o Winchester.
Suppose we name the 4th of September. Will not
that do?

* * * * *

Distribute the affectionate love of a heart not so
tired as the right hand belonging to it.

Tuesday [December 27, 1808].

. . . Lady Sondes' match[193] surprises, but does
not offend me; had her first marriage been of
affection, or had there been a grown-up single
daughter, I should not have forgiven her; but I
consider everybody as having a right to marry
_once_ in their lives for love, if they can, and
provided she will now leave off having bad
headaches and being pathetic, I can allow her, I
can _wish_ her, to be happy.

Do not imagine that your picture of your
_tete-a-tete_ with Sir B.[194] makes any change in
our expectations here; he could not be really
reading, though he held the newspaper in his hand;
he was making up his mind to the deed, and the
manner of it. I think you will have a letter from
him soon.

* * * * *

We have now pretty well ascertained James's income
to be eleven hundred pounds, curate paid, which
makes us very happy--the ascertainment as well as
the income.

* * * * *

_Wednesday._--I must write to Charles next week.
You may guess in what extravagant terms of praise
Earle Harwood speaks of him. He is looked up to by
everybody in all America.

* * * * *

Yes, yes, we _will_ have a pianoforte, as good a
one as can be got for thirty guineas, and I will
practise country dances, that we may have some
amusement for our nephews and nieces, when we have
the pleasure of their company.

Tuesday [January 10, 1809].

I am not surprised, my dear Cassandra, that you
did not find my last letter very full of matter,
and I wish this may not have the same deficiency;
but we are doing nothing ourselves to write about,
and I am therefore quite dependent upon the
communications of our friends, or my own wits.

* * *