you; however, hear further.... If I am alive next summer, I hope to
spend three months in England: one with my own family and Emily
Fitzhugh: one in Scotland; and one with you, if you and Mrs. Taylor
_please_.... I have been obliged to give up riding, for some time ago my
horse fell with me, and though I was not at all hurt, I was badly
frightened; so I trot about on my feet, and drive to and from town and
the farm in a little four-wheeled machine called here a wagon.

The other day, for the first time, I explored my small future domain,
which is bounded, on the right, by the high-road; on the left, by a not
unromantic little mill-stream, with bits of rock, and cedar-bushes, and
dams, and, I am sorry to say, a very picturesque, half-tumbled-down
factory; on the north, by fields and orchards of our neighbors, and
another road; and on the south, by a pretty, deep, shady lane, running
from the high-road to the above-mentioned factory.... I think the extent
of our _estate_ is about three hundred acres. A small portion of it,
perhaps some seventy acres, lies on the other side of the high-road.
Except a kitchen-garden, there is none that deserves the name: no
flower-beds, no shrubberies, no gravel-walks. A large field, now planted
with maize, or Indian corn, is on one side of an avenue of maple-trees
that leads to the house; on the other is an apple-orchard. There is
nothing that can call itself a lawn, though coarse grass grows all round
the house. There are four pretty pasture meadows, and a very pretty
piece of woodland, which, coasting the stream and mill-dam, will, I
foresee, become a favorite haunt of mine. There is a farm-yard, a
cider-press, a pond, a dairy, and out-houses, and adjuncts innumerable.

I have succeeded, after difficulties and disasters manifold, in engaging
an apparently tolerably decent staff of servants; the house is freshly
painted and clean, the furniture being finished with all expedition, the
carpets ready to lay down; next week I hope to send our household out,
and the week after I sincerely hope we shall transfer ourselves thither,
and I shall be in a home of my own.

Miss Martineau is just now in Philadelphia: I have seen and conversed
with her, and I think, were her stay long enough to admit of so
agreeable a conclusion, we might become good friends. It is not
presumptuous for me to say that, dear H----, because, you know, a very
close degree of friendship may exist where there is great disp