Why do I not hear from you my dear Friend? have
you not received my letter, which I wrote the day after
yours reached, as I did at Horton about the beginning
of October immediately on the receipt of yours. I imagine
you at Courteen hall, as you mentioned being to go there
immediately -- How is Lady Wake in Health and spirits?
How are you yourself my dear Friend? this severe Weather
does not agree with you I fear -- yet we have had within this
10 Days some very mild & charming, I was at the
Park, and walked out for hours without a Hat -- 'you don't
know how I have expected a letter by every days Post
from you,' or you would before now have let me hear
from you -- you say that you are well convinced that every
thing that concerns you, interests me, so it does indeed
most truly, how can you then keep me in ignorance
of your health your affairs & your proceedings -- Indeed
my dear I love you with as much warmth & sincerity
as I ever did, & never, never will these sentiments change
in my Breast, though change of situation & a variety of
circumstances may have put us less in the way of
each other -- I think all my Friends forget me -- They
write from France so seldom & then so uncomfortably
that I had almost as lief not hear at all -- though they

---

are perfectly well, & my Sister likes the place &
Society extremely -- I am in a low, uncomfortable state
of mind, not miserable, but not happy -- ant' that the
worst disposition one can be in? I feel heavy, stupid, indifferent
I should like never to leave my room or open my lips --
& should certainly give way to this vis inertiae (this word
is only for you -- ) if my Friends did not come to take
me out by main force -- I go out certainly every day --
Foley House is my home & when I am not asked out to
Dinner, I dine there -- sometimes the society amuses
me and my spirits are raised, but these are only false
ones, intoxication, & when I wake, I find myself more
dejected than before -- you will say, occupy yourself,
pursue some study, voila le mal that I have tried their
remedy & it fails -- though I do not pursue a study, my
mind & pen are constantly occupied -- I have all my
Fathers Business to transact, & never write less than
4 or 5 letters in a Day -- then by way of recreation I am
learning to play on the Harpsichord -- yet all this does
not do -- There are few People in Town -- Lady Louisa Stuart
I see sometimes -- she is now as happy as are all the
family; on Lord Macartneys return, with the honour
& glory of having spent 4 years in India, & returning home
with only one servant, & very little addition to his income
& that only from having saved part of his appointments --
Lady Lucy & Mr Digby are in Town, he has been confined
almost ever since he came by a fit of the Gout, so that

---

I have had very little comfort from him -- he looks like
Death, and is more out of spirits & melancholy than
you can imagine -- the Argylls are at Ealing where
I passed some Days about Christmas -- it is the Duke of Marlborough's
House which the Duke has bought & it seems to be
a pretty place -- Princess Elizabeth is recovering very
fast -- she had been out once when Lady Harcourt
wrote to me yesterday, & Prince Augustus is much better --
Mrs Harcourt is gone abroad for the Winter -- she
left this a month ago, and was detained above
3 Weeks at Dover -- adieu my dear Friend I leave
you to dress for Mrs Walsingham with whom I dine  ------ 
is but just come to Town -- I have seen nothing of
her the whole summer & fear I am quite out of
favour -- I think of, & miss you at dinner -- think of me
& write to me very soon, a comfortable letter --
remember me kindly to Mr Dickenson & Lady Wake
                                                         adieu your affectionate Charlotte Margaret Gunning

---

Mrs Dickenson
at
      Courteen hall
      Northamton