<crest>
Speddoch
Octr 31st/ 60
My dear Papa,
I am really quite ashamed of myself, when I think that I have not answered your letter yet, but I have lately felt so uncertain about your movements, that I hardly knew where to write. As I think, however that you are still at Lacock, I will give this a chance of finding you there – I hear that you had a most satisfactory visit to Cambridge, and from all accounts Charles seems to be settled there quite happily. I had a letter from him the other day, full of spirits – He says the weather is oppressively warm, and that they have had some fine days. Is it the same at Lacock? Here we have had nothing till yesterday but incessant rain, without any fine days at all, but it cleared up in the afternoon, so that we actually saw the sun, which has been invisible for so long. The ground is quite soaked, and all the little streams have become torrents.
The trees, all except oaks, are quite bare and leafless, so that it looks very much indeed like winter. Do you know a remarkable oak-tree which grows in Inwood, and bears immense acorns? It is near the cottage, somewhere along the centre road through the wood – Mr Gale knows it and told Johnnie about it last winter; and he is very anxious to get some of the acorns and sow them here – Don’t you think Wilkins could gather some, and then if you didn’t mind bringing them in a little parcel when you come North again, we could try the experiment. Perhaps you remember the tree – Is it a peculiar sort, or only a chance rariety?
When are you thinking of going back to Oakfield? I am hoping every-day to hear that you have at last secured a house in Edinburgh. What a pity that there is such little choice; and that People all snap them up so early. I fancy it would be a good speculation to build a large addition to Edinburgh, full of big houses, and then let them all.
We think of getting settled in our house in Coates Crescent on the 15th for it is no use staying here any longer, while the weather is so bad.
Good bye, dear Papa, Johnnie joins me in sending my love from yr affecte daughter
Matilda