LETTER163

letter163

charleslambtothomasandcatherineclarkson

[p.m.june(1807).]

dearmr.&mrs.clarkson,youwillwishtoknowhowweperformedourjourney.mysisterwastolerablyquietuntilwegottochelmsford,whereshebegantobeverybadindeed,asyourfriendswilliamknightandhisfamilycantellyouwhenyouseethem.whatishouldhavedonewithouttheirkindnessidon'tknow,butamongotheractsofgreatattention,theyprovidedmewithawaistcoattoconfineherarms,bythehelpofwhichwewentthroughtherestofourjourney.butsadlytiredandmiserablydepressedshewasbeforewearrivedathoxton.wegotthereabouthalfpasteight;andnow'tisallover,ihavegreatsatisfactionthatsheisamongpeoplewhohavebeenusedtoher.inallprobabilityafewmonthsorevenweekswillrestoreher(herlastillnessconfinedhertenweeks)butifshedoesrecoverishallbeverycarefulhowitakehersofarfromhomeagain.iamsofatigued,forshetalkedinthemostwretcheddespondingwayconceivable,particularlythelastthreestages,shetalkedalltheway,—sothatyouwon'texpectmetosaymuch,oreventoexpressmyselfasishoulddointhanksforyourkindnesses.mysisterwillacknowledgethemwhenshecan.—

ishallnothaveheardhowsheistodayuntiltoolateforthepost,butifanygreatchangetakesplaceforbetterorworse,ishallcertainlyletyouknow.

shetellsmesomethingabouthavinggivenawayoneofmycoatstoyourservant.itisanewone,andperhapsmaybeofsmallusetohim.ifyoucangetitmeagain,ishallverywillinglygivehimacompensation.ishallalsobemuchobligedbyyoursendinginaparcelallthemanuscripts,books&c.sheleftbehind.iwantinparticularthedramaticextracts,asmypurposeistomakeuseoftheremainderofmyholydaysincompletingthematthebritishmuseum,whichwillbeemployment&moneyintheend.

iamexceedinglyharrassedwiththejourney,butthatwillgooffinadayortwo,andiwillsettowork.iknowyouwillgrieveforus,butihopemysister'sillnessisnotworsethanmanyshehasgotthroughbefore.onlyiamafraidthefatigueofthejourneymayaffecthergeneralhealth.youshallhavenoticehowshegoeson.inthemeantime,acceptourkindestthanks.

[signaturecutoff.]