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

let it seem his letter – I feel Mrs Macleay will be retelling half my news – so till they go abroad I wont feel but that I am inflicting on you a twice told tale – I suppose they have told you that Sir C- Nicholson has bought a small property with a good house on it [original text crossed out- at] near South end – it must be a good bargain – as the Agent came to him a few hours after the bargain was completed & offered him £1000 would he relinquish his title – but he would not – I send by this mail 2 Journals – I forgot it last mail till too late – I think they do not describe the bonnets well – for now one of last summer is actually useless – they are such cosie comfor table little hood shaped things – It is time for me to stop you will say when I tell you I have just put my pen into my teacup – I may write more tomorrow – in the mean time good night and with

[ended?] 27" Feby

1865

My dear Elizabeth –

To you alone I shall write this mail as I find where a family are to gether and making a gossip such as this is public to all, it is better to make one long story than to divide it into letters to suit each and hoping that this plan may be most liked I shall now begin and tell you every thing I can possibly think of – but first I must tell you with what heart felt delight we heard of your arrival from Mr Lincoln of 13 Austin Friars Your Father will know who he is – on the 10th just before dinner we had such a kind letter [original text crossed out- from him] saying he had just had a Telegram from Malta – in which tho' the date of arrival had not been given, it told that "the Duncan Dunbar" had arrived safely at Sydney before the departure of the mail – I had but time to dash off three wee notes – as I had but scant time to dress for [original text crossed out- our] dinner party – one was to thank Mr Lincoln for his kindness – the other two were to tell Mrs Norman and Emmeline that

you had arrived – their joy was very great but your Father and all of you are not to think that all the affection of freinds is on the other side of the world as shown by the very gratifying and touching welcome he met with – for that day at dinner Sir Charles Nicholson – the Arbuthnots – & Col: Mynyard were among those you know of our guests – and could you but have heard their real satisfaction you would have been very much pleased but – that was a nothing compared to last Wednesday the 15" when the letters came just as I was leaving the dining room and that day we had Lady Gipps – Mrs Dalgetty Mrs Charles Norman – and a Mrs Pole I question if you know her – but as I left the dining room I met the servt with such a handful of letters – and when I followed my fair guests up stairs I said here are letters from them all – but I added the General does not expect them till tomorrow so I wont tell him of them – On which Lady G: said Oh quite right, but do open them and let me know how they are – and so all got close

and I think had I resisted they would have opened them for me – but my small plan of secrecy did not hold good, for there had been so many letters they came at 2 different times and about an hour after in came one from James Bowman so I then told my news, and most welcome it was but by the time our freinds left us and I got my sposo in bed & with a candle in his hand I had to read him all the letters, we so banished sleep – that I wished I had kept to my plan, but of course he was too happy to grudge keeping awake – speaking and thinking of you all – my sister Caroline is now with us, she is only to be absent from home three weeks, and I am sorry to say nearly 10 days of her holiday is over – Last Sunday Emmeline and Sir H came to say good bye – they were to have left on the 7 – but she had a horrid cold for a good while and had put off her departure till the 14th – she was much better before she left – but it was deep snow the day she left – and here it

continues – indeed it is said there has not been so severe a winter for 50 years She would be away before the mail cd arrive and her fare well petition was that I would write so that she might have letters awaiting her at Naples where D: V: they are to be on Tuesday Since I began this letter I have heard from her from Paris, where their Courier has placed them in capital rooms in the Hotel Bristol – where they are most comfortable – but she says any thing to equal the cold she never endured – they intended to have gone to night to Marseilles but they hear such unfavourable accts of the state of the road they have put off for a day –

We spent such a pleasant 2 days at Bromley a fortnight ago – the party con sisted of I may say the whole family as Mr Charles Norman spent one night – Fred & Phil were there the whole time – & tho Mrs Bonham Carter did not stay there – we found her when we went – & the day we left she came to spend the forenoon