Michael D.Heath-Caldwell M.Arch.

1838

James Caldwell of Linley Wood - 78   (1759-1838)

Elizabeth Caldwell (Bessy) of Nantwich -  71/72  

Hannah Eliza Roscoe - age 52/53   daughter of James and Elizabeth C.             

James Stamford Caldwell - age - 51/52  son of James and Elizabeth C.        

Arthur Cuthbert Marsh - age 51/52   

Anne Marsh-Caldwell – age 46/47    

Eliza Louisa Marsh-Caldwell – known as Louisa –  age 19/20     

Frances Mary Marsh (later Crofton) - age 18/19 

Georgina Amelia Marsh-Caldwell – Gies – age 17/18  

Rosamond Marsh-Caldwell – Posy - age 14/15  

Martin William James Marsh - age 12/13    

Mary Emma Marsh (Lady Mary  E. Heath) – age 11/12  

Hannah Adelaide Marsh (later Loring) - age 9/10

16 January 1838

Death of James Caldwell of Linley Wood, 

Buried at Church of St.James, Audley

Globe.

Tuesday 23 January 1838

Deaths

On Tuesday last, January 16,James Caldwell, of Linley Wood,in the County of Stafford Esq., aged 78

PB120100

Combined letter to Posy from AMC, BM and [H or M] and

1838

Post Mark Boulogne sur Mer – 4 Mars 1838

To

Miss Rosamond Marsh

Dr Hollands

Lower Brook St

Grosvenor Square

London

Angleterre

Boulogne, Saturday.

My dearest Posy,

I am sorry to have been so long writing to answer your nice interesting letter but I have spent a most painful week and have been so continually taken up that I could not write. Fanny went to bed apparently quite well on Friday and on Saturday morning Louisa called me up saying she seemed very ill.

She was in great pain and I put her into a warm bath and gave her 4 grams of Calomel but as the pain did not off I sent for Dr Dunard who said it was une maladie tres serieuse. He bled her in the arm but the blood was quite thick and black and would hardly flow.

He then ordered her 25 leeches and to put on [parthies?] and get away as much blood as I could. And this relieved the pain, but it soon returned.

The next day she was two hours in a hot bath and had 12 leeches more. And this at last conquered the inflammation. I was for two days and nights never away from her and slept without taking off my [clothes, dortles?] a little bit now and then as I could. It seemed all like a frightful dream. I was so tired that when she was out of danger I went to bed leaving Louisa and Georgy to nurse her. And Louisa over exerted herself and brought on her terrible pains in the face again.

So I had her in bed in one room and Fanny in the other and it was as much as Georgy and I could do to take care of them. We wanted you [kindly?]. Little Baby and Mary did all they could and Baby has brought on her headaches again with her exertions but they are all much better today.

I hope we shall have no more misfortunes. I am sorry my dear Mrs Holland has been so poorly but I hope it is all over before this time and that you are all enjoying the new little babe, that is if Coo will give you leave. I hope it will be as charming as Coo who I think a most delightful little being.

I suppose you intend to stay over the [Christening?] and bring Cooy [Cory?] back with you, which as I know you will like, you may do provided you are sure that your kind friends wish for you. You seem very busy with Cooy and I am glad to think you both so well employed, my dear love to her.

Your Papa is to give you £1.6, you remember if you want more money you must ask him. Elizabeth [Walkinson?] will bring my night gowns which she will have made for you to bring over. She must be paid 7/- for them.

Dearest dearest little Posy, how often do I think of you and long to have you again with me. I hope this [christening, chistin?] will not be very long to. I have promised the rest of your sisters and I have time for no more. My love to your dear Aunt Holland and I am ever my beloved little girl your affectionate mother.

My dear Posy,

I shall not tell you all about Fanny. Useless since Mama has. You must not write to me first because you promised to write to first. I will not tell you about your lovely charming Charlie[? A cat?] who sends his love to you. He was very sorry after you went away as indeed he might. He has just been liking Mama’s plate after dinner. I boxed him in the ear - - many times.

I will now tell you about the carnival I went all the town with [Culherene?] because May did not like to go. I saw a man with a woman strapped to his back and a man [teaching?] hers with a saddle on his back, round and deep with a man on it dressed in the same sort of fluff as the saddle who blew a trumpet and looked as if the saddle spoke a great many fishers and other people.

I will describe to you another time but as I am in great hurry as I want to go and get dressed to go out. I went into a shop filled with masks and saw a doublet of black velvet, - - very old furs - -

BM

My dear Posh,

I have but very little time to write as Mrs Baley has been here and now we are going out in this little corner of fine weather. Mama will have told you all about poor Fannys and Louisas’ illness and you will discover a good reason why we did not write before.

We have begun to work a cushion for Aunt Me. The pattern I worked before is [lentitrite?] and wools on claret coloured cloth. It will be very pretty, I think.

I beg my dear Posy you will not do too many lessons an add [legaut?] from a governess but by your account of passing the day you seem to do scarcely anything but lessons. We have now a french lady, Madame Grammont, a very nice person who comes twice a week. She teaches us the same as Madame Aubert used to do.

Chloe delights in her bowl extremely. I think she must often have wanted water for she drinks such a quantity. Louisa and Fanny are a great deal better today, very moving[?] and Louisa fay? - - I hope Mrs Holland is better. Pray give my very best love to her, Emily and to Miss Coo, though I should not think she would remember me.

I am, dear Posy’s most affectionate [H or M?]

I am must obliged to you for the measuring excuse had - -

My dear Posy,

I add a line to Posys letter to thank you warmly for your most kind little note to me. I have been in sad distress since I received. Fanny has been in great peril with an inflammation in the bowels which it took most decisive measure to [coryner?]. 37 leeches and bleeding in the arm, though she did not lose much by this loss, for the blood was so thick it would hardly flow.

Hot baths and quiet have done the rest and she is doing very well and wonderfully little reduce.

Mary brought on a terrible return of Louisa’s – pains in the face, for which I had her bled as you were so good as to advice and she was doing apparently very well when Dr Danard prescribed a strong black dose under the operation of which [continues?] she suddenly sank in so terrible a degree that I thought she was dying. Her jaw tired, her eyes stung and with speculation her [antennae?] pinched which and contorted. Her nose drawn up in the most frightful manner.

I pulled open her teeth and poured in some brandy and so I got her round, but I never was so terrified it did not look the least like fainting as I had seen it. We have kept her very quiet since and she is now two days being over pretty well.

Dr D advices [steel?] but I would rather not do anything without your advice. I think he has managed Fan [Fanny] admirably but does not understand Louisas’ illness. I am really terrible shaken, but hope a little quiet will recover me, being already better than I was.

I am very sorry my dearest Mrs Holland has had so tedious a recovery. But hope she is better and that her darling little girl will pay her for all. Amelia was charmed with Emily’s looks and manner when she saw her. You are father to two of the sweetest little girls in London in their different guises, I do think.

Farewell my dear Posy,

your affectionate letter has remained in my mind as a comfort this whole terrible week.

Ever your affectionate sister A.M.

I am delighted my Posh find favour.

A111

Letter to Posy from Blackheath, March 8^th 1838. Can’t really see who from

My Dear Posy,

I write to you as I said I would and expect that you will send your answer soon. I dare say that you are rather surprised that I have not written to you before but I could not well as I have had little time, besides when you come to consider what a long time it takes you to write a letter and to do that which is requisite there to, and then consider that the person you send it to reads it in five minutes, the work of half an hour and great labour and forgets in five minutes what you (remarked?) with the next – to send to the post then let me tell you what is a – mighty and unr-ed task to write a letter and then I dare say you think that all this is “Rank Humbug” but will to more in kind – I like to make my letters (full?) at beginning and –ed at the end.

I arrived quite safe at Blackheath about ten minutes past 10 and was very glad to get to sleep for I was very tired indeed. I have chosen a bad moment to write for Stewart to play and I get dull and sleepy, never the less I will proceed, have you heard from Mamma by Papa, if you have I have not, will you enclose (if you have had one and there is anything for me in it) it if you please

- - to the Park yesterday from Grandmama was to be buried today at Gillingham they started at ½ past nine and are not yet come back. Papa was not down here till ¼ before 2 this morning and he is to leave here by the ½ past eight o’clock coach. He will be in London by ten o’clock tonight.

I have at last got my black (trousau?) from Boulogne. The Easter holidays I am glad to say are worth having being about from the 11^th or 12^th of next month to the 1^st of May for there are to be some repairs in the school or something of that sort. I told you I had had my (card?) and it was (delject?) for conduct.

I hope that Mrs Holland is now getting rapidly well and so I hope she will be soon. I have not seen Papa yet nor do I expect him for he was to go there to dinner this evening and to go as I said before. Will you send me an answer.

Now how do you get on with your talisman play and all the scenes and things. It seems as if it was all yesterday that I saw you. The week has passed so quickly. I hope that all the weeks till Easter will pass as quick and then the time in the holidays will pass very slow indeed so that I shall see some time with you.

I have got a very bad cold but I have full recovered my feet which were –ed with walking and I am quite ready to walk as far again to see you and Emily at Brook St at 7 thirty. I must now stop for I have not much more time my dear and will think – George are more to the purpose, can you by any means tell me the Walker’s  -  - if you please but need not -

Now good buy my dear. Your most affectionate – MM (Mother?)

My love and respects to the Dr

Mrs and Miss E and coo

Holland

-

Continues.

File PB110099

Letter from Fanny Marsh in Boulogne to Posy.

Miss Rosamond Marsh,

Dr Holland’s

Lower Brook Street,

London.

Friday March 16^th. [1838 written]     [not 1841?]

My dearest Posy,

I am afraid you will think we have all been very idle in not having any of us yet answered your last long letter.

About your silk frock in the first place, Mama wished you to get it (if you have not already done so) as soon as you want it, the mantilla also if you think it necessary. Mama says she is sure Mrs Holland will be so kind as to give you her advice about it. As for the play, my dear Posy, I hope you and Emilly will not be very much disappointed, but we are none of us in spirits enough to think about such a thing at present. Besides Mama thinks it rather too soon after our mourning. We heard the day before yesterday from the Giffords. They are all quite well. They did not tell us anything in particular. Caroline wished very much to write to you, but their was no place for her.

I was in town for the first time today, since my illness. I went to see the Kennedy’s, Elvira is a great deal better. She was looking very well and had just come in from the head of the pier, where she had been to see her uncle off, who has been staying with them for three days.

Mama went today to enquire about [éclairs, Delacoix?] for our drawing master, but he is not in Boulogne, and will not return till next month, which is provoking. I have begun my piece unaccompanied, by M. le Roux on the violin, which I like very much. I suppose you will do the same, when you come back.

We are getting on with our cushion for Aunt M. I think it will be very handsome when finished. How have you enjoyed your visit to the Holland’s

Lady Gifford has just got a green and brown parrot, of whom Jane complains very much: it is to speak. I shall then for most certainly take Stella [a dog, parrot?] to Scotland if we go as they cannot laugh at me for bringing my child, when they have got one themselves.

The children have been very busy in the garden lately and promise us salad and radishes. They have marked of little pieces of ground about a foot square in which they scratch up the soil, put in their seeds and then scatter a little more soil over them. Mary was obliged to cover her refractory seeds over again today as they were found most unaccountably being with nothing over them. Poor seeds! When will they come up I wonder.

I hope my dear Emily and Posy you will not utter one groan and expire with disappointment at being obliged to give up your play, perhaps when you come we may be able to think about at the Talisman. I think would be difficult at most impossible to act, so many male characters, and then the dresses! How could we possibly contrive armour, and how could Sir Kenneth appear cloathed in silk.

We have had very fine weather indeed lately, a most extraordinary thing for Boulogne, every one says; Captain Kennedy threatens us with a change and says we shall have no more fine weather after the new moon which is next Monday. Being now reduced to the weather as a last word, I think it is high time to conclude my letter.

Pray give my dearest love to Mrs Holland and Emily and Miss Gray for me, though I daresay she does not remember her cousin Fanny.

Goodbye my dearest Posy, I want very much to see you again.

Your most affectionate sister,

Fanny M. Marsh.

Wedgwood Archive

28-20694

12 April 1838

Letter written from James Stamford Caldwell to Josiah Wedgwood II.  Stamford is executing the will of James Caldwell, who had recently died leaving a legacy of £5,000 to Anne Marsh.  The letter reads as follows:

Linley Wood               April 12 1838

My dear Sir

I propose to pay off the £5,000 due on my sister Anne Marsh’s Settlement directly.  Pray tell me into what bank you wish it paid.  Dr Holland’s – your co-trustee’s – Bankers are Messers Drummond – do you wish it to be paid there?  You will have to execute a regular release to me which shall be got ready for your signature very soon.

I am my dear Sir

faithfully yours

J Stamford Caldwell.

The letter is addressed on the outside to Josiah Wedgwood Esq, Maer Hall, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Josiah has noted a copy of his reply on the same sheet of paper.  This reads as follows:

I have written to Mr Marsh on the subject of your letter of … in our need yesterday.  I have no objection to the money being paid in at Drummonds.  I have no copy of the settlement and it will be required that the Release should be paid on my behalf.  It will probably save time if you send the Draft to Mr Marsh as I have proposed Mr Delmer who is intimately acquainted with the settlement should procure the Release for the Trustee’s.

Wedgwood Archive

28-20774

27 April 1838

Letter from Arthur Cuthbert Marsh to Josiah Wedgwood (1769-1843).  Arthur notes that he has just come back from Boulogne

FilePB110102

Letter to Posy from Louise Marsh Caldwell 1838

Boulogne

Marsh – I don’t know.

Dearest Posy,

You will think me a most good for nothing girl not to have written to you before this but however it cannot be helped if you do, and I am sure it is beyond my power to give you any good reason why I have not.

We are all at last I am thankful to say, going on smoothly here and I hope poor Mama will now soon recover all her fatigues. The people are frightening us to death here by telling us we [?] expect no descent weather till June.

Boulogne certainly is a most detestable place, don’t you think so. Eloise [Elvira?] Kenney is, I am delighted to say, much better, though she has still now and then fits.

We are going to have a drawing master which rejoices me very much and are going to make ourselves admirable sketchers ready for a certain country which you know of. We still feed in these parts on hope but you, I suppose, get more substantial food at [Brook, Bank?] Street, happy girl!

I am very sorry to hear such [sad?] indifferent account of Mrs Holland but I hope now that [‘decent’ crossed out] fine weather comes she will soon get better

[cross writing]

I am pleased beyond measure with your accounts of Coo’s [Caroline Holland?] [passions?] they are such nice children, those passionate ones there is a way of getting at their hearts which with the staid ones there sometimes is not.

When do you think Miss Rosamond of returning to the bosom of your family? Soon I hope. I am very glad to hear you are going to bring Emily with you. I wish you could bring them all. I do so long to see all the cousinhood again.

Mama is wanting me to write for her so dearest Pashilia with love to Mrs Holland, Emily and one of my rare and best kisses to Coo.

Ever your most tenderly affectionate

Louise Marsh

We are going to have some drawing lessons. I hope you approve.

Mama desires her best love to you, Mrs Holland and Emily.

Martin Marsh

Captain Remingtons

Sea Terrace

Blackheath.

My dearest Martin,

I was very glad to get your long expected letter at last but do not wait for opportunities to write to me. I think nothing too much to pay for your letters on these long separations which I regret so much nothing is so great a comfort to me as your journal letters.

Your account of the coronation [Victoria 28^th June 1838]  interested me much and I was glad to see it written much more legibly than heretofore. I had been (fidgeting, forgetting?) about your seeing this good sight, but did not know how to manage it.

I am now very sorry more of your sisters did not enjoy it. From what I saw of the coronation of William the 4^th I had no idea it would be so splendid a matter till we were the better for it was on seeing Marechal (Marshall?) Soult pass through to it. Two very fine Steam frigates, French, came to meet him here. They were fine ships of war, beautifully built, indeed the French meet us in the art of building ships.

In the war they used to build ships for us to take and the finest builds in our Navy were captured. These vessels were really superb. We went on board one with Captain Kinnersly who introduced us to the officers, very gentlemanlike, agreeable men. We saw the ship in beautiful order and the steam engine was the finest thing of the sort I ever saw, shining like gold and silver, and placed in a large room so agreeably that it was in itself a spectacle.

It was not from England but was made at Arras. We saw Marechal Soult very well, he is a fine, stern military looking man. A man of very great attainments in all ways. One of the very best informed men in France. It was an exciting thing to see the universal enthusiasm the sight of a great man created.

The Clarks dined with us that day, they came over for a little change. Do you recollect their eldest son Nat, he is just returned from Cambridge crowned with Laurels. He has carried the Gisborne fellowship which is given to the first Classic who is in the first class of Mathematics. In Mathematics he carried all before him and was far before any of his year.

There was a man from Harrow, so excellent a Classic, that he was expected to carry all before him, he was first and Clarke was 2^nd but as the Harrow man was so low in Maths that he could not get into the first class. He lost the prize. Clarke carried it by 1^st Math and 2^nd Classic, to the inexpressible delight of his father and mother.

You seem to me to be getting on very well in Classics and I hope to know by experience when you turn comes the exquisite joy of seeing you distinguish yourself.

Johnny Gifford is working like a horse, and promises to be very clever indeed. Bennet Layton who is now six foot high goes with the army.

Write me a journal, my dearest boy, and send it me soon. It will not be long now before I have the joy of seeing you again.

Every your most affectionate mother.

Globe.

Saturday 29 September 1838

Burke's HIstory of the Landed Gentry.

The 16th and concluding Part of the original edition of this important work will appear with the Magazines on the 1st Octobert. Among the leading families contained in this concludng part of those of  - - -- Caldwell of Linley Wood.

File PB120125

Letter to JSC from Ann Marsh-Caldwell

J. Stamford Caldwell Esq

Linley Wood

Lawton

Cheshire

Angleterre

Postmark –London 8 Dec 1838

Chateau de Tus

6^th December

My dearest Stamford,

I have been hoping for another letter from you, you must not forget that [since? poor?] I am along way off and hear nothing of you or of your dear Linley Wood, except by your letters. However, I really was so idle in using your last kind one that I have no right to complain and I am now writing upon a little matter of business.

It is to ask you if it be true that any interest was left due upon the Bond to and that it was not paid to the Trustees at the time to be so good as to order it to be paid to Arthur’s account at Mssrs Booth & Pettels, Lancaster Place, Waterloo Bridge, where I can [char?] for it through my bankers here. If it has been paid to the Trustees just give me a line to tell me so. The interest was paid up to the 28^th of July and as the book calculates, is 8/9^th per day, but I do not know whether that is correct.

I put this down merely to save you the trouble of making the calculation. I have run our bankers book rather low by persuading Arthur to buy again into the Grand Junction Railway and as we do not receive our Dividends till the 8^th Jan. this little matter from you will just finish the last week without difficulty, or I would not have troubled you, dear Stamford, upon this matter.

We paid more for our Railway shares than we expected, but I am so satisfied of its being a good investment of money that I do not care for that. And so there is an end of business.

We have Lucy Holland staying with us and she is very gentle, lively and full of agreeable subjects of talk. So that we make it out very well in spite of this tremendous weather of which, however, we feel less than most, our house being well sheltered by the high hills which rise above Capécure and shelter it from the sea.

I had a letter from Arthur last night. On Friday he attended the poor little Edith [Edith Saba Holland (1838-1838] to the grave and saw the poor little infant deposited just above our poor Emma. So she has in a manner charge of this poor little thing in her lowly dwelling. While Mrs Holland takes care of our Emy upon earth. I wept very bitterly when I first heard the news and that Arthur was again going to follow to that grave.

These things seem to take one by a sort of sad surprise and break upon those sealed fountains of grief which one carries in ones heart. Poor Henry and his wife, Arthur says, are in great affliction, I believe now but parents know how hard it is to part with their little innocents. I am afraid we must prepare to lose poor Mary Marsh (1798-1839) She seems to be for gone in consumption and then Georgiana will be the only one left of all Mr Marshs 2^nd family.

So this will be a sorrowful winter for them as the last was for me. She is wonderfully patient and resigned to leaving this world. Emma Wedgwoods marriage seems a most delightful affair. I think both parties equally to be congratulated. He is so delightful sort of person and she is a charming girl and will make a charming wife.

To think of only Elizabeth being left unmarried at Maer. How little one anticipated that a few years ago. I talk to you of English news, dear Stamford, for I have nothing to write of that could interest you here, except to tell you that all the girls look blooming and well and are improving rapidly in their music.

We have also at last discovered and excellent drawing master. Fanny has got a guitar and her voice goes very prettily with it. Next year we are to have a harp and then the proper [circle?] of accomplishments will be run.

I rejoice in my courage to have broken up and come here when I see the improvement that is made and hope to return with my girls fit to adorn any station to which change may call them or what is better fitted to remain happy and content as they are should it be so ordained. We have a good [surety, security?] here as far as it goes, of those who are here for purposes of education like ourselves and we think however to get a better house.

And then I hope next summer you among the rest will run over and take a look at us. I think you would find yourself happy making music with these girls and chatting with your Anne, of those innumerable subjects which are so interesting to us both.

I wonder how your book goes on. I often, when I am reading, long to make extracts that [thrill, thake?] me. I think of all the books to make it must be the pleasantest.

I have not heard from Aunt Bessy for some time. Her last letter was very cheerful and comfortable.

Must now [end?], ever dear Stamford

your affectionate sister.

File PB120116

Letter to Stamford from Ann Marsh-Caldwell

Post Mark Boulogne Sur Mere – 20^th Dec 1838

James Stamford Caldwell Esq.

Linley Wood

Lawton

Cheshire.

Capecure, Dec 19^th.

My dearest Stamford,

I answer you most kind and affectionate letter without a moments delay. It is most certain that a letter has missed the last I received from you was dated Oct 30^th and I have written three times since. The first in answer to that letter which was a very kind one, to thank you for what it contained and two since on business.

I have never had the letter asking for Booth and Pettets direction, the men in Lancaster Place. I have received £30, via M. Atl. Adam though Thursday the end £30 is not yet arrived, but I shall probably receive a notice of it this evening or tomorrow morning if it has been sent through Al. Adams house. If I do not in the course of a day or two I will let you know.

I feel very much, dear Stamford, your kindness in sending this second remittance as I know it is to be attributed to an affectionate desire that I should feel myself well in [friends?]. The first, however, was all that was wanted to carry me to the Dividends, however, as it is always agreeable to have a proper account at one’s Bankers, I shall be very glad to exercise my account at Pierets. And your kind attention to what may be my possible wants gives me extreme pleasure.

If you know the love and tenderness this heart bears for you, the delight with which I receive marks of affection. And the still greater delight (do not be angry with me for saying so) with which I follow your steps in your position where you are giving yourself to kind consideration for us all. You would never never think it possible in any [lasting sense?] of mine to believe in anything but the anxiety of a most true and earnest friend.

I have such faith, to use Miss Martineau’’s expression, in the innate goodness of your heart, that I fondly expect and hope to see your career not exactly one of the ordinary sort. And I have an odd perhaps you will say impertinent feeling, with my young women about me and after all the buffets and trouble of my chequered life, I feel as a sort of mother among you all, and can hardly help feeling as if you and all these young couples very little below my own age who are, as it were, beginning life, are only entering upon a stage.

I have passed over and as [having?] quietly finished my [hole in page] story almost, I long to cry out and warn those who are, as it were, beginning theirs. But I believe, though I most [unworthy, unworriedly?] offend sometimes no one in the world is more inclined to see me with a favourable eye than your partial self. And my reliance in this partiality is a very great sweetener to my [cuss?] Poor little Waterloo, I dare hardly even think of it.

I had arranged a life there so consonant to my wishes, and a source of so much [invariant?] enjoyment to many that I cannot yet console myself that the “Mes Auguste” should oblige me to break up the little edifice. But I have never doubted that it was our duty. And duty and necessity are or ought to be so precisely the same, that I do not feel as if we had a choice.

What we shall precisely do with ourselves I do not know. We shall, I think, take the large house and stay here till May 1840. Martin goes to Eton, Xmas 1839, and leaves Blackheath Midsummer 1839, it being our wish as we are abroad, to give him the other things, sometimes we think to travel for a few months afterwards and perhaps spend a little while in Italy, to perfect these girls in many things. But all these plans all quite in the air.

As for us the advantages of education for these dear creatures goes, this sojourn here has quite answered my expectations. And I hope we shall be able to give them by this means, those advantages usually enjoyed by others of their station. More is not necessary. They beg me to thank their Uncle Stamford whom they all love very much for his kind recollection of them, which was received with that delight which kind [uncle’s?] presents usually give. And many happy xmases in return, they beg to send.

They are all very well and in good spirits and though there is little gaiety going on we make a good fight and are very cheerful and very busy.

I have just had a very comfortable letter from our dear Aunt Bessy. She writes cheerfully, seems to have plenty of engagements among all her old friends and to be doing very well. I like to hear her complain she cannot find times for things. It sounds so cheerful. She mentions your governess often, which upon the principle above, I heard with very great pleasure, though I am sure she will not accept it.

And she is right I think, her income must be sufficient for her wants and expenses. At least unless unforeseen circumstances such as a long and expensive illness or something of the sort should arise. (a propos of the letter of Eliza’s you mention) It is very difficult to know about letters.

How disagreeable to have ones letters read after the decease of the person to whom they are addressed. I thought if the writer was living they were usually returned. I cannot think what Eliza could be thinking of, but of this I am sure, her efforts were unremitting to place you in the light you would wish to stand with our father (but you know she has an odd awkwardness of mind as well as body, in spite of the great beauty of the one and great ability of the other which makes her look and do and [say?] things at times that are quite out of keeping.

And then [to?] my dearest father, one was sure never to say just the right thing we had so much awe of him. Fear of offending him, of giving pain. Fear, in your case, of saying too much or too little. The terms on which parents and children in our generation were on were so different from what goes on now-a-days. Whether for better or worse God knows.

I am very glad to hear that Jos Wedgwoods wife is safe and that they have a little girl. It is a being in whom I shall look with great interest, expecting some extraordinary manifestation of beauty and sweetness from the source whenever it [shall bring, drew beings?].

They are getting better in Brook Street but have been much cut up. She writes very tenderly on the circumstance of laying her little one in our poor Emma’s bosom as it were. A feeling [exerted?] by a passage in your letter there is something very worthy[?] to ones feelings of this kind in this sort of exchange of children under the circumstances.

The volume of Scotch songs must be in Brook Street. I never [hid, read?] it. I recollect when we divided our little property in books &c the second volume of these songs fell to my share, much to my regret as I greatly preferred the first and this gave me the impression that Eliza as elder had chosen it.

Perhaps she gave it to Emma and has forgotten it. At all events I have never seen it since. I know nothing of Pitt Virgil except that I am sure there was one I m—did not know was in the library.

Anne.