Health to you, my dear Lady Ashburton! May your daughters marry the wise and the good! And may your sons support our admirable Constitution in Church and State! May Lord Ashburton use in future steady horses and skilful coachmen; and may the friendship between you and Lady —— flame over the moral world, and shame, by its steady light, the fleeting and flickering passions of the human race!
I must stay here all this month, or, at least, till the 29th, or the week after; and which of these two weeks, I will let you know in two or three days. As to parties, I am the most comfortable guest in the world. I have not the slightest objection to meet everybody, nor the slightest wish to see anybody except you and yours.
Mr. and Mrs. —— dined at —— yesterday. I sat next to Mr. ——. His voice faltered, and he looked pale: I did all I could to encourage him; made him take quantities of sherry. Mrs. —— also looked very unhappy, and I had no doubt took the H. H. draught when she went home. You know, perhaps, that there is a particular draught which the London apothecaries give to persons who have been frightened at H. H. They will both tell you that they were not at all frightened, but don’t believe them; I have seen so much of the disorder, that I am never mistaken. However, don’t let me make you uneasy; it generally goes off after a day or two, and rarely does any permanent injury to the constitution. Ever yours very truly,
