rom its contemplation has survived many others, and
should I live long, will, I think, outlive all that I am now capable
of....

Ever affectionately yours,
F. A. B.

BUTLER PLACE, February 17th, 1840.
MY DEAR LADY DACRE,

... I believe too implicitly in your interest in me and mine, ever to
have _nothing_ to say to you; but my sayings will be rather egotistical,
for the monotony of my life affords me few interests but those which
centre in my family, the head of which left me ten days ago, with his
brother, for their southern estate. I have since had a letter, which, as
it affords an accurate picture of winter traveling in this country,
would, I flatter myself, make your sympathetic hair stand on end.
Listen. On Sunday morning, before day, they set out, two post-coaches,
with four horses, each carrying eight passengers. They got to
Alexandria, which is close to Washington, whence they started without
difficulty, stopped a short time to gird up their loins and take breath,
and at seven o'clock set off. It rained hard; the road was deep with
mud, and very bad; several times the passengers were obliged to get out
of the coach and walk through the rain and mud, the horses being unable
to drag the load through such depths of mire. They floundered on, wading
through mud and fording streams, until eleven o'clock, when they stopped
to breakfast, having come but _eight miles_ in _four hours_. They
consulted whether to go on or turn back: the majority ruled to go on; so
after breakfast they again took the road, but had proceeded but one mile
when it became utterly impassable--the thaw and rain had so swelled a
stream that barred the way that it was too deep to ford; and when it
was quite apparent that they must either turn back or be drowned, they
reluctantly adopted the former course, and got back to Washington late
in the evening, having passed nearly all day in going _nine miles_. I
think you will agree with me, my dear Lady Dacre, that my children and
myself were well out of that party of pleasure; though the very day
before the party set off it was still uncertain whether we should not
accompany them.

The contrary having been determined, I am now very quietly spending the
winter with my chickens at the Farm.... An imaginative nature makes, it
is true, happiness as well as unhappiness for