9 Coates Crescent
Thursday March 14
My dear Papa,
I am so very much ashamed of myself for not writing sooner after the nice long letter which you sent me for my birthday, that I had better not attempt to say anything in my own defence. I have also to thank you for the pretty engraving which came with the letter, and which I have added to my collection<.> It is becoming quite a large one now. We have been going on in much the same way as usual, lately, the weather is variable – for we have some bright sunshine every day, generally all the morning, and then it becomes cloudy again – The spring flowers are all coming out fast, & we are meditating paying a visit to the garden &c at Speddoch at the beginning of April – We should go down for a week or two, and then return here, but we must then find another house, as this one is sold; and we shall have to turn out of it in May. I suppose you have heard how we went to see Charles Kean in Hamlet, and how pleased we all were. The others went to Macbeth the other day, but I did not, having seen that, last winter – Johnnie & I are going again on Saturday with Monie & Mamie to the Corsican brothers – It is Monie’s birthday, & we thought she would enjoy it – I always had a curiosity to see that play, as I have heard a great deal about it – Tonight she goes with us to a ball at the Assembly-rooms. Are we not dissipated this week? It will be very amusing to get her to come with us, as we have not been to a ball together for ever so long. – Now, dear Papa, if you are not too angry, I hope you will soon write again to me, and tell me how things are getting on at Lacock – and also when you are likely to come back here, as people are always asking me – especially Sir David Brewster & Mr Coventry and then I cannot give them any decided answer. – I met Sir D. Brewster the other night at dinner at Lady Massay’s. Mr Coventry was anxious to know if you had been busy with the Cuniform <sic> characters lately – I said I thought not. Was that right?
Good bye, dear Papa, for the present, as it is late.
Yr affecte daughter
Tilly