Hutchinson, Sara (1775-1835). - Letter, from Rydal Mount, to John Monkhouse, (1782-1866), at the Stow, Hereford, dated 12 December 1825 (year from postmark). WLMS HUTCHINSON / 1 / 6 / 6

Rydal Mount

Decr. 12th

My dear John

Many thanks for your Letter. - A Letter from you now-a-days is, I assure you, highly prized throughout all the house - as, unfortunately it ought to be for two reasons beyond the ordinary pleasure which hearing from ones friends always give - viz - that its costs you so much to write, and is an assurance that the power of writing still remains to you - You give no particulars of the state of your eyes at present - therefore "I guess" they are not materially worse or better - William has been sadly teezed lately with inflammation on the Lids, & consequent heat & irritation of the eyeballs - Tillbrook had the same when he was here - and since his return to College he has been to Town consulting Alexander whose prescriptions would, we are sure, be of use to William - but he is a most refractory Patient - Alexander recommends nothing more than bathing in water (morning & Evg) as hot as the eye can bear continued till the water becomes nearly cool - to accustom the eye to the light, & variety of colours - not to stick to green - else nothing else in time would be endured - to eat & drink moderately no "condiments" to use Wms favourite word) & an [?] abstinence in Tea -

A letter from Joanna the other day, in which she says "John will be sorry that you did not see Mrs. M & Mary," had determined me to write to you even if your's had not arrived - for it seemed to me strange that from my account of our passing thro' Preston such a conclusion could be drawn - After Miss C's communication to Dorothy (she knowing that we should be at P.) we could not have stopped without an invitation at the House, & therefore, as had been the custom whenever any of the Family passed tho P. we begged them to meet us at the Inn where the Coach generally waits an hour - and this was promptly complied with by Mrs. M who seemed perfectly satisfied with the arrangement - & did not give a hint that she expected more - tho' she said she wished we could stay - and indeed I was much disposed to do so, when I found the nasty Coach full, & was so much disappointed in not seeing little Mary - But I have written all this, part of which you know, as a preface to setting you right as to your conjectures of the reason for [?] the dear Child - for the Mother met us with this reply to our question of "where is Mary?" before we had well spoken it - "I have been thinking that as Sarah is coming to Mrs. Astley's I will send her to see you" - This we have reason to believe was a scheme to make one of the Party to Mrs. Astley's, to which place she had probably not been invited, and an invitation from Mary W. to accompany the Child to Rydal was to be the cats paw - for that she should ever have thought of sending a child of that age to a house full of strangers was most unnatural - for strangers we are all to her now - indeed few people would have taken the charge - how ever Mary answered that we should be delighted to [?] - but did not give the Mother an invitation - for had the men inclined so to do (& for the sake of the Child she would have had no objection) her reply to the former invitation prevented this - & it remained for herself to propose when she "can bear" to visit Rydal Mount - We do not think that at the present age of the Child she can think it of any consequence to keep her apart - tho' I have no doubt, if some resolution is not accomplished in her mind before, she will [?] the Child is old enough to form her own judgement or attachments. William spent the night at Lark hill & says Mary is very pretty & looks as interesting as ever - & very active but he never heard the sound of her voice - She amused herself by leaping off the sofa the whole time she was in the room.

We have heard that Miss H. is unwell - & that the wedding is put off & not a word of the visit to Mrs. Astley - no Letter from themselves - but Mrs. Robinson who has 2 sisters married at P. tells us this news - & also that Mr. H. has laid down his carriage & horses "the last may be true but I think he will not sell his Carriage - what an old - he is - to spend his money upon Elections - for I suppose he is saving for the coming storm. Miss W. will stay a day - if they can receive her - & from her you will have a more particular account of the Child - She hopes to set off early in January - & intends to pay you the first visit after having seen them all at B - By the bye I forget to tell you in my last that Wm. in reply to John's wish to come down at Xmas told him that if his health required a little variety &c he had better come & pay his Herefordsh: friends a fortnights visit - so probably he may [?beat] up your quarters - which I think he will be inclined to do, unless his Couzin Charles, where he is at Christ Ch: tempts him to Cambridge - but you must not press him beyond the fortnight -

We have now delightful mild weather - but I quarrel with the want of sun - and instead of "abusing" your County set it up against this - as Miss Barker abuses the French to the French & the English to their own countrymen - I hope you will have a little frost when Miss W. is with you, that her feet may not be fettered in the mud - I do not mean on the high roads - but she so greatly prefers walking on the hills that the road in the Valley will not satisfy her. - We are glad to find that you intend to visit us at all events this summer - as I fear it [] be the last in this beautiful place - however we do not disturb ourselves about it - sufficient for the day is the evil thereof - & knowing how reluctant both Mr & Mrs. [?Huddlestone] are that the silver should come thither, we hope that they may find some excuse for rejecting the offer, which only the fear of offending my Lady would make me accept - but this is entre nous - it would indeed be vexatious should your pleasant home become untenable from the cupidity of your Landlord - yet I think he will not willingly part with you, & therefore you having nothing to do but stick up to him - and why should you be anxious about increasing your farm? If he [[-?-]] leaves you the house & as much land as will keep your [?Leicesters], it would be sufficient employment for you - & there is small chance of buying a place exactly in a situation which would suit so well - or be half so pleasant.

We have no stir here yet about the election. Ld. Lowther is Chairman for the [?] Genl. who is a candidate (on the anti Catholic side) for Cambridge - & William is stirring for him & Banks to keep out the Concessionists - tho' he does not think either of them what they ought to be as members for that university - the former because he is a [?Red] & the other of no weight - The speaker [?] - because (as he gives out) Dr W. will not support him - which is true - on [[-?-?-]] private [[-?-]] grounds - the report of an [?rumour] - [?] - I hope Napleton, if he is M.A., will vote against the Catholic candidates - Pray how goes on his love affairs - it is unlucky that he is so far from the Lady - remember me kindly to Mrs. Dew - I was flattered by her [?visit] that I should become her neighbour for this winter. Poor Body! she will wear out her youth & health. Why has she not a Governess? We are more thankful than I can express for your confirmation of the good accounts of dear Mary's health - but I know she will not be sufficiently careful of her self - she had no business to go to Wern at all till summer - the house could not be fit for her to sleep in -my best security was in the hope that all would be made ready for them as Mr. Morgan was of the parts - else for herself I guess she would not have had even a fire lighted to go to - we shall continue our enquiries respecting a Governess - and am glad that it is possible to do a while longer with Mr. M - for really the expence of Hereford I certainly would advise the boys to be sent to Shrewsbury - at least if either of them shews any talent for Books - It is said to be the very best school for preparation for the University - I think that at Hindwell I read "sketches Recollections of the Peninsula" - If not that Book & "Sketches in India" by the same author (a soldier) are all worth Mary's ordering with the Club - they are only 1 vol each "The Hist: of a Life" by the same is we hear equally entertaining but have not seen it - God bless you, & all at Brinsop & may you have a cheerful Christmas together & many happy new years is the fervent wish of your most affe Friend Every bodys Love SH

<pb crossed first side> Miss W. desires Henry will send by the next Letter an exact account of the Coach in which he travelled from Liverpool - its name - place of starting - & at what time it reaches Hereford - also if he knows whether there is a coach as [?] & speedy from Manchester -

<top of first side> William will thank you for a plan of Mr. Dews Drawing room – Don’t be alarmed! I hope we shall never be such fools as build a House for the wise to dwell in – but plans are the present amusement – He should like one of Mr. Lewis entire house also if he could get it.