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this will make it a valuable legacy to a nephew or niece.
Believe me gratefully and affectionately yours, Harriet Martineau.
In London Mrs. Stowe also received the following letter from Prescott, the historian, which after long wandering had finally rested quietly at her English publishers awaiting her coming.
Pepperell, October 4, 1856.
My Dear Mrs. Stowe,--I am much obliged to you for the copy of “Dred” which Mr. Phillips put into my hands.
It has furnished us our evening's amusement since we have been in the country, where we spend the brilliant month of October.
The African race are much indebted to you for showing up the good sides of their characters, their cheerfulness, and especially their powers of humor, which are admirably set off by their peculiarpatois, in the same manner as the expression of the Scottish sentiment is by the peculiar Scottish dialect.
People differ; but I was most struck among your characters with Uncle Tiff and Nina.
The former a variation of good old Uncle Tom, though conceived in a merrier vein than belonged to that sedate personage; the difference of their tempers in this respect being well suited to the difference of the circumstances in which they were placed.
But Nina, to my mind, is the true hero of the book, which I should have named after her instead of “Dred.”
She is indeed a charming conception, full of what is called character, and what is masculine in her 