34 A Centitry of Family Letters [CHAP, u 



Mrs Hensleigh Wedgwood to Mrs Marsh at Boulogne. 



4, CLIFTON TERRACE, NOTTING HILL, 

 February 13th [1839]. 



. . . Your New Year's wishes and hopes do indeed seem 

 now like prophetic anticipations, my dear Anne. ... I 

 must tell you how surprised we have been at this proof of 

 Ld. John's good sense and discrimination, and we hear 

 from Lady Holland that he mentioned his intentions of 

 offering it as soon as the vacancy was known to him, and 

 since has written a very pretty letter to Hensleigh to that 

 effect. It is only to be 500 a year, so we shall not be 

 extremely rich, and my year's practice in economy will be 

 very useful. . . . 



You will hear from Mr Marsh that Emma is established 

 in her new home; and most comfortable and snug they 

 looked the only day we have as yet broke in on them. 

 Yesterday they dined here for the first time. Emma is 

 looking very pretty and unanxious, and I suppose there are 

 not many two people happier than she and Charles. I want 

 to know and hear what effect she makes in the London world, 

 if the word can be applied to such simplicity and trans- 

 parency, and [to one] who has so little notion of making 

 an effect. They made their first appearance in the world 

 at Dr Holland's, where they had a very pleasant day, 

 Hibberts, Coltmans, &c. We have been unusually dis- 

 sipated also of late in the evening party line, and Mr Rogers 

 has been taking us up, I can't think why, inviting us to 

 breakfast and a party, and coming out here to present me 

 with a lovely copy of his poems. We met a little collection 

 of blue ladies, H. Martineau, Mrs Austin, 1 Mrs Marcet, &c., 

 which is I believe quite a new line for him. Mrs Austin 

 is much found fault with for being too aristocratic; since 

 she has gone to Mayfair they say she only frequents parties 

 of the highest distinction. . . . 



1 Wife of John Austin, philosophical jurist. She was one of the 

 Taylors of Norwich, translator and author of various works, a beauty, 

 and mother of the beautiful Lady Duff Gordon. 



