WCP336

Kington

Jan[uar]^y 15th, 1840.

Dear George¹

I received your letter (which was too late to come to me by the parcel) on Tuesday Morning ^yesterday Jan[uar]^y 14th. Your will perceived that my letter has crossed yours, with is rather unfortunate so I thought I had better write to explain the mystery to you; but as it is hardly worth while to write for that alone, I shall fill it up with such matter as shall to me seem fit. — I perceive the news of Library’s decease is alas too true — I think they got a pretty fair price for their books considering all things. I suppose some of them went very cheap. Did you buy any? As I have not much else to say in this letter I shall fill it up with an account of this delectable place and the persons and things appertaining thereto — We² came to this place from Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire by Railroad to Birmingham and by ^from thence [2] to Kington in Herefordshire not Radnorshire as you have directed your letter — Did you ever travel by Railroad? Were you ever in Birmingham Railway is delightful travelling, 30 miles an hour positive pleasure on a fine sunshiny day — We stopped 2 hours in Birmingham saw the Town Hall³ &c— some fine streets, tall straight smoky chimneys half way up to the sky — Round Birmingham is the coal district. It may be described in the following words "an immense common covered with heaps of ashes and smoky steam engine houses — this is a small town not so large as Hoddesdon, but Towns are scarce in this part of the country — The lodge at the house of a respectable old Gunmaker’s named Wright but surnamed by the whole Town (on account of the size of his corporation) Alderman Wright.⁴ You say you do not like the confinement of the office — I have had a pretty fair touch, since I have been here I have been out but one or two days, in the office⁵ Mapping, Writing &c &c. [3] I think you would like Land Surveying about half in doors and half out doors work — It is delightful on a fine summers day to be cutting about over the country, following the chain & admiring the beauties of nature, breathing the fresh and pure air on the Hills, or in the noontide heat bolting a piece of bread and cheese in a pleasant valley by the side of a rippling brook — Sometimes indeed it is not quite so pleasant on a cold winters day to find yourself like a monument on the top of an open hill with not a house within a mile and the wind and sleet ready to cut you through — But it is all made up for in the evening, when those who sit at home all day cannot have any idea of the pleasure there is in sitting down to a good dinner and being hungry enough to eat plates dishes and all — The chartists seem to be getting ready in all parts of the Kingdom and I am afraid we shall have a terrible row soon⁶ — I and my brother are well & hearty but where we get on the Hills shall no doubt be much [4] better — I have written this in a great hurry so you must excuse all mistakes in either orthography etymology Syntax or Prosody — I hope all friends in Hertford are quite well and the rest d^o [ditto] as my last letter — I hope you are still well and as I have no more to say nor any more room to say any thing[.]

I remain yours very truly | A.R. Wallace [signature]