you may remember, as a middle ornament on his dinner-table once in North Audley Street, a prize cup gained by one of them on the turf. This is my remembrance of it; but I will not be positive. You must correct me if I am wrong. A I went with him through his stables. After seeing his horses and other things there, he pointed out to me, in a detached stall elsewhere, an Alderney cow; a thin, dun-colored, raw-boned, ugly little animal, but valued for the rich cream it gives. The man in attendance said something of its habits, which I forget; but suppose I bring one home with me, and we will find out all about it? I told you in a former letter that Lord C. owns Kenilworth. print of the old castle, now in ruins, was engraved some time ago, representing it as it was in Elizabeth's time when the Queen made that visit to Leicester, immortalized by Scott in his Kenilworth. Don't you remember how you used to read these famous novels as they came out while we were here, and tell me of the parts I could not read myself on packet days? He has promised me one of these prints a proof copy; and this at least we can hang up at Sydenham if I do not get the Alderney cow or the riddle picture. Of Lady Clarendon another word. You will be glad to hear how well she is. She walked the full three miles with us in the park. She was among the whole field of sportsmen by the old tree where the fox saved himself-the gentlemen of the hunt all bowing to her as they reined up. She said she enjoyed the sight, though nothing new to her, from the interest I appeared to take in it. This was just like her, you will say. Being a little late that same morning at breakfast, she gave as an excuse that she had been reading the morning prayers to the household, and had just come from that employment. Mentioning to Lord C. that our son Madison had just entered the navy, he remarked that he had lately been reading the Life and Correspondence of Lord Collingwood, and that the letters struck him as being calculated to make good men as well as good officers, and perhaps my son might like to read the work. He asked what we would have done if France had resented President Jackson's Message to Congress, recommending letters of marque under our complaint of her non-fulfillment of the treaty of indemnity, as we had few or no ships of the line as far as he knew, and our whole navy being small compared with that of France. I said that our actual navy afloat was small, but our commercial tonnage much greater, two or three times, probably, than that of France. This made navies and seamen; so that, even had war followed, we should probably have been the gaining power by sea, if it had lasted long enough to draw out our naval strength. He avowed himself a man of peace, as I did, and was glad war did not follow, as it might have dragged other parties in; but I mention the subject for the sake of adding that I thought I could catch his leaning to be on our side, though he did not say it in words. In fact, in my conversations with the English about the Message, (and a good deal has been said. about it), it has seemed to me that they liked "old Hickory's" pluck on the occasion. It tells well for their descendants on our side of the water, they think. I must now stop. Whether the topics were naval, rural, political, or whatever else; whether in his park, at his table, or among his pictures and books; I found my visit a truly pleasant one. In nothing was it more so than in the recollections it called up of our residence in this country, such frequent references did Lady Clarendon make to you; Lord C. doing the same. On my return to town, I found a letter from Mr. Coke, inviting me to Holkham at Christmas, when he expects a party of his friends. A famous assemblage it will, no doubt, be, from the hospitality of that renowned old homestead; but I am unable to accept the invitation, being already engaged to go to Hagley, as you are aware. The last words of Mr. Coke's letter convey his remembrances to you. You will not, I suppose, object to the same remembrances from me, nor to extending them to all around you at home; being Yours and theirs devotedly, |