Mother dear, I want to thank you very sincerely for the magnificent “Faust” which you sent me Xmas. It is of an edition which has made the most of a stir of any that has ever appeared except the one with Kaulbach’s illustrations. The man who drew the fine pictures for this vol book (photographs of which Livy has sent to Sue or some of you,) is an Austrian with an American wife, & lives in Munich. Kaulbach’s women are beautiful, but there are two or three pictures of Margaret which in this new Faust which beat Kaulbach to pieces. Some time, when my busy time is over, I will go & call on this Austrian genius.

Take it by & large, it was a very happy & abundant sort of Christmas which we had here. Livy gave me a noble great copy of the “Reinicke Fuchs,” nearly as big as the Faust, & containing the original R Kaulbach illustrations. I wish to thank Sue heartily for her gift to me,—which Livy is going to buy; she has not made up her mind, yet, what she will select; but no matter, it will be well & wisely & tastefully selected, Sue knows that.

O Two or three times, lately, I have heard Bay make a mild protest under a certain head, but I paid no attention & straightway forgot the matter. Perhaps I ought to speak of it, now, however, for the guidance of her home-correspondents. When Jervis’s letter was read to her, to-day, I heard her say, with the former gentle protest in her tone, “Cousin Jervis only calls me Clara Clemens—it isn’t half of my names.” You see, you will have to ring in all those wet nurses to satisfy Bay.

With the lovingest thanks & Christmas remembrances to you & all.