Lacock Abbey
December 3 –
My dear Henry
The 2d volume of the Chemist 1 is all I can find after carefully searching through your Library – You would not remember whether there were 2 vols or 1. but does not the existence of the 2d imply that of the 1st? Had you only possessed the 2d vol I think you must have been conscious of the circumstance. – If it turns up another day I will send it off in pursuit of its companion. – I hope your present to Mr Wilson2 was carriage paid? It is an attention which greatly enhances the value of the gift in the eyes of the Recipient & should always be done – Mr Wilson displays more ingenuity than any other person I am acquainted with in spreading the expressions of his thanks over three pages of note paper – They seem to have had tempestuous weather at Keswick lately – and in London from your account it appears to be worse than here – This evening the wind is getting rather boisterous, & it rains also – I agree with you that Miss Spedding3 ought to have acknowledged the receipt of our rent – shall I mention it to her next time I write? – I should like to enquire soon how poor Mr Ed. Spedding is–4
Our box of linen was correctly addressed to Pater Noster Row – I cannot account for my pen setting forth Threadneedle St instead – but it is subject to distractions when doing its work – so that strangers might suppose my orthography to be unusually faulty! – by sad strange blunders both corrected & otherwise with which my paper is sometimes filled. – What a disastrous storm they have had in the Black Sea! – though the Times strives to put it in the best light, it has caused a serious loss both in Ships & valuable stores.–5 Must I write & ask Mr Williams by what train we must send to meet Charles6 at Swindon? – on Tuesday 12th –
Your affectionate
Constance.
Goodwin is putting an envelope on the Chemist & directing it to the Athenæum.7
Please cite as “TALBOT7079,” in Ɛpsilon: accessed on