‘My dear Sarah,—You see I begin at the top of the page like a traveller who has much to tell. I set out at a quarter-past nine, and had just driven from the door when I met Anacreon. Him I conveyed to Portland Place, and set him so far on his way to breakfast with the celebrated H. B., who lives in the region of Fitzroy Square. Leaving Barnet, I met, of course, the Hadley chaise. The Colonel and Isabella were in it, but as they did not observe me, we passed without a parley. The flies soon began to sting, and gave me no quiet for the rest of the day; the sensation was new to me, but I bore it pretty well. The North Road, as it calls itself everywhere in the notices, is a noble road, running with a breadth and a directness such as I was not prepared for, and I was carried along with such a rapidity that before nightfall I had left a hundred miles behind me. At every stage I walked on till I was overtaken, though I seldom was allowed above fifty yards. Still, it was a great refreshment to me, and I arrived in good spirits and with no fatigue at Witham Common, where I slept in a very nice lone house, after a dish of tea. So far well—but I waked many times in the night, though I thought nothing of it, and was in the carriage again before six o’clock.
| 92 | ROGERS AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES |
‘I shall now take a new paragraph, as I must in more senses than one turn over a new leaf; for when I tried to walk at the next change, I could not stir a foot. At first I thought nothing of it, and endeavoured to walk it off. But alas, to no purpose. All would not do, so I gave up the point. The evil, when I examined further, was in what Lady Cork would call the third finger of the right foot. I pronounced it to be a corn, and procured some corn plaster. Then a sore, and bought some lint—in the carriage it gave me no pain, only when I walked—but now it burns a little. So I shall treat it as the gout, and have just taken some physic.
‘I am here, alas, at the gates of Paradise and a cripple. What to do I am utterly at a loss, but I have this great consolation that I am no incumbrance to others; the inconvenience is all my own. I shall write to the Dunmores to prepare them for a change of measures in case I cannot surmount the obstacle. Small, indeed, it is in appearance, but, as the Italians say, there is no little enemy.
‘The Hollyhocks are splendid everywhere in the
cottage gardens. On the first day the showers were very frequent and heavy,
but it was pleasant in the intervals. Yesterday no rain; this morning rain,
but clearing off a little. Pray give my love to Patty.
I shall write again soon, but take it for granted that no news is good
news. I arrived here last night at dusk, and as I am comfortably lodged
shall stay till to-morrow at all events. Of the
| CAMPBELL IN PARIS | 93 |
