4 Athole Crescent
March 25^th

My dear Papa,

We were rather surprised that in your last letter you made no mention whatever of the Eclipse and so conclude that you saw nothing. We were certainly unlucky here, having in general had such fine weather lately that the clouds on that morning were the more provoking – We begin to feel as if the winter were over and Spring fairly set in, for during the last week the weather has been warm & most delightful – in fact Friday, Sunday & two following days were quite like Summer – and we hear that Lord Ross and some other people have foretold a very hot April – and have been building sheds for the cattle to protect them from the heat! –

You will be glad to hear that our Party went off most successfully – and having enlarged our acquaintance so much this winter, we were able to ask a great many more people than last time and quite to fill our rooms – Our numbers were about 150 in all – and Mamma congratulation herself in having persuaded some Steady people who do not generally go to Balls to come in & converse for a short time – So we had Prof^r & M^rs Kelland – miss Catherine Sinclair ^<1> and even to the astonishment of the company, The Lord Justice General himself! – Every body seemed happy and as if they enjoyed themselves & the dancing was kept up till past three oclock – The only Contretemps which of course was a great disappointment to us, was poor Mamie being so indisposed that evening as to be unable to appear at all. – She only managed to get a glimpse of the Supper table which with a large Trifle surmounted with Spun sugar, in the centre, looked very well indeed.

We were rather sorry that Charles was not in time for it – (In his letter to Mamma yesterday, he says the holidays begin next Tuesday) but perhaps he might have felt shy not knowing any body, which would have been awkward –

Perhaps you may remember that Uncle Mundy wished Tally to spend a few days at Markeaton, on his way back to Harrow last holidays – and now he has asked him again to continue to pay them a short visit on his road, [illegible deletion] And Mamma has advised Tally, who rather wishes to go, to accept from Tuesday till the following Saturday – as she does not like sparing him for any longer time.

Poor papa, I am afraid you must be feeling rather solitary, so long at Lacock all alone. Shall you not be coming back to us here at all or going any where else? This fine weather ought to tempt you to take some little excursion somewhere don’t you think so? –

Have the Leechees ever come up, that were sown in the Stove?

I do not think I have anything to add just at present,

So good bye dear Papa

Y^r affec^te daughter
Ela

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Notes:

1. Catherine Sinclair (1800-1865), Scottish philanthropist and author; assistant to her father, the agrarian reformer Sir John Sinclair (1754-1835).