Catalogue description The PRINCESS ELIZABETH to the DUCHESS OF ANCASTER.

--"My dear Duchess, I must thank you for your kind letter, which I received when I was at Weymouth, and would have answered it immediately but that I did not know where to direct it, as you was to leave Spa about the time that your letter arrived, and was not to be at Nice till the beginning of November, but hearing from Mrs. Harcourt that you would be there soon, I cannot put off the pleasure of letting you know that everybody is returned well and contented with Weymouth. The King never was better in his life, which makes us all happier than you can imagine. Mama really is a little fatter, which is a great advantage and pleases us very much, as we thought she wanted it. You may easily believe that the time we spent there was extremely pleasant, as we had no forms nor nothing that was formal. Of a morning we used to amuse ourselves, that is to say Mama and us, with going to the shops, walking, and driving out; of an evening we went very often to the play and of a Sunday evening allways to the rooms. The actors were astonishingly good, and going quite at our ease made it remarkably pleasant to us. During the very hot weather which we had for some time Mama used to be drawn into the sea in one of the bathing machines and sit several hours there, but we were not idle, for reading and working were our employments. You cannot imagine how cool and pleasant it was, the machine was so large that it could hold seven or eight people besides a table and a chair, and as we never went so many at a time it was very airy and comfortable. Lord and Lady Chesterfield and Lord and Lady Poulett were for some time the only people that we knew there; afterwards we had Mrs. Harcourt and Mrs. Harvey. Mrs. Harcourt came a week after us and staid all the time we were at Weymouth; several other people came for a few days, amongst others Lord and Lady Salisbury, Lord Grenville and Mr. Pitt, but they went away very soon.

"Tho' I have not had the pleasure of writing a great while to you, I hope you know me too well to think me capable of forgetting you. You may believe that I have very constantly enquired of everybody that had the least chance of hearing of you, particularly Mrs. Harcourt, but last Thursday I was so fortunate as to see Lady Hardwicke at Court who gave me a very good account of you, which made me very happy, and I can assure you that you are often the topick of our conversation.

"My brother Frederick's wedding has made us all extremely joyful, as everything that makes him happy must, but particularly so as he has made choice of so very amiable a princess; indeed the character we hear of her is charming. You may conceive how anxious we are to see her.

"I sincerely hope that your health is better, for no one wishes more your speedy recovery than your affectionate friend, Eliza.

"I am truly happy to hear that Lady Cholmondeley goes on so well. I beg my best compliments to her when you write."