1826-1827] Edward Drewe's Love-Affair 195 



The Drewe family now consisted of Mrs Drewe, Edward, 

 and his two sisters, Harriet, Lady Gifford, and Georgina, 

 Mrs (afterwards Lady) Alderson. Marianne, Mrs Algernon 

 Langton, had died in 1822, leaving one son. Lady Gifford 

 was now a widow with seven children, Lord Gifford having 

 suddenly died in the midst of his brilliant career. Edward 

 Drewe's love affair caused a great commotion in the 

 family, and it was apropos of this that Harry Wedgwood 

 composed the quatrain often quoted in the Wedgwood 

 circle : 



Write, write, write a letter ! 

 Good advice will make us better, 

 Sisters, Brothers, Father, Mother, 

 Let us all advise each other ! 



Emma Wedgwood to her mother. 



GENEVA, Ap. 24 [1827]. 



... I was rather surprised to find you did not expect to 

 see us home before July. I shall be very sorry to leave 

 aunt Jessie whenever it happens, but then I shall be so 

 glad to come home and see you all that I don't mean to 

 trouble my head about anything, but let things take 

 their course according to aunt Jessie's maxim. Sometimes 

 I take a violent longing to go home, but it goes off in 

 5 minutes. . . . 



My mother often spoke of this stay at Geneva as one of 

 great enjoyment, chiefly I think owing to the society of her 

 beloved aunt Jessie, but also to the balls and sociability 

 of Geneva. I remember her saying that after dancing with 

 your partner it was de rigueur not to say one word to him but 

 to be brought straight back to your chaperon. 



Charlotte Wedgwood (staying with her cousin 

 Mrs Alderson) to her sister Emma. 



GREAT EUSSELL STREET, May 6th [1827]. 

 ... I came here on Tuesday night by the mail, under 

 Harry's escort. We were under the hard necessity of getting 

 up at three o'clock and then driving to Stone, expecting all 

 the way to be too late for the mail. Our fat phaeton mare 

 was never so hurried in her life, for unlike dear Duchess, 



