Volume 80: Lady Sarah Macarthur letters to Elizabeth Macarthur-Onslow, 1863-1890

objects each took after his own especial hobby – irrespective of time or season dinner & all creature of comforts disregarded was an unfailing source of amuse -ment – all the party were clever therefore being in all respects well matched, it had been a very enjoyable trip – Mr Dixon has been much abroad in India & the Mauritius – He is very handsome young & well informed,

Up to last Saturday we have had the most lovely weather, the first nights rain was a most delightful sound as every spring was dry – now I fear we shall soon be as wishful for sunshine as we then wished for cloud –

I shall not fail to write you a long letter by this mail indeed I think I may promise to let bring

nephews in distant lands – that I have a very Aunty feeling to them all – but should you have taken out a likeness of me – in the game I think it will be a funny puzzle to the second generation of mites – We laughed much at your drawing of me you most irreverent Niece

We have been busy reading the life of Alexander Hamilton recommended by your Father

you had I hope no mail go without a goodly budget and I think you most probably may be the one addressed as being most caring for small bits of news & you can hand them on to Isabella giving the key as to who's who – dis cussed therein –

I do not add any thing especially to your mother – but thank her very much for her few lines – I will not fail to go to Nobles & get your Photos and send them out by the first opportunity – be sure and always tell me when any thing is going – for by a timely arrangement a box might be made a little larger and take some thing out from me – I am very glad you have appreciated your "Aunt Sally" pray assure my respected & respective news &

and have been very much amused & interested I sent for but did not get in this box Mrs Muter but shall get it next week – our forenoons are quiet – otherwise with our past & coming gaiety – reading is interrupted

I must stop our best love to all – God bless you

And ever believe me Your affte Aunt Sally

Swindridge 22d Octr 23d

1864

My dear Elizabeth

Long ere this reaches you I trust we may be established safe and sound in our own home, tho' we have had a right merry visit here – indeed when I tell you that within the a fortnight your poor dear ill used uncle was at 5 balls – one of them and luckily the last began at 8 P M with Private Theatricals Tableaus & ended with a Ball the guests finally left at 5 30 next morg. You must almost feel inclined to retake a passage in the Duncan Dunbar and come back to protect him – but calm your fears. – we generally glide away from those gay scenes about one oclock and he may say as he likes – but I feel perfectly certain he was sorry to go – wishing does no good but so often we longed to have you with us – for at all the balls there were plenty of partners to ensure you dancing, and so many really

just time to open this letter & tell you we have heard from James Bowman – at least he sends a list of the accts not one word from him self – so except to see that some have paid – and many have not – we have not the most remote idea how he is getting on or what doing – [original text crossed out- and no] The list shows £900 received – 179 expended & not a word of what has become of the Balance – I fear poor fellow the work is mentally much beyond him

lovely people You would have had where with to delight the eye – The acting was at a place called Barskimming on the banks of the Ayr, one of the show places of the Coy and being more than 25 from here, we went to friends near – and had but 2 miles to drive, the acting was really good, all the actors and actresses Ayrshire ex cept a Capt Pemberton who has several times acted at Windsor, so should you ever have been among acting people you may have met him, The Tableaus were really beautiful the last especially, where they were all gentleman, [gentlemen] and ladies, in Powder & Patches, rouge & ruffles the Louis [original text crossed out- 14th] 15th Age – The Ladies did not change their dresses for the ball, & put all the billing of the 19th Century into the shade –

Each Saturday morning we exclaim now they have begun another week and we fancy we can picture the advances you are making. – I

dare say the magnitude of my domestic troubles may surprise you, tho' I saw from both your letters that neither you, nor your mother liked Alice – She & Holmes were both dispatched in a few hours notice – She & He came down as was arranged on the morning of the 2d Sepr – once or twice even as far back as last Janry I was told she was paying him attention to the neglect of her own work – and I had to rebuke her – and all seem'd to think she was cured – & more by his utter indifference, nay contempt, as much as by my eloquence – and as all seem'd serene – I never gave another thought to any of them – Alice got uninteresting from being idle, and had I not thought it cruel not to give her the holiday and change of air too to Scotland I would not have been at the expense of bringing her – she came, no one to the last ever saw him even show her the attention of civility – and she looked