To Mrs. Martin [Sidmouth:  September 1832.]

How can I thank you enough, dearest Mrs. Martin, for your letter?  How kind of you to write so soon and so very kindly!  The postmark and handwriting were in themselves pleasant sights to me, and the kindness yet more welcome.  Believe that I am grateful to you for all your kindness—­for your kindness now, and your kindness in the days which are past.  Some of those past days were very happy, and some of them very sorrowful—­more sorrowful than even our last days at dear, dear Hope End. Then, I well recollect, though I could not then thank you as I ought, how you felt for us and with us.  Do not think I can ever forget that time, or you.  I had written a note to you, which the bearer of Bummy’s and Arabel’s to Colwall[11] omitted to take.  Afterwards I thought it best to spare you any more farewells, which are upon human lips, of all words, the most natural, and of all the most painful.

They told us of our having past your carriage in Ledbury.  Dear Mrs. Martin, I cannot dwell upon the pain of that first hour of our journey; but you will know what it must have been.  The dread of it, for some hours before, was almost worse; but it is all over now, blessed be God.  Before the first day’s journey was at end, we felt inexpressibly relieved—­relieved from the restlessness and anxiety which have so long oppressed us—­and now we are calmer and happier than we have been for very long.  If we could only have papa and Bro and Sette[12] with us!  About half an hour before we set off, papa found out that he could not part with Sette, who sleeps with him, and is always an amusing companion to him.  Papa was, however, unwilling to separate him perforce from his little playfellows, and asked him whether he wished very much to go.  Sette’s heart was quite full, but he answered immediately, ’Oh, no, papa, I would much rather stay with you.’  He is a dear affectionate little thing.  He and Bro being with poor Papa, we are far more comfortable about him than we should otherwise be—­and perhaps our going was his sharpest pang.  I hope it was, as it is over.  Do not think, dear Mrs. Martin, that you or Mr. Martin can ever ’intrude’—­you know you use that word in your letter.  I have often been afraid, on account of papa not having been for so long a time at Colwall, lest you should fancy that he did not value your society and your kindness.  Do not fancy it.  Painful circumstances produce—­as we have often had occasion to observe—­different effects upon different minds; and some feeling, with which I certainly have no sympathy has made papa shrink from society of any kind lately.  He would not even attend the religious societies in Ledbury, which he was so much pledged to support, and so interested in supporting.  If you knew how much he has talked of you, and asked every particular about you, you could not fancy that his regard for you was estranged.