In which the gentle illumination of new correspondence breathes a tender hope into my subdued existence, even as reason tempers the fervour of feeling, and Dr. Bretton’s kindly attentions strive to hold at bay darker intimations. An evening’s excursion to witness a great actress reveals a spectacle of tragic strength and fierce defiance that captivates and unsettles alike, casting a vivid shadow upon the theatre’s stage and within my contemplations.