Page:Letters from India Vol 2.pdf/90

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TO THE HON. AND REV. R. EDEN.

Barrackpore, August 18, 1837,

My dearest Robert,—I ought to be writing to you, but somehow you always seem to be George’s property in the writing way, and he really has such limited means in that line that it is robbing the poor, apparently, to interfere with him. We are going to send home soon a quantity of things—I may say a ship-load of goods. I cannot think what you are to do with them. Build eight houses for your children and furnish them handsomely, and then take the chance of our not coming home. But most of these things had better be made over in their packing cases to that shady retreat under the gallery at Lansdowne House, which Lord L—— proffered us. There are some Chinese folding screens, a Chinese table, a Chinese cabinet—all bulky articles—besides various smaller articles of furniture. We shall have so many Chinese things that I am beginning to make myself harmonise with the house. I have already achieved a yellow parchment complexion of great merit, and can make a