GLADSTONE.
My wife sends her kind love.
10 Downing Street, Whitehall, July 25, 1871.
My dear Friend--From day to day my hopes of attending the Scott Centenary have been declining, and I regret much to say that they are now virtually dead.

The extraordinary obstructions which have been offered to public business during the present session have now, as you will see, brought us to such a pass that some suggest an adjournment from August to some period in the autumn, to enable us to get through what we have in hand.

Whether we do this, or whether we finish off at once, it is now, I fear, practically certain that there is no chance of my being free to leave town at the time of the Centenary.
We paid Tennyson a visit from last Saturday to Tuesday.

He is a sincere and ardent admirer of Scott, and heartily wishes well to anything which is likely to keep him before the minds of the on-coming generation.
His Sussex abode is beautiful, 600 feet above the sea, with a splendid view.

He seems to be very happy in his family.
With regard to the Emperor of Brazil, I think any application made to him would come best from those officially connected with the celebration.