44 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, n 



I have two commissions for you, the first to buy some 

 Dutch beef for grating; the second, a Magic Lantern to 

 make my court to the darlings here. You may bring these 

 two articles with you or send them by Elizabeth. 



Ever yours, my dear Jos, 



E. W. 



Elizabeth went up to be with Emma for the birth of her 

 first child, which took place on Dec. 27th, 1839. Their 

 mother wrote : 



MY DEAR ELIZABETH, MAER HALL December 28, 1839. 



I received your letter of good news yesterday with 

 great joy. It cost me a good cry, but such tears are precious 

 and I was very happy while shedding them. Remember 

 iny love and blessing to both parents of the welcome 

 stranger, who will, I hope, be as great a comfort to them as 

 their predecessors have been to us. We have been guessing 

 at his name and have guessed Robert. So no more from 

 your affectionate mother, as Fanny has been so kind as to 

 promise a little gossip of her own in addition to this. Ever 



yours, my dearest Elizabeth, 



E. WEDGWOOD. 



This is the last of Bessy's letters in the Maer collection. 

 The handwriting is so changed from the beautiful penman- 

 ship of the earlier letters, that no one would know they were 

 by the same hand. 



William Erasmus was an immense joy to both his parents. 

 My father took an unusual delight in his babies, and we 

 have all a vivid memory of him as the most inspiriting of 

 playfellows. Emma, as mother, was all that was tender 

 and comfortable. Her sympathy, and the serenity of her 

 temper, made her children feel absolutely at their ease with 

 her, and sure of comfort in every trouble great or small, 

 whilst her unselfishness made them know that she would 

 never find anything a burden, and that they could go to 

 her with all the many little needs of a child for help or 

 explanation. Our elder cousin, Julia Wedgwood, said that 

 in our house the only place where you might be sure of 



