To-day I thought would have brought me a letter from home, with an acknowledgement of the half bill: probably I shall find it tomorrow on my return to town. And as I have now after six days close work packed up my papers (having finished & sent off the review,

& advanced so near the end of the B. Church

that three mornings in Q Anne Street will finish that also) – I may with a quiet conscience indulge in writing home.

I am afraid I expressed myself more peevishly than xxx I ought concerning M^rs C.s account with Tolson.

You would excuse me it if you knew how many needless & senseless demands are made upon my time in town, where every minute is precious.

I came here on Thursday last. Henry Taylor walked half the way with me, – the letter of introduction which I gave him at Keswick has proved so efficacious, (which of course it would not have been if his own talents had not accredited it) that he is now Editor of the London Magazine.

– The boys are all at home, Errol xxx brought with him a cold & affection of the chest, in consequence of which Harry came over yesterday to prescribe for him. He appears better to day; but it has altered him a good deal, & kept him in so quiet or rather languid a state that I have scarcely heard his voice, nor seen what kind of boy he is. I believe however that I should like him rather less than Edward & rather more than his second brother, tho they are all fine, promising, well disposed lads. Poor Alfred is the wrecklin

of the family, & sorry I am to say that he is as much like a mucken

as poor Wilber

himself. Georgiana excels at football, & is the stoutest of the whole, but withal a very fine handsome girl.

My Uncle appears to be much the same as when I was last in town. Nothing has failed him but his limbs, & those rather from <the effect> of rheumatism than of age. He goes to London in the stage & returns the same morning, without difficulty or apparent fatigue. His hearing is as good as ever it was; his sight very little impaired, & were it not that the loss of his teeth affects his articulation, his conversation xxx would betray no symptoms of age, for he has the same quiet, chearful, & even playful manner than he had at Lisbon, three & twenty years ago. M^rs H. is much the graver of the two. She is fatter than when you saw her & looks older than you xxx, as indeed I suppose she is.

They keep no company, whatever, which I think must rather be owing to her inclination than his. During the six days that I have been here, the only persons who have called have been Bedford & the Doctor: not one of the parishioners. My mornings & evenings have been past up stairs in solitude, steadily at work, xx I have had my afternoon <nap> also, & enjoy dining at four o clock, & a glass of arrack punch

after supper

Tomorrow I mean to receive the sacrament here, & then put myself on the way to London & take my chance for a stage. We dine at M^rs Gonnes, where I shall see Edith. My Uncle has given me a beautiful little broche for her, – it is an agoe marina

very prettily set. Friday we dine at Bedfords. Saturday with M^r Monkhouse.

My engagements in Devonshire stand thus – Saturday being the day of my arrival there, with the Kennaways,

– Sunday at Ottery, – Monday & Tuesday with Sir T Acland & M^r Marryat,

– Wednesday to Exeter & Crediton, where I must take care not to be killed with kindness.

Poor Dumbee

has proved by far the best of all my painters. He took almost an affectionate leave of me, & expressed his regret at not having succeeded better, tho he has in reality satisfied all who have yet seen the picture

On my return from the West I shall remain no longer in these parts than to make our visit at Richmond. For you may well suppose that I long to be at home. Bertha’s letter amused & pleased me much, – & knowing what female curiosity is, I must not blame xx her for prying in a part of the desk where pens are not to be found. Another volume of the German stories

is promised. I wish it may be published while I am in town, that I may send it down in a second frank to Cuthbert. Tell him I am glad to hear he is become so studious. Tell him too that of his three xxx Welsh Uncles here, the eldest is to be Master of Westminster, the second Lord Chancellor, & the third Archbishop of York. I could not consent to his having Canterbury, because Canterbury is engaged. – Oh bless that sweet boy, how I long to see him, & to tell him once more that I am very fond of him.

You may laugh at your daughter about Hunter the Savage,

of whom she made half a conquest at Montreal.

I am almost sorry <to see> the depth & strength of her attachment to home. Now that she is in London, she says, she will stay out the time she had appointed & do all she intended to do, – but she will never go to London again. She dislikes it as heartily as I do. And yet she receives as much kindness as you could desire, & is fully sensible of it. – As for Bedford he pronounces her to be the most elegant creature he ever saw. – With regard to drawing I shall follow Westalls advice whatever that may be, when I can see him again, & as to singing she shall do whatever is thought advisable & acxxds <accords> with her own wishes.

A merry Xmas, & a happy new year to you all! To you first & foremost my true & lawful Governess & Lady Mare; next to the great Bertha whom I love not with a B alone, but thro the whole alphabet, stopping only at the letter X because it is not possible to love any thing that is cross: next to the very grave & sober Kate, Countess Pusseycat, the very gravest & soberest of her kind; then to my Isabel who live as long as she will is to be a Belle still; & tho last & least, yet neither least nor last in my love, to Charles Cuthbert Southey Archbishop in nubibus,

Rural Dean by courtesy, & in reality a good boy & my very worthy son. And a merry Xmas & happy new year to Sara also, & the Most Venerable her mother, & to Aunt Lovell, – & to Betty

& Anne, & the Cook

(tho I have absolutely forgotten who she is, both name & person) – & to Rumpelstilzchen, & Hurliburlibus,

– all persons & all creatures belonging to my household, a merry Xmas & happy new year to them all.

I found your letter on my return yesterday. Your daughter seems very chearful & well, & better reconciled to London. Lady Malet

will not part with her yet. We are to meet Coleridge at M^r Monkhouses tomorrow.

The Mays

are come to town for a fortnight. I saw the younger this morning. Once more – God bless you