John Leech, His Life and Work Volume I Part 20

"MY DEAR CHARLEY,

"'The change in the administration' so upset our arrangements that I could not settle what day to come down to you. I propose now to come down to-morrow (Sunday) evening, so if you can get me a rocking-horse, or a clothes-horse, or any horse excessively quiet and accommodating, I will go out with you on Monday. Mark, having an appointment early on Monday with 'her Majesty,' or somebody, will come on Tuesday, to hunt on Wednesday, and back again on Thursday morning. All this, of course, if it suits your convenience. At any rate, I will come to-morrow, and then if there is any difficulty, we can send up to town. With kindest regards to Mrs. Adams,

"Believe me always, "Yours faithfully, "JOHN LEECH."

"31, Notting Hill Terrace, "Wednesday, March 17, 1852.

"MY DEAR CHARLEY,

"I had almost made up my mind to come down on Friday evening to hunt on Sat.u.r.day; but it would suit me infinitely better to come at the end of the week following, as I am just now in the agonies of my periodical work; so let me know when the meets are, and in the meantime I will peg away and get my business done so as to have a comfortable day with you.

If I came on Friday, I should have to work day and night before I went, and come back directly to work day and night again, which is not a pleasant state of things; I hope, therefore, that we shall be able to see the hounds next week. I don't think Lemon would be able to come, as he is busy moving; but I will ask him. I will make you the sketch of the house, or of anything else you like, when I come.

"Believe me, "Ever yours faithfully, "JOHN LEECH.

"C. F. ADAMS, ESQ.

"Look in this week's _Punch_ for a sketch on the Royston Hills."

"31, Notting Hill Terrace, "Wednesday, July 7, 1852.

"MY DEAR CHARLEY,

"I congratulate both of you most heartily and cordially. Mrs. Adams I hope is well, and will keep so, I trust. I will take upon myself to say that I don't know any man more thoroughly capable of understanding and enjoying domestic happiness than yourself; and, moreover, I don't know any man who more thoroughly deserves to have it. You wish it had been a boy, do you? Well, never mind; the son and heir will make his appearance in good time, I dare say. For my part, my unhappy experience makes me love little girls.

"Pray give my kindest regards to Mrs. Adams, and my love to Chatty, who is to kiss the baby for me, and

"Believe me, my dear Charley, "Always yours faithfully, "JOHN LEECH.

"C. F. ADAMS, ESQ."

"Barlow, Derbys.h.i.+re, "July 31, 1852.

"MY DEAR CHARLEY,

"You will see from the above address that I am still rusticating. I expect to be in rooms soon after the 12th of August, and then, after I have done my month's work, I am your man. You say where ... Don't make yourself uncomfortable about the quant.i.ty of sport; I shall be quite satisfied with what you offer me....

"Yours always faithfully, "JOHN LEECH."

Here follows an admirable sketch of Mr. Adams waking up Leech with, "Now, Jack, my boy! There's no time to lose; we've ten miles to go to cover."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Now, Jack, my boy! There's no time to lose. We've ten miles to go to cover!"]

"Tuesday, December 14, 1852.

"MY DEAR CHARLEY BOY,

"Hip! hip! hurrah! The almanack is finished, and now for a day with the Puckeridge.

"I shall come down if you will take me in on Friday evening, to hunt on Sat.u.r.day and Monday, I hope. Mark talked of coming. I wish he would. He says he should not ride, but that's all nonsense. Do you think Pattison has got a horse that would carry him? Oh, I have had a rare benefit of work! I have been positively at it ever since I saw you. I want freshening up, I a.s.sure you.... Lots of fresh work, old fellow, so I think I may manage a _real_ horse soon.

"With kindest regards.

"Ever faithfully yours, "JOHN LEECH."

"Notting Hill Terrace, "January 26, 1853.

"MY DEAR CHARLEY,

"If you could ride my horse to-morrow (Thursday), pray do; it would save your own, and do her good. And the meet is close to you--Langley Green.

I should have written before, but I have been hara.s.sed with work beyond measure. And as it is, the first number of 'Handley Cross' cannot come out until March. Mind you have the mare well worked, there's a good fellow, as I don't want, like our friend Briggs, to find her disagreeably fresh.

"Believe me always yours faithfully, "JOHN LEECH.

"C. F. ADAMS, ESQ."

"Sat.u.r.day, February 26, 1853.

"MY DEAR CHARLEY,

"I suppose the frost has departed in the country, and that you have now what is called 'open weather.' It is very disagreeable here--wet, cold, and boisterous.

"However, if you can spare time (after riding your own, of course), I wish you would give the mare a benefit. I expect she will otherwise be a great deal too much for me.

"I am, my dear Charley, "Yours faithfully, "JOHN LEECH.

"C. F. ADAMS, ESQ."

"32, Brunswick Square, "Sat.u.r.day, January 21, 1854.

"MY DEAR CHARLEY,

"Thank you for your note. I _can't_ come down to-morrow, but I hope after next week to make up for lost time. I have got through some work that has been fidgeting me. I shall have a little more leisure. The meet on Monday is Da.s.sett's, I see, so pray give it the mare; I have been so queer myself that I shall want her particularly 'tranquil.' I have sacrificed the moustaches for fear of frightening the horses in the field. They were getting too tremendous.

"_If_, _if_ I can get away next week at all, depend upon it I will, for I want fresh air and a little horse exercise.