Roswell got up a Hartford-Cable-Lecture; & he put the Hartford end of it in my hands, & described how he was going to put the New York end of it through, himself. Do you remember how he carried out his contract? I do—& don’t you doubt it.

And now Roswell would put another project in my hands! Why, it almost makes me smile.

I have a great regard for him, & I do not hold any grudge against him for that thing; moreover, I would come forward & tackle any project of his that favorably impressed me. But not this one does not. It is asking me to do a thing which I would not do for myself—nor for my father, if he were alive. It is a real estate agent’s job—that is where it belongs; & a person of my unbusiness-like breeding could not fail to make a botch of it.

The other proposed feature is simply a crime against Cable’s manliness. If a man should surreptitiously (or openly) pass around a hat in your behalf, would you ever forgive him for it? You know very well you wouldn’t. Well, is Cable made of coarser clay? Let us hope not, & let us believe not. Your & Smith’s project springs from a generous impulse, & does your hearts credit; but if it isn’t a dishonoring one to the proposed victim, then my notions have somehow got a good deal distorted. Hang it, Pond, join me in a blush, & banish that unspeakable proposition out of your mind. Let us be better friends to Cable than that. Individually, I could not think it right or fair or friendly to contribute money to Cable’s support without first asking his permission; & if he granted it——Oh, good land, he couldn’t!

In writing to Smith, I said nothing about the contribution-proposition, for I could not tell whether he was joking or not. I could by no means make [it] out; & so was afraid to venture. But I pour myself out freely to you; & I it is the fair way & the right way—in fact the only square way.

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Now here’s another candidate for Hartford lecture-honors—George MacDonald. You see they will all pick out the worst town in America. Come, what do you say? If you wish to take him & run him around for the month of October, tell me so, & let me write him. And suppose you write him, too, if you think favorably of the thing. With great love to you both,

Mark.