I am just returned from my six weeks' excursion highly pleased with
everything I have seen. I very much regretted that you were not with me,
as I am sure you would have been gratified with the towns of Flanders
and the scenery of Namur, the Rhine and the castle of Heidelberg. I met
Mr. Hamilton[162] at Luneville; he was going through the country that I
had just quitted, and I hope he was as much pleased with it as I was. I
fear that his engagements at the college made him devote less time to it
than was required to enjoy all its beauties. We found that we were
obliged to hurry over it with more expedition than we wished. Mrs.
Ricardo has been at Gatcomb rather more than a week, and to-morrow I
shall quit town and join her there. Since Tuesday morning when I left
Paris I have been incessantly travelling in the day and have not devoted
many hours to sleep. I shall not be sorry to have a few days' rest.
Your college was liberal to France, for I not only met Mr. Hamilton
there but Mr. Le Bas[163] and the gentleman, whose name I forget, who
teaches the French language at that institution[164].
I hope you have been enjoying your excursion and that you found less
distress in Ireland than has been represented as existing there. The
prospect of a good harvest is some consolation for the sufferings which
the poor have been forced to endure; in every country of Europe they
have endured much, and in every one they are anticipating a return of
plenty.
M. Say was very much gratified with your present, and requested me to
forward a letter and a small duodecimo volume which he has just
published[165]. The letter I send you, but the book as well as his work
on Political Economy, the 3rd edition of which he gave to me, has been
detained at the Custom house at Dover, that they may have sufficient
time to calculate the duty on them. As I did not wish to stay at Dover
till the next day, I requested the master of the Inn to pay the duty and
to forward them by Osman, who will be on his return from France in a few
days. The book is an interesting little work in the manner of
Rochefoucauld, and appears to me to be ably done. M. Say was very
agreeable and friendly; he dined with me one day and I with him another.
He is engaged in a commercial concern to which I believe he gives great
attention.
I fear that it will be a long time before you and I meet, though I shall
probably be in London once or twice in the next three months. I hope you
will be disposed to bend your stops westerly in your winter vacation,
and that you will not fail to pay us a visit at Gatcomb; but not such a
visit as the last,--I shall not be satisfied with a flying excursion.
Perhaps Mr. Whishaw will favour me with his company at the same time; if
so, with the assistance of my friend Smith, we should, I hope, contrive
to make the time pass agreeably to both of you. Being very tired and
very sleepy I hasten to conclude.
Very truly yours,
DAVID RICARDO.