"Tell Mrs.Carlyle that I have written,since I have been here,and am going to send to _Blackwood_,a humble imitation of her _Watch and Canary-Bird_,entitled _The Suit of Armor and the Skeleton_.[15]I am conscious that I am far from having reached the depth and fulness of despair and mockery which distinguish the original!But in truth there is a lightness of tone about her style,which I hold to be invaluable:where she makes hairstrokes,I make blotches.I have a vehement suspicion that my Dialogue is an entire failure;but I cannot be plagued with it any longer.Tell her I will not send her messages,but will write to her soon.--Meanwhile I am affectionately hers and yours,"JOHN STERLING."The next is to his Brother-in-law;and in a still hopefuler tone:--"_To Charles Barton,Esq._[16]
FUNCHAL,MADEIRA,3d March,1838.
"MY DEAR CHARLES,--I have often been thinking of you and your whereabouts in Germany,and wishing I knew more about you;and at last it occurred to me that you might perhaps have the same wish about me,and that therefore I should do well to write to you.
"I have been here exactly four months,having arrived on the 2d of November,--my wedding-day;and though you perhaps may not think it a compliment to Susan,I have seldom passed four months more cheerfully and agreeably.I have of course felt my absence from my family,and missed the society of my friends;for there is not a person here whom I knew before I left England.But,on the whole,I have been in good health,and actively employed.I have a good many agreeable and valuable acquaintances,one or two of whom I hope I may hereafter reckon as friends.The weather has generally been fine,and never cold;and the scenery of the Island is of a beauty which you unhappy Northern people can have little conception of.
"It consists of a great mass of volcanic mountains,covered in their lower parts with cottages,vines and patches of vegetables.When you pass through,or over the central ridge,and get towards the North,there are woods of trees,of the laurel kind,covering the wild steep slopes,and forming some of the strangest and most beautiful prospects I have ever seen.Towards the interior,the forms of the hills become more abrupt,and loftier;and give the notion of very recent volcanic disturbances,though in fact there has been nothing of the kind since the discovery of the Island by Europeans.Among these mountains,the dark deep precipices,and narrow ravines with small streams at the bottom;the basaltic knobs and ridges on the summits;and the perpetual play of mist and cloud around them,under this bright sun and clear sky,--form landscapes which you would thoroughly enjoy,and which I much wish I could give you a notion of.The Town is on the south,and of course the sheltered side of the Island;perfectly protected from the North and East;although we have seen sometimes patches of bright snow on the dark peaks in the distance.It is a neat cheerful place;all built of gray stone,but having many of the houses colored white or red.There is not a really handsome building in it,but there is a general aspect of comfort and solidity.The shops are very poor.The English do not mix at all with the Portuguese.The Bay is a very bad anchorage;but is wide,bright and cheerful;and there are some picturesque points--one a small black island--scattered about it.
"I lived till a fortnight ago in lodgings,having two rooms,one a very good one;and paying for everything fifty-six dollars a month,the dollar being four shillings and twopence.This you will see is dear;but I could make no better arrangement,for there is an unusual affluence of strangers this year.I have now come to live with a friend,a Dr.Calvert,in a small house of our own,where I am much more comfortable,and live greatly cheaper.He is a friend of Mrs.
Percival's;about my age,an Oriel man,and a very superior person.Ithink the chances are,we shall go home together....I cannot tell you of all the other people I have become familiar with;and shall only mention in addition Bingham Baring,eldest son of Lord Ashburton,who was here for some weeks on account of a dying brother,and whom Isaw a great deal of.He is a pleasant,very good-natured and rather clever man;Conservative Member for North Staffordshire.
"During the first two months I was here,I rode a great deal about the Island,having a horse regularly;and was much in agreeable company,seeing a great deal of beautiful scenery.Since then,the weather has been much more unsettled,though not cold;and I have gone about less,as I cannot risk the being wet.But I have spent my time pleasantly,reading and writing.I have written a good many things for _Blackwood_;one of which,the _Armor and the Skeleton_,I see is printed in the February Number.I have just sent them a long Tale,called the _Onyx Ring_,which cost me a good deal of trouble;and the extravagance of which,I think,would amuse you;but its length may prevent its appearance in _Blackwood_.If so,I think I should make a volume of it.I have also written some poems,and shall probably publish the _Sexton's Daughter_when I return.