[Letter] 1849 March 16, [to George Grote Mill]

                               16th March
                                    1849
  Dear George‐We have not a word 
from you later than the letters by the 
Brilliant. The extreme uncertainty 
of the packets is a very great 
nuisance connected with Madeira 
as with all other places with 
which the communication is by 
sailing packets. I expect every day 
when I arrive at the I[ndia] H[ouse] to find 
letters & I often wish that I 
could go over to you some Saturday 
& return on Monday. I told 
you that Clark is rather in 
favour of your coming to England 
but not till Midsummer. I have 
not seen him since, having 
nothing fresh to tell him, & I 
do not know where in England 
he will think it best for you 
to remain – but doubtless not 
in London, It may be as near 
as the Sussex coast perhaps, but 
more probably westwards. The Spectator 
which I hope you now receive regularly 
will have told you quite as much 
as is worth knowing of what is going on. 
I never remember a duller time 
for English politics & literature 
not do foreign matters seem to 
get on much‐they are all 
apparently very much“ in 
Status quo they were before”as 
Roebuck used to say, meaning 
in this case as before, some 
three months ago. I am able 
to walk ten miles at a stretch & 
have had men hunts for the 
fritillaria in the meadows between 
Kew & Morttake having been told by 
two young men whom I found 
hunting for violets, that there was 
plenty of it & that it was in 
flower, but I am sure there is 
none of it visible yet, at any rate 
My sight continues weak & dim 
but I am tolerably well otherwise. 
I am passing the 2d edition of the Pol. 
Econ, through the press. Although 
we have a very mild season here 
& sometimes very bright days( though 
none very lately) still I am 
always envying the Madeira climate 
as well as scenery. I hope you do not 
annoy yourself about future prospects. 
You will be sure to get into some way of life 
that will do tolerably well, & a fine climate 
compensates for much－
                      Yours ever affectionately,
 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   J.S.M.