Greencroft, 27th. August 1788.

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My Dear Sister,
      The milk of human
kindness is so predominant in my disposition
, that it disposes Me to exercise the
Christian virtue of Forgiveness, I therefore
find no difficulty in granting Your
Petition. I certainly thought there was almost
time, for You to have written to Me,
but as I so frequently give cause for
complaining of my own Negligence, I can
safely aver, I had never accused You of
having altered your Sentiments of Me
or Mine.
      Maria is, thank God, perfectly
recovered. Her indisposition was entirely
unexpected, at the time it happened, neither
can I yet account for it. Her Aunt Lady
Clavering (who by the bye is a Fool) prevailed
on her to go to an Assize Ball at Newcastle,
before it was entirely prudent for her to
have done so. I do not like to appear Cross,
& therefore tacitly consented. The consequence
was exactly what I expected, She was confined
a second time. I blamed the Ball,
& Lady Clavering was convinced she was not
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I hope she is now sufficiently strong, and
that I shall have nothing to regret but
the loss of my Second Son.
      I had no idea of your
intention of remaining in the South so long.
When you last wrote to Me, you talked only
of a Spring Visit. I dare say Mr. Jackson &
Miss Anna Clarke are tired of You long ago. You
and your Brat must be too much good company
at one time. Fortunately Mr. Dickenson is of the
Party; if he had not been with You
I am confident you would have been
turned out of the Town of Richmond. Apropos,
I beg you will walk as far as Governor Pownall's
house, opposite the Star & Garter, and the next
time you condescend to write, be so good as
to tell Me if it stands just where it did. It
was there, I drove my Porcupine the
Morning we were Married, to spend a
few days in solitary Retirement, according
to the Barbarous practice of the present
civilized Ages. I have ever since called
the place Siberia, & constantly Vow never
to be guilty of such an Absurdity when
I marry again. You accuse Me of Reserve,
because I did not tell You I had been in
London last October. Truly, if I omitted that
piece of intelligence, it was because I had
forgotten it. I went to Town because the
Order for all Officers to join their Regiments
obliged Me to do so, and I returned the moment
I could obtain leave which was not till I

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had dangled for upwards of a Month at
the War Office. As to the rest of my Journey,
it was productive of Promises without Performances
, according to the laudable Custom of all
Ministers and all Administrations. Had the
promises been fulfilled, I should before
this time, have been my Own Master, retired
from His Majesty's Service, of which I am
most heartily satisfied. You may amend the
reading, by changing the of into a with, and
adding a dis before satisfied. As to our meeting,
I presume it will be on the other side of
Blue Mantle, as my purse will not permit
Me to indulge my penchant for
travelling. A journey from Edinburgh to
London would cost Me, en famille, £100,
Ditto the return. My house to be kept up
at Edinburgh, another to be hired in London, &
no sinking fund to draw on for defraying
the extraordinary expense. If ever I contrive
to reach the Capital, there I must remain;
when my Boy is fit to go to School (not yet
being two Years old) I propose educating him
in England, for the sake of the language,
and as You are of the Blue Stocking Tribe
shall certainly consult You on the
proper mode of conducting a matter of
such importance. In the mean time, with
every affectionate wish for yourself, Mr. Dickenson
& the Kitten, in which Maria begs leave
to join, I remain ever Your faithful friend &
affectionate Brother
                                                         Napier
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▼

Best Compliments to Mr. Jackson & Miss Anna Clarke.
I rejoice to find the Stormonts still
Gracious -- I return to Axwell Park
next Saturday and to Edinburgh about the
middle of next Month --


                             Gateshead August twenty eight
                                                         1788

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                                  Mrs- Dickenson
                             at John Jackson Esqr-
                                     Richmond
                                                         Surrey
                             Free Thomas
                             Clavering