the greatest
kindness and affection.

"The (Dowiger) Countess Castlewood and my cousins Will and Lady Fanny
have been described per last, that went by the Falmouth packet on the
20th ult. The ladies are not changed since then. Me and Cousin Will are
very good friends. We have rode out a good deal. We have had some famous
cocking matches at Hampton and Winton. My cousin is a sharp blade, but I
think I have shown him that we in Virginia know a thing or two. Reverend
Mr. Sampson, chaplain of the famaly, most excellent preacher, without
any biggatry.

"The kindness of my cousin the Earl improves every day, and by next
year's ship I hope my mother will send his lordship some of our best
roll tobacco (for tennants) and hamms. He is most charatable to the
poor. His sister, Lady Maria, equally so. She sits for hours reading
good books to the sick: she is most beloved in the village."

"Nonsense!" said a lady to whom Harry submitted his precious manuscript.
"Why do you flatter me, cousin?"

"You are beloved in the village and out of it," said Harry, with a
knowing emphasis, "and I have flattered you, as you call it, a little
more still, farther on."

"There is a sick old woman there, whom Madam Esmond would like, a most
raligious, good, old lady.

"Lady Maria goes very often to read to her; which, she says, gives
her comfort. But though her Ladyship hath the sweetest voice, both in
speaking and singeing (she plays the church organ, and singes there most
beautifully), I cannot think Gammer Jenkins can have any comfort from
it, being very deaf, by reason of her great age. She has her memory
perfectly, however, and remembers when my honoured Grandmother Rachel
Lady Castlewood lived here. She says, my Grandmother was the best woman
in the whole world, gave her a cow when she was married, and cured her
husband, Gaffer Jenkins, of the collects, which he used to have very
bad. I suppose it was with the Pills and Drops which my honoured Mother
put up in my boxes, when I left dear Virginia. Having never been ill
since, have had no use for the pills. Gumbo hath, eating and drinking
a great deal too much in the Servants' Hall. The next angel to my
Grandmother (N.B. I think I spelt angel wrong per last), Gammer Jenkins
says, is Lady Maria, who sends her duty to her Aunt in Virginia, and
remembers her, and my Grandpapa and Grandmamma when they were in Europe,
and she was a little girl. You know they have Grandpapa's picture here,