u know, doing the thing well,
is twice doing it; for, sometimes, carriage is more thought of than
the prime cost.

The paxoretti I have given to Davison; and ordered one hogshead of
sherry to Canterbury, and one to dear Merton.

LETTER XXXVII.

Victory, September 10th, 1803.

MY DEAREST EMMA,

What can I send you, buffeting the stormy gulph of Lyons; nothing, but
my warmest affection, in return for all your goodness to me and mine!

I have sent to Naples, to try and get some shawls from the King's
manufactory; and have requested Mr. Falconet to ask his wife to choose
some for you, and also some fine Venetian chains. I only wish, my dear
Emma, that I knew what you would like, and I would order them with
real pleasure; therefore, pray tell me.

We have so very little communication with the Mediterranean world,
Malta and Toulon are in separate worlds. It takes, on the [average,]
six or seven weeks to get an answer to a letter: and, in fifteen to
twenty days, by the French papers, which we get from Paris, we have
news from London; not the best side of the question, you may be sure,
but enough to give us an idea of how matters go on.

I am of opinion, that we shall have a peace much sooner than is
generally expected: and that will be, to me, the very highest pleasure
in this world; to return to Merton, and your dear beloved society.
Then, I agree with you, that "I would not give sixpence to call the
King my uncle!"

I have wrote again to Gibbs, about my Bronte affairs; and [the copy
of a letter] to Mrs. Graefer I will send you, if I can; but you must
preserve it, for I have no other. It may be necessary, situated as I
am, to keep her in good humour; for a thousand pounds may be easily
sold off the estate, and I never the wiser. However, you will see what
I have said.

I have wrote to Mr. Elliot about Sabatello. What a rascal he must be!
Gaetano is going to Naples, and I shall tell him; but, of course, he
would rather favour Sabatello, his brother-in-law, than Julia.

I send you, my dearest Emma, an hundred pounds, which you will dispose
of as follows--a _present_ for yourself; and, if you like, a trifle
to the servants: something to the poor of Merton; something for
Mrs. Cadogan, Miss Connor, Charlotte, &c. &c. I only send this as a
trifling remembrance from me, whose whole soul is at Merton.

September 16th.

The day after I wrote the former part of this letter, Mr. Scott
received from Venice,