Greta Bank
Monday.
My dear Papa:
I am afraid you will have had very disagreable <sic> weather for your journey to Lacock, as it is now raining here, with the appearance of continuing all day However it is very mild and when one is in the railway it does not so much signify. I hope Mama will not be very tired by such a long day after all the fatigue she must have had lately. – Will you thank her for the long letter she wrote me last, about her journey from London to Margate, and say that I am not surprised that she found it so cold, as the weather is continualy <sic> changing, and you can never tell one hour what it will be the next. Yesterday it was pretty fine, but the air was extremely sharp, while this morning it is quite warm, wet growing weather. Two rhododendrons are opening, promising to flower well, and we have some fine bunches of narcissus, tulips, and blue Iris, and the china roses are in flower all round the drawing room windows. – I suppose the plants at Lacock, are recovering from the effects of the spring frosts, & that the Guelder rose, and hawthorn are now open. The laburnums that were touched by the frost, will not have a single flower, all the buds having droped <sic> off; and it is such a pity, for they promised to be beautiful. – W made a very pretty excursion into St John’s valley last Friday, and lost our way once by walking along an interminable wall, till we got to a gate, which leading to nothing, we had to retrace our steps a long way before getting right, but the rocks were very fine and I think we saw more of the valley than we had yet done. – Mamie had the misfortune to lose her spectacles, and she told me to say that should would be very much obliged to you, if on your return to London, you would get her another pair at Newmans. – Mamie had the intention of writing to Ela today, but she has not time, and will probably do so tomorrow. She had a letter from Charles on Friday, who sent her an old german <sic> shilling he picked up in his garden. He says he is going to have a great many flowers in it this year. –
Good bye dear Papa; Your affectionnate <sic> daughter
Matilda