TALBOT6476

Grasmere Friday

October 10^th.

1851 <in another hand>

My dear Henry

I was greatly amazed by Jones’s arrival this morning…He walked into the drawing room at ½ past 10. and quietly laid the parcels on the table – (which he had brought for me) – including the Map, which is a beautiful one, & will be as good as new when pasted on a piece of linen – and the £250. beautifully & judiciously packed, & of such magnitude & shape that no one could have guessed what it really was. – Many thanks for it – I counted & stowed the notes carefully away under double lock & key. – … I have despatched Jones across the Valley to his friend M^r. Brown, to enquire if there are any facts to report to you today, and shall not proceed far with this letter till I know. The Times inserted a letter on Wednesday from the French department at the Chrystal palace describing the great crush on one of these recent days – What a good thing it is that we did not attempt going!. the crowd having ^so greatly encreased <sic>. M^r. Cowper the Lapidary of Keswick, is going on Monday in the character of Exhibitor It is his first visit… The Queen’s grand visit to Liverpool must have been sadly spoilt by the unceasing rain, yesterday – There was no wind but a gloomy wilting day –

Jones is come back from M^r. Brown, but can bring me no answer, as the Great Man himself is gone to Ullswater & won’t be home till night –

Your affectionate

Constance

I think we need not leave this till Thursday morning at any rate – but I can’t fix anything further till I know what way we are to travel.

Harrison is very triste – He had hoped you ^wd. have bought the Cottage and let it when you did not choose to occupy it – He told me yesterday his circumstances were not good, for he had had much sickness in his family & heavy doctor’s bills to pay. So he will gratefully accept anything that I may chuse to put aside for him – I begged him to name anything among our common things that could be useful to his wife. – I will make a suitable reduction in the sum we proposed giving him.

<no address panel>