You heard of the unexpected event which brought me the loss of a very dear friend, dear, dear Mrs.Jameson.[79] It was, of course, a shock to me, as such things are meant to be....
And now I come to what makes me tax you with a dull letter, I feeling so dully; and, dear, it is with dismay I have to tell you that the letter you addressed under cover to Mr.Russell has _never reached us_.

Till your last communication (this moment received), I had hoped that the contents of it might have been less important than O.-papers must be.
What is to be done, or thought?
I beseech you to write and tell me if _harm_ is likely to follow from this seizure.

The other inclosure came to me quite safely, because it came by the Government messenger.

I think you sent it through Corbet.

But Mr.Russell's _post_ letters are as liable to opening as mine are; his name is no security.