Grasmere Sept 18

My dear Henry

After receiving your letter yesterday I intended writing to you – to say how glad I was that you encouraged the visit to Speddock, and that you were not vexed at our proposing to delay somewhat the return home, in consequence – But my good intentions were frustrated by the visit of M^r Carlisle Wake, who rode over from Brunthwaite to spend the morning with us – It had been a long standing engagement on his part, though no day had been fixed – and it chiefly depended on weather. The Tourists continuing to cram the coaches, M^r Wake had no choice but to ride over on his Poney – The Weather was splendid, and we enjoyed his visit, as he told us all the news of our friends and acquaintances at Keswick – M^lle Amélina could not share our entertainment unfortunately for she was obliged to keep her room all yesterday, although she had been down stairs part of the two previous days – She is decidedly better – but from the causes I tried to explain to you the other day, it is still important that she should keep quite quiet for a little time – You need be under no apprehension of her being laid up with a fit of illness – the annoyance she experiences just now is a sure preservative – and M^r Fell is such a model Doctor that she is quite safe in his hands – He is an experienced Chemist & [illegible deletion] explains the nature of each thing that he prescribes – The week before last he advised the use of Collodian, lightly brushed over the skin where the cuticle was cracked or slightly broken. – and it answered perfectly – It forms an artificial skin while the true one is re-forming beneath. – I am sure you would be delighted with such an ingenious man – We have almost daily letters from Matilda, full of eagerness & anxiety about the promised visit from her Sister & M^lle A. – and I assure you the eagerness on our side is scarcely less – It would be such a pleasure to all – and the present opportunity so favorable as regards distance – there is so much of fresh interest attached to Speddock at this time – and the remote future is so uncertain & gives so much less promise of natural pleasure, even if it could be depended upon that I think you will (on reflection) readily grant your assent & consent to what we now propose – which is this – To stay on at Grasmere, if M^r Marshall does not turn us out by reletting his house, just as long as may be necessary to attain our object, of the visit to Speddock: – to accomplish this at the first possible moment and immediately afterwards to start for home – We will pack up the greater part of our things, which we cannot want now that we are in mourning, so that no time shall be lost in unnecessary dawdling – which will also enable us to turn out at a few days notice, at any moment, from M^r Marshall – We regret leaving you so long by yourself dear Henry – particularly since we hear that you catch cold & do not take proper care of yourself. – but perhaps you won’t much [illegible deletion] mind for a week or two more or less – We have had some very wet uncomfortable weather, but it is improving again very much. – and we have still much to see & to enjoy in our walks – And we are very desirous of a little more time for a drive to Keswich, on a suitable day – for actually I have only managed to go over there once, which was with Ela & Charles – and dear Rosamond has not been there at all – It w^d be a great disappointment to her not to see Keswick once before we leave – but at first, I really thought her scarcely strong enough for the long drive there & back & for walking about during some hours there, in the hottest part of the day – for whenever we had a perfectly fine day, it was also rather hot – Now she is so very much stronger that she may undertake it without risk – You would be quite happy to see how well she looks – and how much she enjoys herself at Grasmere – Our coming to this place has answered our expectations completely in restoring her health – and the longer we stay the more the benefit is confirmed. Indeed it suits us all very nicely, except when it rains – but we must of course accept the good & the bad together.

I have not written the last few days – or thanked you for your very great kindness in copying our Uncle William’s letter for me. – Which I should have been very sorry not to have read. – I have of course communicated all this to Matilda, & I also wrote to tell Charles – How very much Charles seems to enjoy himself at Whorlton! – it is a great thing to live in such a pleasant country. I suppose M^r Headlam will make his own report of Charles’s progress in study & &c – after awhile – for of course we cannot otherwise know how he gets on in essentials – Rosamond is writing, so I leave other subjects to her, and will only add that I shall of course feel impatient for your answer to what I have said – Will you reckon the additional rent of this house by the week? and shall you wish me to pay the amount to M^r Green before we leave? –

Your affectionate
Constance