| dc.description.transcription | Enfield 2 Apr. 1830
Dear Madam,
I have great pleasure in letting you know that Miss Isola has
suffered very little from fatigue on her long journey. I am ashamed to
say that I came home rather the more tired of the two. But I am a very
unpractised traveller [sic]. She has had two tolerable night's sleep since,
and is decidedly not worse than when we left you. I remembered the Magnesia
according to your directions and promise that she shall be kept
very quiet never forgetting that she is still an invalid. We found my
Sister very well in health, only a little impatient to see her; and,
after a few hysterical tears for gladness, all was comfortable again.
We arrived here from Epping between five and six. The incidents of our
journey were trifling, but you bade me tell them.
We had then in the coach a rather talkative gentleman, but
very civil all the way; and took up a servant maid at Stamford going to
a sick mistress. To the latter, a participation in the hospitalities of
your nice rusks and sandwiches proved very agreeable, as it did to my
companion, who took merely a sip of the weakest wine and water with them.
The former engaged me in a discourse for full twenty miles on the probable
advantages of Steam Carriages which, being merely problematical, I bore my
part in with some credit in spite of my totally un-engineer-like faculties.
But when, somewhere about Hanstead, he put an unfortunate question to me as
to the "probability of its turning out a good turnip season" and when I,
who am still less of an agriculturalist than a steam-philosopher, not knowing
a turnip from a potato ground, innocently made answer that "I believe
it depended very much upon boiled legs of mutton", my unlucky reply
Isola a laughing to a degree that disturbed her tranquility for the only
moment in our journey.
I am afraid my credit sank very low with my other fellow-traveller,
who had thought he had met with a well-informed passenger, which is an accident
so desirable in a stage coach. We were rather less communicative, but
still friendly, the rest of the way. How I employed myself between Epping and
Enfield, the poor verses in the front of my paper may inform you, which you
may please to christen an "Acrostic in a Crossroad", and which I wish were
worthier of the Lady they refer to. But I trust you will plead my pardon to
her on a subject so delicate as a Lady's good name. Your candour must acknowledge
that they are written strait. And now, dear Madam, I have left myself
hardly space to express my sense of the friendly reception I found at Fornham.
Mr. Williams will tell you that we had the pleasure of a slight meeting
with him on the road, where I could almost have told him, but that it seemed
ungracious, that such had been your hospitality, that I scarcely missed the good
Master of the Family at Fornham, thought heartily I should rejoiced to have made
a little longer acquaintance with him. I will say nothing of our deeper obligations
to both of you, because I think we agreed at Fornham, that gratitude may
be over-exacted on the part of the obliging, and over-expressed on the part of
the obliged person. My Sister, and Miss Isola, join in respects to Mr. Williams
and yourself, and I beg to be remembered kindly to the Miss Hammonds, and the
two gentlemen whom I had the good fortune to meet at your house. I have not
forgotten the election in which you are interesting yourself, and the little
that I can, I will do immediately. Miss Isola will have the pleasure of
writing to you next week, and we shell hope at your leisure to hear of your
own health.
I am, Dear Madam, with great respect,
Your obliged
Charles Lamb
I must just add a line to beg you will let us hear from you my dear
Mrs. Williams. I have just received the forwarded letter. Fornham we
have talked about constantly and I felt strange at this house the first
day. to all you said, my dear Madam.
Mrs. Williams
Rectory
Fornham All Saints
Bury St. Edmunds. | |
