Grasmere Sunday
September 25
My dear Henry
You will rejoice with me in reading the enclosed from Mrs Kelland, to find that our excellent Friend is in a fair way of recovering from the severe injuries he had received. – My mind was exceedingly relieved by this account – for I apprehended much worse consequences – It is bad enough however as it is – and of course it will be a very long time before they venture to remove him – I wonder what sort of a place Hitchin is; and whether our Friends can be tolerably comfortable there. We are all in a state of excitement at the return of the Fox from the Arctic Regions – what a triumph for her brave Commander & his little band to have achieved this important work, and brought back certain intelligence of poor Sir John Franklin! – I have no patience with the Times’s article on this successful result of the Expedition – but then I know it was against his opinion & judgment that this little ship went out at all. – Of course it was right for Captain Mc Clintock to hurry home with the important intelligence that he had possessed himself of, but now that the route of these poor men under Captain Crozier is so well known, will not some safe course be devised to glean the facts which occasioned the deaths of so many as 105, while making their way towards the Great fish River? – This might be done without sending out Englishmen to track them. –
Our weather here continues very wet & stormy – but I hear it is no better in Dumfries Shire – Sir John Woodford 1 had promised to drive over & spend an hour or two with us today, – but he writes me word this morning that he will wait a few days till the Equinoctial storm has subsided – Matilda & Mr Clark are at Dabton at present – and they expect an Invitation in the course of this week to spend a few days at Drumlanrig – The Duchess had heard from Mrs Maxwell that they (the Clarks) would be at Dabton at this time, and it is expected that her Grace will call & give the invitation in person – Immediately after this, will be the best time (if the weather permits) for Mlle A. & Rosd to pay their visit at Speddoch – but it has been impracticable weather lately. Rd is expecting a letter from you – especially as she wrote you last week – and we want to know your opinion of so many things that have happened lately. –
Mr Green accepts your offer of £1 – per day after the 21st.
Your affectionate Constance
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