To Margaret Roberts Ginty   Saturday¹

Halifax | Saturday,

My dear Mrs Ginty,

You have indeed been the medium of ‘good news’ I don’t know any intelligence that could have afforded me more sincere satisfaction than what you have just communicated – Poor Higginson!² – I don’t know any one on earth, ladies excepted, that I like better – He has come nearest to my ideal of a true man – we were bound together by the warmest friendship, and when half the world lay stretched between us the more I thought on his character the more I loved him – But how did you come to know of his appearance in Ireland? I wrote to him about two months ago, but my letter had not time to reach him. He belonged to the 78^th. I missed his name in the Army list for two or three months successively – I thought he was dead and wrote to the Secretary at war to learn the worst, I was informed in reply that he had exchanged to the 62^nd – and your note places the fact of his existence beyond doubt – I owe you many letters! How many? Now don’t be hard on me – let us balance our books and begin a new account. Accept my sincere congratulations on the late happy event – I trust little Kathleen³ is doing well. Bill⁴ has returned to England with 6 inches added to his stature – there is no standing the chap’s pride. I saw him on Wednesday evening. I go to Manchester tomorrow and may possibly push on to Preston. To whom are you going to introduce me? It will do no good – when the dry bones in the valley of Hinnon drill themselves into skeletons and clothe themselves with flesh, the spring time of my heart will return.

‘Their eyes have scarce a charm for me’⁵

Good bye for the present and believe me always

most sincerely yours | Perybingle⁶

RI MS JT/1/TYP/11/3705

LT Transcript Only