1827-1830] Fanny Allen 213 



I should not call it effort, for her conversation is rich, 

 flowing, spirited, without the least effort; only I mean if 

 he is tired of reading she is always ready to refresh him, 

 and often puts down her book when she would rather read, 

 or walks with him when she would rather sit still. This 

 constant exercise of her understanding keeps it in great 

 force, and I have no doubt she will preserve its power later 

 than any other person, as well as accomplish herself in 

 being the first companion in the world, and by that be the 

 best consoler in sorrow, and the best comforter in sickness. 

 I bore the parting from them better than I could have 

 hoped. I saw the carriage drive out, with the empty place 

 I once hoped to fill, without flinching. But in this I had 

 no merit, I felt I was not strong enough to travel, and I 

 never long for what I cannot do. 



The spring has been beautiful; we have greatly enlarged 

 our garden, we have built a new kitchen, we have made a 

 poultry court. M. Pasteur has given me six fine hens that 

 give us fresh eggs every day. I have fifteen merry little 

 chickens, and I spend a great deal of time among them, so 

 that I have changed my mode of living. I have a much 

 more material existence, and perhaps shall find better health 

 in it. My long sickness has retarded my flower-garden, but 

 I mean henceforward to direct the kitchen-garden also, and 

 now that I have a decent kitchen I shall often be head cook. 

 The misfortune is that Sis is no gourmand ; he will not thank 

 me for my dainties, or know them as such, and I shall have 

 little encouragement. 



Mrs Josiah Wedgwood to her sister Madame Sismondi. 



MAER, June 1st, 1828. 



... I do love your Sis with all my heart for his kind- 

 ness in pressing you to invite Edward to your house. Poor 

 lad, I felt very sorry for him during the squally visit I had 

 at Roehampton. 1 . . . Caroline [Drewe] bothered herself 



1 Lady Gifford, Edward Drewe's sister, lived at Koeharnpton, 

 and Mrs Drewe was often there. 



