—I begged Bellairs to tell you of his father's final indecision, so to speak. It is a great nuisance, because we have lost precious time in the expectation of having got a man of some consequence to put forward as leader of colonists. And I am afraid that now such a man will not be found in time. If he should turn up the chances page 228are a thousand to one against his wishing for any office either for himself or an eldest son. So, the office which we rather cooked-up than otherwise to enlist the Bellairs family, may now enlist somebody else: and there is nobody whom I consider more fit for it than EitzGerald. He will do the work of Emigration Agent well; will be of service in various other ways; and will be a great acquisition to the colony as regards talents. Only let us beware of imagining that he will supply the place of a country gentleman of the highest character for prudence who would have taken £70,000 to the colony. That sort of man, may, I trust, yet be found.

Wynter's account of your proceedings on Monday was most satisfactory.