COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 33 



" NANCY, Tuesday, loth May, 1836. 



" MY DEAR MOTHER, 



" I received your letter this morning and 

 one from Mary yesterday, and as I shall tell you all 

 my news in this, if you will pass it on to her it will 

 do as an answer to both. 



" You did not perhaps know before writing, but I 

 suppose you will before receiving this, that I am 

 going to stay here two months longer. I am both 

 glad and sorry. In another month I shall talk 

 French like a house-a-fire. Next Saturday we go 

 to Metz with Mr. Chamberlayne in our carriage (if 

 we can't sell it) ; if we do sell it, in the 'dilly,' I sup- 

 pose. Capt. L. will not come back here, but Mr. 

 Chamberlayne and I will. I am going into a pen- 

 sion, but have not yet settled where. About a week 

 ago there was a grand wedding here. The bride's 

 gown cost ^400, and was made of point lace. Two 

 days after there was a ball to which we went, but 

 there was such a crowd it was impossible to move, 

 much less dance. I suppose by this time you have 

 seen the Qth, as Mary informs me that they marched 

 into Edinr. on the ist. You may send me a descrip- 

 tion of them. The new Cornet Spicer was at Eton 

 with me, I think, and is a very nice fellow if the 

 same. By-the-bye, I received Max F.'s letter two 

 or three days ago. I wonder why on earth he sent 

 it to Britain I will row him for it. I am just going 

 to write to Willie. Do you really think of making 



him an engineer or artilleryman ? I think it would 

 VOL. i. 3 



