THE pig was above my feeble praise. It was a dear pigmy. There was some contention as to who should have the ears, but in spite of his obstinacy (deaf as these little creatures are to advice) I contrived to get at one of them.
It came in boots too, which I took as a favor. Generally those petty toes, pretty toes! are missing. But I suppose he wore them, to look taller.
He must have been the least of his race. His little foots would have gone into the silver slipper. I take him to have been Chinese, and a female.—
If Evelyn could have
seen him, he would never have farrowed two
| 1823 | LITTLE PIGS AGAIN | 593 |
John Collier Junr has sent me a Poem which (without the smallest bias from the aforesaid present, believe me) I pronounce sterling.
I set about Evelyn, and finished the first volume in the course of a natural day. To-day I attack the second.—Parts are very interesting.—
I left a blank at top of my letter, not being determined which to address it to, so Farmer and Farmer’s wife will please to divide our thanks. May your granaries be full, and your rats empty, and your chickens plump, and your envious neighbors lean, and your labourers busy, and you as idle and as happy as the day is long!
Vive L’ Agriculture! |
Frank Field’s marriage of course you have seen in the papers, and that his brother Barron is expected home.
How do you make your pigs so little? They are vastly engaging at that age. I was so myself. Now I am a disagreeable old hog— A middle-aged-gentleman-and-a-half. |
Believe me, while my faculties last, a proper appreciator of your many kindnesses in this way; and that the last lingering relish of past flavors upon my dying memory will be the smack of that little Ear. It was the left ear, which is lucky. Many happy returns (not of the Pig) but of the New Year to both.—
Mary for her share of the Pig and the memoirs desires to send the same—
