Randolph Crescent

Friday Feb 4^th

My dear Henry

It is quite a comfort to us all to have seen your handwriting this morning, after your very long silence – And Matilda thanks you very much for your letter & proposes writing to you tomorrow. Your weather seems to have been much the same as ours – for after an attempt at frost and snow, it has changed again to remarkable mildness – with occasionally a good deal of wind. We have gone out to various parties on very rough nights – but dancing went on none the less merrily for the storm without. Lady Gainsborough & her daughter called on us a few days ago, and sat a long time, as if they really wished to make acquaintance – & I hope the introduction may be improved agreeable on both sides – but I do not fancy we are likely to see much of them in society, because they appear to live very quietly. However I can scarcely tell, as lady Gainsborough herself has been away for the last month. – and now their mourning may interfere – I dare say you are feeling rather anxious to hear how dear Rosamond is going on – and I wish I could report more decided progress – but though better in some respects, I do not see any prospect of her being well for some time – The throat continues to be much swollen and very tender. – and a threatening of <ill.del.> another inflamed glad made D^r Moir wish that M^r Syms should be consulted again – which was done yesterday – And they advised her putting on a blister all over the affected part. We shall see in a day or two how far this checks the threatened mischief – It is a sad disappointment to us all to have her on the sick list so long – and of course it is necessary she should be very prudent of exposure to cold – With D^r Moir’s permission she went with us to a concert on Wednesday evening – and I hope she will be able now & then to enjoy something of this sort at places where she can wrap up carefully – but she scarcely is able to go out of a morning for air & exercise – She has had only 2 walks since you left us – One was up & down the Crescent – the other was to Dean Cemetery, which I fancy was rather too far – for she had a weakness in her foot for some days afterwards –

I forward to you today a report of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. – but I keep the circular of their next Meeting – I am told there has been nothing interesting at their Soirées since you left – I am only just in time for the post so must say, Adieu –

Your affectionate

Constance