I have waited for an opportunity
of getting a Frank My Dearest Madam, or
should not have been so many Days in
returning thanks for your kind Letter, &
expressing my Joy at the good account
it contained of those most dear to you,
I am exceeding glad that Mr. Dickenson
has found a Remedy for his troublesome
complaint, & hope the Soap Pills will keep
off any return of it; I can easily conceive
your little Girl grows every Day more
& more amusing & engaging, Children of
understanding, are at her Age delightful
to all, how much more to their affectionate
Parents! who besides the Love & regard for
them, have constant opportunities of observing
all their little enchanting ways, & how wonderfully

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their young Minds open. I am much Obliged
to you for your kind congratulations on our
dearest Elizabeth's recovery, which thank God was
to the satisfaction of all who attended her, &
as quick as could be wished, Anna Maria, for
that is the name of the youngest Child, I am
told is a very fine one, & thrives fast, sweet
Louisa is in perfect health, & chatters away
like your's. Towards the end of October our dear
Lord Mansfield was seized with a disorder in
his Stomach, which pulled him so much that
we began to dread the consequences, but to
our unspeakable Joy & amazement he is
better now than before that time, his Constitution
seems to have taken a turn, he
has left off Laudanum, & Sleeps well without
it, takes no Medicines of any sort, except
from time to time a small quantity of Rhubarb,
Eats very tolerably, has little or nothing of
those dreadful irritations, can enter into

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conversation, & listen to reading, the only
difference for the worse is a degree of weakness
in the Limbs which prevents his rising from
his Chair, or walking when up, without some
assistance he Dines alone, & has not yet helped himself
from the great stiffness of his arms; he has kept
constantly up Stairs in an apartment to the
South, & really has suffered as little from the
intense cold of this Winter, as any one in the
House, far less than my poor Sister, who though
she never goes out, is seldom without pain
in Head or Stomach, thank God I hitherto brave
all Weather, & unless when Snow is falling,
never miss a charming Walk in Wood or Garden.
      The Public Calamity is too dreadful a Subject
to dwell upon, nor can any one think on the
private distress it also occasions, without the
greatest commiseration for the unhappy
sufferers, the Politics are too intricate for
my discernment, but I heartily join with you
in wishing the steps taken, may tend to the

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good of the whole, for there we are all parties
concerned. I suppose Lady Stormont would tell
you that her dear William has lately recovered
from the Measles, which he had most favourably,
the other Boys are all well, & she is now enjoying
the Company of her beloved Mrs Graham at
Little Grove. Lady Cathcart is pretty well, but in
distress at present on account of her youngest
Sister, who is very ill at Dallington.
      I am much Obliged to you for a sight of the
enclosed, it is a curious Manuscript, & the
place belonging to Mr Ironmonger must by
your description be a very pretty one, so
extensive a Forest, & so many beautiful Ridings
cannot fail of having a good effect.
      Adieu My Dearest Madam, I am charged
by Lord Mansfield & my Sister to offer their best &
kindest wishes to you & Mr Dickenson, who I
hope will accept the same from me, & that you
will believe me, most sincerely,
                             & Affectionately Your's.
                                       Anne Murray
      PS
Twenty kisses to your
sweet Girl.