Henry Hallam to George Grote, 7 December 1846: 'I have a good apology for writing to you so late about your "History" -- namely, that the avocations of London at the one time, and a tour on the Continent afterwards, gave me no leisure till lately to do more than look cursorily at one volume. I have now had the pleasure of going through it, and cannot refuse myself that also of telling you how greatly I admire your work, and of congratulating you on the very high place it entitles you to take among living historians [comments further].'