day. I
went principally to carry news of you and Henry,
and made a regular handsome visit, staying there
while Edward went on to Wyards with an invitation
to dinner: it was declined, and will be so again
to-day probably, for I really believe Anna is not
equal to the fatigue. The Alton four drank tea
with us last night, and we were very
pleasant:--Jeu de Violon, &c.--all new to Mr.
Sweney--and he entered into it very well. It was a
renewal of former agreeable evenings.

We all (except my mother) dine at Alton to-morrow,
and perhaps may have some of the same sports
again, but I do not think Mr. and Mrs. D. will add
much to our wit. Edward is writing a novel--we
have all heard what he has written--it is
extremely clever, written with great ease and
spirit; if he can carry it on in the same way it
will be a first-rate work, and in a style, I
think, to be popular. Pray tell Mary how much I
admire it--and tell Caroline that I think it is
hardly fair upon her and myself to have him take
up the novel line.

Sunday [September 8].

MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--I have borne the arrival of
your letter to-day extremely well; anybody might
have thought it was giving me pleasure. I am very
glad you find so much to be satisfied with at
Cheltenham. While the waters agree, everything
else is trifling.

* * * * *

Our day at Alton was very pleasant, venison quite
right, children well-behaved, and Mr. and Mrs.
Digweed taking kindly to our charades and other
games. I must also observe, for his mother's
satisfaction, that Edward at my suggestion devoted
himself very properly to the entertainment of Miss
S. Gibson. Nothing was wanting except Mr. Sweney,
but he, alas! had been ordered away to London the
day before. We had a beautiful walk home by
moonlight.

Thank you, my back has given me scarcely any pain
for many days. I have an idea that agitation does
it as much harm as fatigue, and that I was ill at
the time of your going from the very circumstan