1818] Emma's First Letter 117 



Emma Wedgwood to her brother Fran/c. 



MY DEAR FRANK, 



We have got such numbers of masters. Two belong 

 to Charlotte and two to us. I like the Coloes very except 

 the youngest Louis who bothers one very much. At the 

 dancing school there is a little dance every Friday and we 

 go and dance very often they are going this moment to put 

 in the post-office yours Emma Wedgwood. 



This little letter is, I believe, the only scrap that has been 

 preserved of Emma's writing when a child. The look of it 

 is not at all prophetic of her writing in after-life. The words 

 run in a very tipsy fashion across the page and seem as if 

 formed with much labour. 



Mrs Josiah Wedgwood to her sister Fanny Allen. 



PARIS, RUE CAUMARTIN, No. 19, 15 May, 1818. 



. . . Nothing can be more comfortably settled than 

 we are here. We have a remarkably pretty little house to 

 ourselves, in the genteelest part of the town. The girls 

 take a dancing-lesson every morning, Italian, French, sing- 

 ing and music three times a week ; so it is not our fault if 

 we are not very accomplished, but I am afraid we may 

 forget to read. Nothing can exceed the kindness or the 

 agreeableness of your two friends, but alas ! Mr Clifford 

 goes to England on Monday, and you must direct to him 

 at Mrs Bosanquet's. The Cald wells are here and are as 

 busy as possible, but I am afraid they lose some enjoyment 

 in their eagerness not to miss any. Mr Clifford took them a 

 little in dudgeon at first, as he feared they would interfere 

 with the snugness of this place, but he went with us yester- 

 day to Hotel Tamise, rue de la Paix, where they are to 

 drink tea, and liked them very much. 



I should have a thousand affectionate messages to you 

 if I could spare paper, but that I cannot. I am obliged to 

 make free with the top of Mr Clifford's letter, as it is, and 

 I don't know whether he has finished. I am going to pay 



