—I had thought of going to see you, when I heard that you had done me the honor of going to look at Mr. Collins's picture. My object was to ask you for a copy of the picture which you have of my good friend and your dear husband, which I desire to possess in order to place it among a little collection of portraits which I am endeavouring to form, of the real Founders of New Zealand. These portraits I should like to present to the Municipality of Wellington, as ornaments of the principal room in the Town Hall, and memorials of the exertions of those who snatched "the Britain of the South" from the grasp of Louis Philippe, and established the British colony. Among these; who would comprise Mr. Baring, Lord Durham, the Bishop of Norwich, Sir Wm. Molesworth, and two or three more, (I take only the most prominent and influential of the Founders), the late Governor of the New Zealand Company ought to have a very conspicuous place. Independently of his official position, we could never have succeeded without his personal courage and energy: and his large share in this really great enterprise is notorious. So, I trust that you, whose affection for his memory is, I know, unbounded, as was your love of him alive, will sympathise with me in this object.

But if you wish to know any further particulars about it, I would go to see you the first time I shall be in town, and strong enough to bear conversation on a topic which always disturbs me, and which, being held with you, would revive page 214very painful recollections. If you consent, we must have the copy made more like than your portrait is, which I fancy that my vivid recollection of the original would enable me, with your assistance in making suggestions to the artist, to put Mr. Collins or some other clever artist in the way of doing. The picture that I remember is far from doing justice to the expression and spirit of the original, though the mere forms are very like.