SLOANE STREET, Thursday, May 20.
MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Before I say anything else, I claim a paper full of
halfpence on the drawing-room mantelpiece; I put them there myself, and
forgot to bring them with me. I cannot say that I have yet been in any
distress for money, but I choose to have my due, as well as the Devil.
How lucky we were in our weather yesterday! This wet morning makes one
more sensible of it. We had no rain of any consequence. The head of the
curricle was put half up three or four times, but our share of the
showers was very trifling, though they seemed to be heavy all round us,
when we were on the Hog's-back, and I fancied it might then be raining
so hard at Chawton as to make you feel for us much more than we
deserved. Three hours and a quarter took us to Guildford, where we
stayed barely two hours, and had only just time enough for all we had
to do there; that is, eating a long and comfortable breakfast, watching
the carriages, paying Mr. Harrington, and taking a little stroll
afterwards. From some views which that stroll gave us, I think most
highly of the situation of Guildford. We wanted all our brothers and
sisters to be standing with us in the bowling-green, and looking towards
Horsham. I was very lucky in my gloves,--got them at the first shop I
went to, though I went into it rather because it was near than because
it looked at all like a glove-shop, and gave only four shillings for
them; after which everybody at Chawton will be hoping and predicting
that they cannot be good for anything, and their worth certainly remains
to be proved; but I think they look very well. We left Guildford at
twenty minutes before twelve (I hope somebody cares for these minutiæ),
and were at Esher in about two hours more. I was very much pleased with
the country in general. Between Guildford and Ripley I thought it
particularly pretty, also about Painshill; and from a Mr. Spicer's
grounds at Esher, which we walked into before dinner, the views were
beautiful. I cannot say what we did _not_ see, but I should think there
could not be a wood, or a meadow, or palace, or remarkable spot in
England that was not spread out before us on one side or other.
Claremont is going to be sold: a Mr. Ellis has it now. It is a house
that seems never to have prospered. After dinner we walked forward to be
overtaken at the coachman's time, and before he did overtake us we were
very near Kingston. I fancy it was about half-past six when we reached
this house,--a twelve hours' business, and the horses did not appear
more than reasonably tired. I was very tired too, and glad to get to bed
early, but am quite well to-day. I am very snug in the front
drawing-room all to myself, and would not say "thank you" for any
company but you. The quietness of it does me good. I have contrived to
pay my two visits, though the weather made me a great while about it,
and left me only a few minutes to sit with Charlotte Craven.[17] She
looks very well, and her hair is done up with an elegance to do credit
to any education. Her manners are as unaffected and pleasing as ever.
She had heard from her mother to-day. Mrs. Craven spends another
fortnight at Chilton. I saw nobody but Charlotte, which pleased me best.
I was shown upstairs into a drawing-room, where she came to me; and the
appearance of the room, so totally unschoollike, amused me very much: it
was full of modern elegances.
Yours very affec^{tly},
J. A.