I am more obliged to you than I can tell you for the beautiful mark of
your friendly remembrance which you have sent me this morning. I shall
set it up among my household gods with pride. It gives me the highest
gratification, and I beg you to accept my most cordial and sincere
thanks. A little bit of the tissue paper was sticking to the surface of
the picture, and has slightly marked it. It requires but a touch, as one
would dot an "i" or cross a "t," to remove the blemish; but as I cannot
think of a recollection so full of poetry being touched by any hand but
yours, I have told Green the framer, whenever he shall be on his way
with it, to call on you by the road. I enclose a note from Mrs. Dickens,
which I hope will impress you into a country dance, with which we hope
to dismiss Christmas merrily.
Ever, my dear Roberts,
Faithfully yours.
[Sidenote: Mr. James Sheridan Knowles.]