214 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, xv 



by asking advice 1 after she had acted. I do believe as a 

 general maxim it is far better not to ask advice on most 

 occasions. I am afraid we made her a little angry (certainly 

 we disappointed her) by not being able to see M. Prevost's 

 offer, of taking the young ones in, and making them an 

 allowance, in a very odious point of view; as it seems to us 

 (that is to Jos, Elizabeth, and me) a very natural offer, 

 where money was the obstacle, to remove it if possible ; and 

 whatever you may please to think, my Jess, as to her being 

 in love, I dare say her father thinks her eperdument. When 

 I put myself in their place, I cannot feel that I should think 

 much of pleasing the Drewes. 



Jos went to London to-day about selling his house in 

 York Street. 2 He has long been thinking of doing so, as it 

 has not answered for some years, but the procrastination 

 natural to an uncertain step has hitherto stopt him. I don't 

 know whether it is a prudent thing or not, for I really am 

 in entire ignorance of Jos's finances, nor do I believe he 

 knows his own income, but he says the produce of the 

 works was deficient in a very large sum last year. Still he 

 is so perfectly at his ease that I am not afraid. I don't 

 believe we are in any danger, and I believe if we were to 

 be much poorer than we are, it would take very little from 

 the happiness of any of us. My poor Hal is the one I feel 

 most anxious about. I begin to despair of his making 

 anything like a competence at the bar, and I believe he has 

 set his heart upon his cousin [Jessie Wedgwood], as many 

 others have done before him in vain. Hensleigh is I think 

 very heart whole, but he is much more likely to succeed in 

 his profession. He has two or three years more in store 

 and he is more industrious; I believe also he has more 

 talent. It is a great thing for us that with four grown-up 

 sons they are none of them extravagant. What should we 

 do if they were ? Frank is an excellent fellow, he is right- 



1 As to her son Edward's immediate marriage without waiting 

 till he came into his estate. 



2 The London show-rooms. It was on the east side of the soathern 

 end of the street and afterwards became a chapel. Mr Stopford 

 Brooke preached there for many years. It was sold for 16,000. 



