DEAR Mr.
& Mrs. Clarkson, you will wish to
know how we performed our journey. My sister was tolerably quiet until we got to Chelmsford, where
she began to be very bad indeed, as your friends William Knight and his family can tell you when you see them.
What I should have done without their kindness I don’t know, but among
other acts of great attention, they provided me with a waistcoat to confine her
arms, by the help of which we went through the rest of our journey. But sadly
tired and miserably
| 374 | LETTERS OF C. AND M. LAMB | Oct. |
I shall not have heard how she is to day until too late for the Post, but if any great change takes place for better or worse, I shall certainly let you know.
She tells me something about having given away one of my coats to your servant. It is a new one, and perhaps may be of small use to him. If you can get it me again, I shall very willingly give him a compensation. I shall also be much obliged by your sending in a parcel all the manuscripts, books &c. she left behind. I want in particular the Dramatic Extracts, as my purpose is to make use of the remainder of my holydays in completing them at the British Museum, which will be employment & money in the end.
I am exceedingly harrassed with the journey, but that will go off in a day or two, and I will set to work. I know you will grieve for us, but I hope my sister’s illness is not worse than many she has got through before. Only I am afraid the fatigue of the journey may affect her general health. You shall have notice how she goes on. In the mean time, accept our kindest thanks.
