54 ^ Century of Family Letters [CHAP, in 



My hopes were soon cut off by the appearance of Mrs H. 

 with whom I shook hands with vast surprise and interest, 

 and opened my eyes with astonishment at Mr H., as if he 

 had dropped from the skies. Our fourth in the coach was 

 Mr Parr of Lyth, an old, miserly squire. Mr H. opened his 

 battery of conversation. I stood fire well at first and then 

 pretended to become very sleepy, the proser became really 

 so, so we had the most tranquil journey. Old Parr, the 

 miser, was sadly misused at the Lion, for he had ordered a 

 fly to take him home, and there was only one; and Mark 

 persuaded the man to take me up first, and gave a hint to 

 the porters to take a wonderful time in getting old Parr's 

 things ofl the coach, so that the poor old gentleman must 

 have thought the porters and flymen all gone rnad together, 

 so slowly no doubt they did everything, whilst I was driving 

 up with the most surprising alacrity. My father is appear- 

 ing very well. I have begun to extract wisdom from him 

 which I will not now write. . . . 



I enjoy my visit and have been surprisingly well. I 

 suspect the journey and change will do me good. I have 

 begun like a true old Arthur Gride, making a small collec- 

 tion, and have picked up several nice little things, and have 

 got some receipts for puddings, etc., and laid down some 

 strong effectual hints about jams, and now you may send 

 the empty jars whenever you please. 



Susan is very flourishing. Be sure you give Mr Hoddy 

 Doddy [the baby] a kiss for me. . . . 



The following letter shows that my father was not well 

 enough for my mother to have the happiness of receiving 

 the Sismondis in Gower St., but the house was lent to them. 



Madame, Sismondi to her niece Emma Darwin. 



TENBY, June 26 [1840]. 



. . . Your roof, my Emma, brought us good luck while 

 there, everything went to our hearts' content ; be it observed 

 that Parslow 1 is the most amiable, obliging, active, service- 



1 Madame Sismondi' s hopes that Parslow would never leave us 

 were fulfilled. He stayed till he was past work, and then lived on 

 as an old friend and pensioner at Down, where he died in 1898. 



