1823-1824] A Visit to Foston-le-Clay 151 



play to such empty houses that I don't know how they 

 exist ; and yet they gave us wax candles last night and were 

 rewarded by an unusually good house, but it seemed an 

 extraordinary piece of good fortune. Last week Fanny 

 Allen, our two eldest and I, paid a visit at Sydney 

 Smith's about 30 miles from here, and were rewarded by 

 four of the merriest days I ever spent. They have built a 

 very pretty Parsonage, and furnished it very comfortably 

 without being expensive. I never saw such a manager as 

 Mrs. Smith. Everything is so well done without bustle 

 that I can't think how she contrives it. They have a large 

 farm, which he says he manages better than any farmer in 

 Yorkshire; the effect of it is however an air of plenty in 

 every department that is very agreeable. They see a great 

 deal of company, and in the most agreeable way of friends 

 coming from a distance to spend some days, and not stiff 

 dinner visits. I like the daughters too very much; Saba is 

 not handsome, but has a very elegant figure. Emily is in 

 my opinion very much so, she has a most beautiful figure, 

 very tall, very brown, bright black eyes, and fine teeth. 

 She is coming out for the first time at the approaching 

 Music-meeting at York, and great are the preparations 

 therefor. We saw two of the dresses which were to make 

 a figure there, one for each was sent down by Miss Fox and 

 Miss Vernon ; a white tulle, worked one in blue and the other 

 in pink, and the second dress was from Mrs Smith's old 

 Indian stores, a silver gauze. Mrs Smith has taught them 

 everything, and they sing and dance extremely well. They 

 are all certainly in a much happier and more desirable 

 situation than as they were in London. . . . 



Madame Sismondi to her sister Mrs Josiah Wedgwood. 



GENEVA, January 28, 1824. 



It is a long time, dearest Bessy, since you have had the 

 pleasure of paying for a letter from me, though you have 

 had news of us recently enough ; it is to be sure of little con- 

 sequence to whom the letter is addressed in a circle where 



