. . . I suppose you have seen Carlyle's thirty-five Cromwell letters in
Fraser. I see the Athenaeum is picking holes with them too: and I
certainly had a misgiving that Squire of Yarmouth must have pieced out
the erosions of 'the vermin' by one or two hotheaded guesses of his own.
But I am sure, both from the general matter of the letters, and from
Squire's own bodily presence, that he did not forge them. Carlyle has
made a bungle of the whole business; and is fairly twitted by the
Athenaeum for talking so loud about his veneration for Cromwell, etc.,
and yet not stirring himself to travel a hundred miles to see and save
such memorials as he talks of.
BOULGE, _Wednesday_.
[_Jan._ 25, 1848.]