Private

What I call my mind, has been in a state of fierce & uncontrollable irruption, during three successive days. The consequence is, I am on◊ my back, burnt out, devastated, & merely smouldering. At your house (I think it was) an old idea came again into my head which I had missed from that treasury during seven or eight years or more: the idea that of adding a character to Shakspeare’s Hamlet. I did the thing once—nine years ago; the addition was a country cousin of Hamlet’s. But it did not suit me, & I burnt it. A cousin wouldn’t answer; the family could not consistently ignore him; one couldn’t rationally explain a his a cousin’s standing around the stage during 5 acts & never being spoken to: yet of course the added character must not be spoken to; for the sacrilegious scribbler who ventured to put words into Shakspeare’s mouth would probably be hanged. But I’ve got a character, now, who is all right. He goes & comes as he pleases; yet he does not need to be spoken to. I’ve done the first & second Acts; but this was too much work for three days; so I am in bed. But I am in bed really as a precaution, only; it is to guard against wandering up to the study; I should go to work, sure—& I have had some rough lessons in the matter of over-workⒶemendation.

I say “private” up there, because I would not like my secret to go out of the family till my work is done—& you know I generally drop my work in the middle & then take it up again next year. I am doing this thing for the enjoyment I get out of it; therefore there is no hurry. Shall return to “Etiquette” presently.

Your experience in the matter of “Dr. Breen” & the authoress of its Doppelganger, adds a rattling strong instance to my list of cases of “mental telegraphing.” I guess that by the time that that magazine article is finished, it will make curious & interesting reading. Seems to me there were other cases mentioned when yours was spoken of. Why the nation did I let them slip out of my mind?

Take it all around, it was a pretty fat visit that I made to Boston & Belmont. Among other things, that visit cast in my way an idea toward perfecting an invention of mine; & it gave me the right character for my Hamllet et; the incident for my “mental telegraphy;” chapter on international etiquette; mighty nice dog; a staving good time at your house & Fairchild’s—yes, & the great day of mourning, in Boston, that memorable Friday, when one could almost feel the heart of the nation beat.

But I might as well be at work as writing 600 words & calling it recreation—wherefore, good bye, & mind you keep Winnie right where she is—it is the sure remedy. I am her fellow-rest-curist, to-day.