1819] Jessie at Ch$ne 131 



The following letters, written two years after Jessie's 

 marriage, and describing her return home from an absence 

 in England, may best be given here, and thus finish the picture 

 of her early married life. 



Fanny Allen to her sister Mrs Josiah Wedgwood. 



CHENE, 31 May, 1821. 



. . . When we drove up here Sismondi was in a transport, 

 like a child that could not contain itself, at the door, and 

 Jessie looked also delighted to see him again. Their meeting 

 has given me great satisfaction. He has been as busy as 

 a bee to get the house in order for her ; it is made very com- 

 fortable, and so clean that it is a luxury after the inns of 

 France. The library downstairs is a nice room, entirely 

 covered with books, the drawing-room, where we are now 

 sitting, will when it is carpeted be comfortable also, it is 

 fitted up with red and gold-colour calico, which looks warm. 

 Then there are two sofas, and when there is a large table, 

 and it gets the look of habitation it will be a nice room. 

 Our bedroom is large and commodious, a light yellow paper 

 and white beds. Sismondi has papered nearly all the rooms 

 in Jessie's absence; he has bought a little carriage, a horse, 

 and a cow; he is very fond and proud of his purchases. He 

 said he had made 120 by his lectures. He bore the dis- 

 appointment of Jessie's failure 1 uncommonly well, though 

 he sti]l thinks that he is right and the English bookseller 

 wrong, respecting the probable sale of an English translation 

 of his French History. Jessie found her bureau filled with 

 money, both for her allowance and for the business of the 

 house. Sismondi appears to me to hit the right middle of 

 liberality and prudence. He is an excellent man, and Jessie 

 looks very happy and beaming with him. She has not been 

 fatigued, and to-day she is in your purple gown, looking 

 better than I have ever seen her do at all. You will be 

 interested in all these particulars about her, and I am sure 



1 Jessie Sismondi had attempted to arrange for the publication 

 of a translation of his history made by her. 



