But no,
you will not; you whistle lightly over my prophecies, and go
your own stiff-necked road. Unfortunate man!--
I had read in the Newspapers, and even heard in speech from
Manchester people, that you were certainly coming this very
summer to lecture among us: but now it seems, in your Letter,
all postponed into the vague again. I do not personally know
your Manchester negotiators, but I know in general that they are
men of respectability, insight, and activity; much connected
with the lecturing department, which is a very growing one,
especially in Lancashire, at present;--men likely, for the rest,
to _fulfil_ whatsoever they may become engaged for to you. My
own ignorant though confident guess, moreover, is, that you
would, in all senses of the word, _succeed_ there; I think, also
rather confidently, we could promise you an audience of British
aristocracy in London here,--and of British commonalty all manner
of audiences that you liked to stoop to. I heard an ignorant
blockhead (or mainly so) called --- bow-wowing here, some months
ago, to an audience of several thousands, in the City, one
evening,--upon Universal Peace, or some other field of
balderdash; which the poor people seemed very patient of.
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