| Description | Sorry not to have missed getting letter sent yesterday, but saying he does not deserve one; glad that he has found the family in Linclonshire is much better than he expected and hopes that he can keep them from being unhappy on his account; his absence has meant that she has had to depend on herself and she is now capable of more exertion and employment than for some time; she is still very nervous but has managed ‘’by a strong mental effort, to keep off that violent pulsation which I complained of.’’ She reports that all is going well with his brother in Toulouse, but his wife is hardly allowed to move from the sofa so he hears only through Lady Brown. Mr Bond tells her that Chambers’s affairs do not wear quite such a promising appearance. She has sent the gun to Mr Murchison. A letter has been received for a Captain Frankland, sent via the admiralty and John’s agent. Eleanor does not think it is meant for John and does not know what to do with it, unless she sends it back to Brine’s.
Date partially mssing due to damage, but it reads Tuesday Dec 14, with the year 1824 added in pencil underneath; damaged in past but repaired, only a small amount of text missing |
| Transcript or Index | Tuesday, Decr 14
[in pencil] 1824
No letter today, you naughty boy! you don’t deserve this from me. I was sorely vexed, yesterday when I had at least contrived to complete my epistle, to find from John that it was too late to get the packet franked but now I do not care, for you deserve no better. I am glad however that you have found all in Lincolnshire so much better than you expected, and hope you will be able to keep them from getting into the dismals on your account, for in such matters much depends on the tone which is given at first starting. I know I am preaching on a case which will soon be my own, and that I shall perchance have a hard battle with myself, but my judgement I feel to be sound, and I shall endeavour to make my feelings follow it. I suspect your present absence has been of service to me, by exciting me to depend on myself, and shewing me [... ...] [ca]n do it. Something of reviving vigour has [...] [m]y attempts and I am certainly now capable of [mu]ch more exertion and employment than for some time past. I am still very nervous, but not nearly so much so, and have two or three times been able, by a strong mental effort, to keep <off> that violent pulsation which I complained of, when it was coming on. Your brother tells me that all is going on well at Toulouse, but his wife is hardly allowed to move from the sofa, so that he hears only through Lady Brown. Mr Bond tells me that Chambers’s affairs do not wear quite such a promising appearance as at the first meeting, and that five years are taken for their adjustment. You sent me a wrong address to Mr Murchison, which occasioned John a fruitless search but I at length found his Card, & have sent the Gun. A letter for Captain Frankland, after travelling half over the kingdom has at <last> been sent by the Admiralty to your agents, who have sent it to you. As your name [is] often misspelt I opened it, but it can’t be for y[ou] & I do not know what to do with it unless I send it back to Brine’s.
yours affectionately
E.A. Franklin.
[Addressed to]
Captain Franklin, R.N.
Spilsby
Lincolnshire |