Dresden convinced him that he could there learn Hebrew more
thoroughly and more cheaply than at home, and to this he intended to
devote the Long Vacation of 1852, without returning to Feniton.
There the family were settling themselves, having given up the house
in Bedford Square, since James Patteson had chambers in King's Bench
Walk, where the ex-Judge could be with him when needed in London.
There had some notion of the whole family profiting by Sir John's
emancipation to take a journey on the Continent, and the failure of
the scheme elicited the following letter:--


'Merton: June 18.

'My dearest Fan,--I can, to a certain extent, sympathise with you
thoroughly upon this occasion; the mere disappointment at not seeing
so many interesting places and things is a sharp one, but in your
instance this is much increased by the real benefit you hoped to
derive from a warmer climate; and no wonder that the disappearance of
your hopes coupled with bodily illness makes you low and
uncomfortable. The weather too is trying to mind and body, and
though you try as usual to shake off the sense of depression which
affects you, your letter is certainly sad, and written like the
letter of one in weak health. Well, we shall see each other, please
GOD, at Christmas now. That is better than passing nearly or quite a
year away from each other; and some other time I hope you will be
able to go to Italy, and enjoy all the wonders there, though a tour
for health's sake cannot be too soon. It is never too soon to get
rid of an ailment....

'I find that I am getting to know the undergraduates here, which is