It is very grievous to me to hear that you have been suffering and it
would be as grievous to hear _the how_ if I were not quite sure that
at your age and with temperance in all things such as yours, the
enemy—if so we can venture to call him—will pass away and leave you,
perhaps more useful, but not less comfortable for many a long year.
Within my own recollection this has happened to many that I still know
in health and vigor but while any vestige remains of the disease it
always leaves a despondency as its footprint which makes us look upon
the attack as worse than it really has been. Though a successful man,
I know—I am sure,—you have been an anxious man; and there is nothing
has so great a tendency to produce all kind of nervous affections as
anxiety. I trust however that you have now no cause for any kind of
anxiety but _that_ regarding your health, and that it will soon regain
its tone. Pray my good friend take exercise, not of a violent or
fatiguing nature, but frequent and tranquilly, and remember that
anything which hurries the circulation is very detrimental. You will
also find everything that sits heavy or cold upon the stomach also bad
for you; I know, for I have seen much mischief done by even a small
quantity of the cold sorts of fruit. It gives me great pleasure to
hear you like my books. You are one of those who can understand and
appreciate the plan which I have laid down for myself in writing them.
If I chose to hazard thoughts and speculations that might do evil, to
run a tilt at virtue and honor, to sport with good feelings and to
arouse bad ones, the field being far wider, the materials more ample,
I might perhaps be more brilliant and witty, but I would rather build
a greek temple or a gothic church than the palace of Versailles with
all its frog’s statues and marbles. If the books give you
entertainment, you are soon likely to have another for there is one
now in the press called the “_King’s Highway_” but which is not quite
so Jack Sheppardish as the name implies. With our best regards to all
yours believe me ever
Yours truly
G. P. R. JAMES
ALLAN CUNNINGHAM ESQRE
Belgrave Place
Pimlico