184 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, xiv 



of Grange, the Devonshire estate, then in the possession 

 of an uncle 79 years old. Bessy was a little afraid her sister 

 Mrs Drewe might think she had views on him for Fanny 

 or Emma, as he was prospectively a good match. 



Bessy went to London to see Jessie and the girls off. 

 She described the parting to her husband, writing from 

 Ampthill, a house lent to Sir James Mackintosh (Nov. 19, 

 1826): " Our little girls shed a few tears at parting with me 

 yesterday but they went off very stoutly and not at all 

 repenting. I am surprized at my own tranquillity at the 

 thoughts of losing them for so long a time; when I hear 

 that they are safe on the other side of the Channel I shall 

 be quite easy." 



In one of her first letters to them abroad she wrote these 

 few words of advice : " I am sure you will make it your duty 

 and your pleasure to enliven your Aunt Jessie's winter by 

 your cheerfulness as much as she will yours by her gaiety. 

 Shew yourselves pleased with what she does for you, and do 

 not be afraid of making the gratitude that you must feel 

 both for her and Sismondi apparent in your manners to 

 both." 



Mrs Josiah Wedgwood to her husband. 



AMPTHILL PARK, Nov. 24 [1826]. 



. . . We are very comfortable here, and not so cold as 

 we were at first. Charlotte and I smuggle an hour's con- 

 versation with Sir James every evening after dinner, by 

 remaining in the eating room while Kitty [Lady Mackintosh] 

 goes to her darling newspaper, and Fanny [Mackintosh] 

 takes the opportunity of going to the pianoforte. At 

 these times he seems to enjoy conversation, and he is so 

 wise and luminous in all his views, that I feel that I have 

 made a step towards wisdom in listening to him. I am sure 

 he has great feeling; he spoke with such tenderness of his 

 daughter [Mrs Turnbull] the other night, and with such grati- 

 tude of Dr Darling for his attentions to her that he filled 

 my eyes with tears. 



Kitty is writing to Sarah [Wedgwood] upon the Cruelty 

 subject. She has been getting a man convicted of cruelty 

 to his ass, and he is sent to prison, but Kitty has been 

 visiting his wife and supplying her with money and blankets 



