d
neighbourhood at 23 Hans Place. Next to him (but separated from him by
the entrance to the Pavilion, now the road leading to Pont Street), at
No. 22, was the St. Quentins' celebrated school, at which Miss Mitford
had been a pupil, as well as Miss Landon and Lady Caroline Lamb.[295]
Three doors off, at No. 26, lived Henry's partner, Mr. Tilson, with whom
it was possible to converse across the intermediate gardens.

23 Hans Place: Tuesday morning [August, 1814].

MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I had a very good journey, not
crowded, two of the three taken up at Bentley
being children, the others of a reasonable size;
and they were all very quiet and civil. We were
late in London, from being a great load, and from
changing coaches at Farnham; it was nearly four, I
believe, when we reached Sloane Street. Henry
himself met me, and as soon as my trunk and basket
could be routed out from all the other trunks and
baskets in the world, we were on our way to Hans
Place in the luxury of a nice, large, cool, dirty
hackney coach.

There were four in the kitchen part of Yalden, and
I was told fifteen at top, among them Percy Benn.
We met in the same room at Egham, but poor Percy
was not in his usual spirits. He would be more
chatty, I dare say, in his way _from_ Woolwich. We
took up a young Gibson at Holybourn, and, in
short, everybody either _did_ come up by Yalden
yesterday, or wanted to come up. It put me in mind
of my own coach between Edinburgh and
Stirling.[296]

* * * * *

It is a delightful place--more than answers my
expectation. Having got rid of my unreasonable
ideas, I find more space and comfort in the rooms
than I had supposed, and the garden is quite a
love. I am in the front attic, which is the
bedchamber to be preferred.

* * * * *

_Wednesday._--I got the willow yesterday, as Henry
was not quite ready when I reached Hen^{a.} St. I
saw Mr. Hampson there for a moment. He dines here
to-morrow and proposed bringing his son; so I must
submit to seeing George Hampson, though I had
hoped to go through life wi