I have stolen half of dear Aunt Mary's paper my own dear Mary to tell you what I presume you already know that I am not on my road to London though Papa very graciously very kindly permitted me to go & my dear Miss James wished to have me--but in the first place le jeu le ne vaut pas la chandelle French, loosely translates as "the game isn't worth the candle." to go to London for four days is condemning oneself to four days with too much to do in every one of them--in the second we are expecting a friend out of Hampshire, & Sir. W. Elford is coming on Friday. So at home I am (here) & at home (there) I shall remain"Here" refers to Wokingham; she is writing this letter from the Webb's house. "There" refers to Bertram House.--I came over today to console myself & was indeed consoled by seeing your dear Father looking much better than I expected & in very good spirits--Mr. Palmer's beautiful phiz to too was here--by the way there is a --executed by an Artist Editors have been unable, at yet, to locate this print or identify the artist. More research needed. who must be very clever since he has performed what I should have considered as an impossibility on the first blush of the business--made Mr. Palmer 50 times uglier than he is--& moreover given to Miss Anstruther & the Right Honble Honorable Lady the air of having the rouge washed off their faces by the rain--so that they look like weather-beaten dolls. I saw this fine picture in Reading yesterday which I entered for the first time after my long quarantine--You need not send me a word about the fashions, my dear, Papa has been a complete & --you would have died laughing if you had heard him describe the way of trimming a lady's bonnet--at his total want of words & the bon hommie homie with which he adopted any ridiculous one's which I put into his mouth--closing every remark with an “I assure you Eliza's bonnet was just so”--now Miss Eliza you must take this for a full answer to the letter which you have not written yet--And not have the assurance to expect me who am forced to spin all my cobwebs out of my own brain--to write again to you who live in the land of sights & shews shows --

I am very glad that you are going to Richmond--I wish with all my heart I were going there too--but I do not suppose I shall be able to get there for a month or two. If you happen to see my dear Miss James, tell her that Papa behaved with perfect good faith in the invitation Mrs. Clarke was so kind as to send & very much wished me to put off our intended visitor and go--

--Dearest of the dear--it is post time--I have been talking to Aunt Mary & hindering myself and her from writing--you know what Papa says of my gossipping gossiping --

Good bye--God bless you--How many lovers have you got? How many has Eliza? Ever your's yours