.MzMx.MjI2MQ
Liverpool 28 April 1862
Monday afternoon
Dear Ann
I am adopting your plan of taking up
my pen when I have the leisure.
I returned here by 10½ a.m. today from my visit to Mr.
Robt Heath. Yesterday was so fine that it made
amends for the rain throughout Saturday; & today is
still fine – not a cloud to be seen! – On Saturday
I had Mr. Ryley – Hodgson & Ryley – Jim Ryley’s old
-est son – vis a vis with me as far asWarrington;
& I got out at “Acton”? the 3rd: station beyond Warrington;
having provided myself with a return ticket (cost 7/6)
available for return on Monday. Mr. Heath’s man-servant
& gig were in waiting for me; & in about 10 or 12 min=
-utes I was at his door with comfort bag & umbrella.
His two nieces were not the ladies I supposed nor were
they sisters, but first cousins, & daughters of two of
his sisters. – They were quiet, amiable girls, but too
young to be interesting to me. – He goes to London to-
=morrow to stay with his brother John, the barrister,
& to be present at the opening of the Exhibit. He does
not take these girls with him: they are to leave [a portion of the letter is missing]
the day after, bound for L'pool, on a visit to [missing]
Edwd. Heath. –
I had sat up so late on Friday night writing [missing]
I was short of sleep, & therefore glad to go to bed on Satur-
=day: but 7 hours' sleep set me up again entirely. We
all 4 walked to Weaverham (called Wareham) church
for morng. service, at 10½ o’clock. It is ½ an hour's
walk. And we were home again a few minutes after
12. Dick Ashton & his Wife were there, & he & I ex-
=changed greetings as we came out of church. – I
was much pleased with the very neat & orderly ap
[missing]rance of the cottages in the village, with the small
[missing]tches around them, studded with flowers, after the
fashion so beautifully described by Washn. Irving. It was
a very striking contrast to the smoke of Liverpool, which
is so very destructive to vegetation. – Robert Heath & I
spent the afternoon in strolling about his grounds, &
in basking in the sunshine, seated in two very easy
chairs made of iron & wire. They were as yielding & as
comfortable as Mr. Hutchison’s chair. – We did not
walk in any direction as much as ¼ of a mile from
his mansion. – Old Lady Brooke lived in this mansion
for 40 years, & died at the age of 92, about 8 years ago.
The country looks so brilliantly green & lovely, & today is
so fine that if it had suited both parties, I should have
liked to have remained there all today, & let Robt. Heath
drive me about in his gig as he did on my former visit.
I was glad to see that he is on intimate terms with Mr.
Wilbraham of Delamere, an estate that adjoins his. He
has not yet recd. any attentions or notice from Sir Philip Eger
=ton M.P.; nor is he likely until there is a contested election
for South Cheshire. – I told him he was very remiss in
not taking to himself a wife; but whether he has any
[missing] I don’t know. – He recommended me to sini-
[missing] example, by quitting business, & living on a
[missing] property in the country in England. I told him I had
[missing] money enough to do so, tho’ now possessed of more
than I had ever had before: & that even if this obstacle
were removed, I did not think it would suit me to live
altogether in the country & betake myself entirely to rural
pursuits as an occupation for my time. – He farms a
quantity of land for the sake of occupation, & keeps cows for
making cheese. He has now on hand about 100 cheeses, the
produce of nearly 12 mos. manufacture.
I have just been interrupted with the presentation of the
bill of Messr. Christopher Bushell & Co. for the pipe of
Port Wine, & have paid them accordingly:
1 pipe of T.G. Sanderman’s 1858 Port ex Cintra
from Oporto contg. 116 galls £55 9/7
at £55 in bond per 115 Gallons
Bottling & shipping charges on
58 dozen: - vizt Bottles, Corks
cases, bottling & packing, bond
[drus.?], portage, cartage, entries
shipping – at 5/- per dozen £14.10/–
Bills of lading 1/7, Castans do 1/7 = 0.3/2 £70.2/9
packed in 20 cases –
MB 1 e 9 – 19 do of 3 dozen each
# 20 1 do . 1 " —
deduct 4 mos. discount off £55.9/7 = 0.18/9
paid this day (28 April ’62 in cash £ 69.4/–
It will be shipped in one of C.H. Marshall & Co.’s
(Baring Bros. & Co.’s) sailing packets. –
I hope it will arrive safe & suit your palate.
I saw Tom Addison today. He returned last
night from Sheffield, quite pleased with Emily's
quarters in a cottage out of town, & surrounded by
a pretty country. -
Fontaine & William dined yesterday with Mr. & Mrs.
Steele. – This evening they are to drink T with
“Cook.”? –
Monday night –Welfield Place. – On coming to
dinner I found Master Willie on the point of departure for
school, and his Mother stretched out on the sofa quite
unwell. Mary said Laura had a feverish sore throat.
but it seems that her stomach is also somewhat
disordered. She is has retired to bed early, & I
hope she will be better tomorrow. - Elizabeth at my
suggestion wrote to Miss Barbara Jones on Saturday
to say that she & I intended making a trip to
Beaumaris on Wednesday. An answer came this
morng. hoping I would defer the trip until next
week, because their house is in too great disorder
to receive E. B. as their guest, but wishing to hear
from E. B. in reply: - & at my suggestion E. B.
has written ^by this evening's post to say that we
purpose reaching Beaumaris on Wednesday afternoon,
& staying at the [Senge?] Inn at Bangor, & shall be glad
to have Miss Barbara's company on a 2 days excursion
(Thursday & Friday) in the country around Snowden,
but not to climb Snowden. - As you may guess, I
am instigated to this excursion far more by the
desire to afford a little pleasing variety to E. B.
than from any personal gratification I expect to
derive from the trip. - I may perhaps extend the time
so as not to return here before this day week in case the
weather should be fine, & Miss Jones consent to accompany
us in our ramble. -
Ann Hamilton jumps at the idea of Mary Bold
travelling up to London, under my escort, to stay with
them in Chester Square: and Mary consents; so we
expect to learn in the week ending 17th: May. But Anne
Hamilton will not let Mary return to L'pool before I
embark, if I am to embark on 7th: June.
I suppose we shall start on the 15th: May to London
with Mary Bold. That is the day that Mr. & Mrs. Addison
& their daughter Maggie have fixed upon for the same
purpose. The old Squire of Garendon Park, Mr. Phillips died
at Cheltenham last week. He was aged 83. -His brother
5
died a few days ago. – The property of Garenden
&c: now passes into the hands of the Roman Cat[h]
=olics. – I asked of the Squire had left any legacy
to Mr. Hamilton; & M. B. said she felt sure he had
not, as there are much nearer kindred who are in f[ar?]
more want of money. –
29th: When I reached the office this morng. I
saw Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Cropper at the door in their
carriage. – He pointed to one of his feet, & his
wife told me he is at present disabled by Gout.
I asked him if there were any very recent ti
-dings form Sedgwick. He said there was not.
At the Laura was reported to me as much
better this morng. – I slipped out before breakfast
& bought 4 oranges for her. – Whilst I was about it
I saw some nice looking fowls, & fancying Laura
might like some chicken soup or broth, I bought a
pair (cost 4/–) and brought them home with me
wrapped up in paper. – Laura enjoyed the Orange[s]
as I hope she has the chicken broth too. –
Elizabeth feels as gay as a girl of 18 would do
at the prospect of this little out into No. Wales.
At the office I found Matthew's letter of the 15th:
via Niagara enclosing yours 13/15th: inst; & William
has today shewn me a long one of the 9th. from
Harriet. – I am glad that Tobin is so well pro-
=vided with letters of introduction & that Matthew
has given him 100 Mexican dollars, & got a
friend to write to his friends in China to supply
Tobin with the needful for 6 mos. after landing. But I
wish Tobin was not going to China at all; tho’ as
6
I said before I shall be most happy if he should
succeed. –
I am glad to find that Harriet reports
poor little Maggie as rosy cheeked, & all her
children well. – I should be glad to hear of
you having a similar report from poor Nan.
I will give E. B. the photograph of my
namesake.
I am struck with your suggestion as to
you & me pulling up stakes in N. York and
planting ourselves in Liverpool. – I have no
fancy for any such thing. – I am opposed
to transplanting, even to a native soil, at our
time of life. – Many years ago I had dreams
of making money enough to pay off the Crs. of
J. Maury & Sons in full, & then reopening a
counting house here, if I had also the requisite
capital for that. – But I have dismissed the
latter scheme entirely long ago; tho I still have
a hankering after the payt,. of the 20/– in the £.
I may be of little use to Matthew in N. York
by going there, but I do not see that I should
be likely to be of more use to him by remain=
=ing here. – The very fact that the U.S. are
in this sad trouble makes me the more
inclined to return thither. – I think too that
you are more usefully & happily placed where you
are. yours affectionately R. Maury