14 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, i 



tender regret for the absence and misfortunes of a person 

 one loves, and corresponding with that person is the com- 

 plete fruition of it. I feel like ^neas clasping the shade of 

 Creusa; I call up your image but it is not substantial. 

 Farewell, dear Tom. 



The following letters were written after Tom's return 

 from the West Indies, the expedition having proved a com- 

 plete failure as regarded his health. The Wedgwoods were 

 not yet settled in Gunville, and Bessy was visiting her 

 father and sisters at Cresselly. 



Josiah Wedgwood to his wife at Cresselly. 



CHRISTCHTTRCH, July 31, 1800. 



I am just returned from a very pleasant evening walk with 

 B. and Jos. 1 I find they recollect many things about 

 Etruria that surprised me, particularly in Jos. Our last 

 half-hour was by moonlight on the sea-shore, the waves 

 pouring gently at our feet. The delightful scenery and the 

 innocent prattle of the children have disposed me to write 

 to you, rather than to complete the task I had set myself for 

 this evening of casting up a part of my building accounts. 

 I think it was well imagined of two lovers or friends, separ- 

 ated from each other, to fix the days and hours of writing to 

 each other, that they might be sure that each was occupied 

 about the other at one moment. I hope this invention was 

 of two lovers ; if it had been told me of two women, or two 

 men, I should call it romantic affectation. I never in my 

 most philosophical days agreed with the opinion of the 

 proscribers of marriage and upholders of universal concu- 

 binage the expression is as detestable as the idea and 

 I cannot conceive that any but a corrupt libertine can be 

 sincere in approving it. W T ho that had felt in himself the 

 tranquil, but penetrating charm of an intimate and long- 

 continued union with a woman sensible to his pains and his 



1 Elizabeth and Josiah, the two eldest children, aged seven and 

 five. 



