My dear Sister/
      I had intended writing to you had
not the pleasing expectation of seeing you very soon quieted
my conscience & allowed me to think without remorse
of the days that passed by without one single line being
sent to you by me -- My Father this morning received
a letter from My Brother to tell us you meant to spend another
week at Lady Wakes & I will not allow this evening to escape
me without expressing my best thanks to the Miss Wakes
for their very charming and interesting notes in
your letter. -- Thursday morning My Father was extremely flattered, and
few people have come to Birch that have not been honoured
with a sight of those agreeable testimonies in favour
of his darling granddaughter. I beg you will also
give my Respects to Lady Wake & assure her I feel
myself honoured by her obliging remembrance of me.
I am to write this letter very expeditiously for my
Father has been giving so many prudent reasons
why it must be written to day, Thursday morning, that
even a melancholy rainy morning with all its attendant
horrors could have no effect to prevail upon him to
respite me but for one single day. I don't know whether
you would give me credit if I was to say it was partly
for your sake I wished to postpone writing, as the weather
has an unaccountable effect upon my variable
mind & you could expect neither energy nor entertainment
were you to see the clouds & hear the wind that
my miserable senses are assailed with. Truly
it is a day that the people of england hang & drown themselves
in, & only that the canal is empty & that I have
an insurmountable objection to being suspended, &
do not know what the consequence would be --
I have been very gay while the sun shone I assure you
& have seized every passing minute that could bestow
the least delight; on Monday I called on Mrs: Robinson,
Mrs: Lucas, Mrs: Yates, Mrs: Potter, Mrs: Worsley, & Mrs:
Fisher I think I perform the evil of morning visiting with
a dispatch worthy of myself; on Tuesday I dined with
my Father at Mr. Places, Miss Place returned with us:
Yesterday We were all to have gone to the Highgrove

---

to dine but unfortunately the morning was not favourable
to the young Bachelors wishes so there perhaps
was a conquest lost -- To day Thursday we dine by an invitation
of a very long standing at Townsend how we shall get
there remains for time to unfold, but if I have a dry
thread left on me it is fully as much as I have
a right to expect, to morrow I propose to drink tea
with Mrs: Fisher and on Saturday am to meet a party
at Mr: Robinsons -- If nothing unforeseen prevents
all this taking place, you will find I entering into
what I should once have called a dissipated life. --
Mr Worsley is very indifferent & it is well if there
is not an alteration of that house very soon. Mrs:
Worsley seemed in tolerable spirits when I last saw her; she
will be heartbroken if you do not come soon. He has
medical men attending him every day. It is enough to
wear her to a shadow to see those harbingers of death
hovering about the house without intermission. I shant
be afraid of her nerves being unequal to the fatigue
& anxiety she must of course undergo. -- I have heard
from Elizabeth & there is a letter from her to you
they are arrived at Naples & she mentions with pleasure
Sir William Hamiltons great attentions to them
she has been alarmed about the babies being in danger
of the small Pox, which in that hot Climate is very
alarming at this season of the year. -- John Mellors
son at M --- hy fold has got the Measles; we went today
& find he is doing very well; this disease prevails
in the country; & indeed in so populous a Neighbourhood,
to escape infectious diseases among children. My
Father desires Louisa may have some medicine before
she comes down to purify her blood before change
of Air -- I rejoice to hear that young Lady still
continues to deserve so well the approbation of
her friends; we are all so interested about her, that
to hear her praised is a cordial to ones spirits
& makes us long to see her. Pray tell her Mrs: Patty
has produced two kittens & had so artfully
concealed them that it was very difficult to
trace her to her little family. She is very plaintive
& very hungry. Parker enjoys good health & spirits
since corn became so scarce, I have made an order
that the dogs shall not live so luxuriously as usual

---

he has found the benefits of this regulation, and
is as lively & youthful as possible -- We have a Thrush
in Birch Garden that will vie with all the Nightingales
you have had your ears feasted with in the South
The Barberries lament my Nieces absence, as they
find it impossible to delay coming to perfection
before her arrival to taste their sweetness The
gooseberries & currants though vulgar fruits, bear
a very promising appearance; as for any other
kinds the inexorable winds in the spring have prevented
us having it in our power to boast of either
quantity or delicacy of taste. Miss Place is besieging
me with her loquacity; she sings, she talks, & laughs
so intolerably that it is impossible to arrange one's
thought; I have recommended to her to leave me
but she has no mercy. I must therefore conclude
in haste and assure you of my intense affection
                                                         Sarah Dickenson
Remember me kindly
to Miss Morrison & tell her we
shall rejoice to see her. Charles has contrived
to tumble of a hay-mow & has hurt his head.  ------------ 
him yesterday to Mr: Thilles but he went to another
person. he says he is better today --
I would advise you to spend a week in some high
mountain in Derbyshire before you come
to us to reconcile your eye to Birch after having
dwelt so long on the luxurious beauties of Hampton
& Pheasant Grove. We have few charms to boast
of, & I have to lament daily the ravages the severity
of last winter made among my plants. My Raspberry
trees look very sickly indeed & poor Louisa's Garden
notwithstanding all grandpapas good wishes
is rather in a forlorn state. I grudge every rose
that appears & had I the power would persuade
them to stay till you come that we might look
as agreeable as possible but as persuasion is
not my forte, you must accept my good intentions
instead of actual service -- Milly is here still
I must be very peremptory indeed to convince
her I wish her to leave us -- Poor Mrs: Lucas has
again been unfortunate. My Father who is Master of that
subject recommends strongly to her to bathe in Rosewater

---

in short he agrees with her medical advisers
I have seen scarcely anything of Mrs: J Potter I hear
she has been ill & I saw the Phillips's one day and
received a very kind invitation -- flour is £9:10:0
a load but trade goes delightfully well. The poor are
all employed & busy, which is the only thing to keep them
out of mischief. Mr: Robinson is gone to London at a
moments notice. I fancy to meet the fleet. I have
left off eating bread at dinner & supper, & we have
no pastry or puddings in which flour enters the composition
. if every family would relinquish their superfluities
plenty would soon return to us -- The
fear of famine never presented itself to my
Imagination, & I assure you it has been very

▼
▼
▼

active ever since. what would become of us if the
people have more to view? but as the harvest is
in so forward a state, I trust there is no real
ground for that fear. I believe provisions are
more plentiful with us than in any part of
the Kingdom so do not fear being quite famished
amongst us. The garden is very productive & Miss
Morrison shall have Barley Soup in the worst of times
I really hope to see you very soon I must go and
dress for this adventurous expedition of ours it
still rains & is gloomy as ever. Adieu my dear
sister -- Love to my Brother -- Kiss Louisa for me --

It is so cold that I have been obliged
to go down to the fire to warm myself
whilst I was writing --



Mrs: Dickenson
Lady Wake's
Pheasant Grove
Chislehurst
Kent