' [To Mrs. Gray, Jan. 1851 Gont. ] 
But you will bs pained to' learn- that, (tho. Sir Wa). continues on- the 
whole to mend) Lady Hooker has had a quite severe ill turn, rush of 
blood to- the head, -i-vi oient headache— (unfortunate ly the,' attack came on 
a day when- three separate parties were here^the Benthams ah-d two others] 
—'It. was relieved by leeches, and all danger over, it was thought, that 
same evening, but she still keeps her bed, and can- bear as yet only very- 
moderate light. I was not fully aware at the time how sick she was. 
The day after L wrote [jo«] last a' letter came for you from your Aunt 
Anna— —ho particular, special news— hll going on- well baby included.' 
Italy agrees with all but Aunt A. ' who does not flind it agree with her. 
Shall i. forward the letter? 
The Benthams came down on- Thursday— Mrs. B. was looking very poorly, 
but B. -said she had had a- particularly bad ni ght— ho' s leap at all.' She 
expressed much sorrow at not meeting you at Folkestone: —it- vvas vaxati-' 
ous— 'and sends many kind regards— I: gave her your parcel, as she left, 
and she seemed much pleased. Friday and Saturday passed here like all 
other days— I; pleasantly busy at work— hnd we all cosily meeting at brea 
fast, dinner, and tea:' But Sunday (yssterday)— tho. distressed that I- 
had no' news to' take to- Clapham and Hampstead, 1: sat off by train- to Vaux- 
hall, reached Ward’s in- good time to go to church with them,— hll glad to 
see me— fen-joyed the sarvice and the sermon— had a much better seat than- 
with the flunkeys I— stayed to- dine with them at ? P. M. —Mrs. Ward down 
to dinner, and looking better,— yoar health drunk— I: returned thanks—' 
Nathaniel with us, I: more and more pleased with his intelligence and 
good sense— —At 5. o-’Plock, I; took omnibus for City— fehother for Oxford 
St. —a' third for Hampstead— found Lady Bantham's cottage after a while 
— Saw Mr. and Mrs. B. —the latter looking very much better than Thursday, 
she desired her love and very much thanks to you,— thinks her letters 
not worth lOd. — and so will not write till you are back here.' To-'day 
O 
they are off (fine day) for home, and are long before this at Pontrilas. 
Benth'l^askad after py ribs— Where they were broken-— and "do they stick 
out, like Hans'j?”.- Left soon- after 8 ofecloek— 'omnibus to Oxford St.—' 
Walked to- Station- at Waterloo— 9t train- to Mortlake — hh'd so back here 
/at lOL — This evening the Hens low§*,have come. Prof. H. a stout built, hear- 
/ ty, lively map. Miss Hanslo'w .plain-— Very— (much fatigued) but interest-' 
Vjng, very unaffected and sensible.' I. shall have opportunity to know her 
'lie_rf . and so I. hope will yo^.) . But, the -’-gceafeyavent of the day is the 
call from Mrs. Bates. ' Chow do you think she heard of you? Why, yesterday 
Sir Edward (is not that his name) Fit zroy, or Lord Fi tzroy- Says, "Do- you 
O 
