[_Chalet am Stein, Davos-Platz, March 1882._]
MY DEAR COLVIN,--Herewith _Moral Emblems_. The elephant by Fanny--the
rest by me.
I would have sent it long ago. But I must explain. I brought home with
me from my bad times in America two strains of unsoundness of mind, the
first, a perpetual fear that I can do no more work--the second, a
perpetual fear that my friends have quarrelled with me.[43] This last
long silence of yours drove me into really believing it, and I dared not
write to you.
Well, it's ancient history now, and here are the emblems. A second
series is in the press.
_Silverado_ is still unfinished; but I think I have done well on the
whole, as you say. I shall be home, I hope, sometime in May, perhaps
before; it depends on Fanny's health, which is still far from good and
often alarms me. I shall then see your collectanea. I shall not put pen
to paper till I settle somewhere else; Hazlitt had better simmer awhile.
I have to see Ireland too, who has most kindly written to me and invited
me to see his collections.
Symonds grows much on me: in many ways, what you would least expect, a
very sound man, and very wise in a wise way. It is curious how F. and I
always turn to him for advice: we have learned that his advice is
good.--Yours ever,