
and chained properly, and giving quite large and grand sparks and pretty
sharp shocks.
_To_ MRS. EDGEWORTH.