Dear Brother
As Lord Craven has been so obliging to
ask me to accompany him to Town for a few days the beginning
of next month, and you talked of going to London after
Christmas I am not without hopes of having the satisfaction
of meeting you there, but as my stay will be very short
and it would be very mortifying to miss each other by not
knowg: in what part of London we Lodge, I take this oppo-
-tunity of saying you may certainly hear of me at Lord
Craven’s house in Charles Street Berkely square, and if
you have any thoughts of being In Town about the
same time I shall hope to have a line to say where
you mean to take up your abode. – I came here
yesterday sennight, and on monday last Lord Craven carried
me up with him to the meeting of Parliament, but
as there was no business likely to come on till the
second of February, we returned here again on Wednesday
and shall not go to Town again till that day. This
is a sweet place, and they have built a most comfortable
house on the same spot where the old one that was burnt
stood. The Park is not quite contiguous to it, but as you

[f.72v]

have a fine view of it from the House, it is almost
as well as if it joined. It is a most delightful spot, and
they have greatly improved it, though much remains still
to be done. It is so central too, being just half way
between Bath and London, {^^and} at no great distance from
Oxford, that it is really one of the most eligible situations in
England. My head is much better than it was, so I
trust I have in great measure got the better of my complaint.
I left M^rs Craven, M^rs Johnson and the little folks at Bath
they were all very well when I heard last from them.
There is little public news in London Lord Cornwallis
certainly brought home very indifferent accounts of the
state of our army and navy, the men in general very
unhealthy from having been confined so long to salt provisions
and scare any fresh provisions to be got, in Philadelphia, Beef
was four shillings a pound and butter eight, and bread
hardly to be got at any price. A letter directed to me
under cover to Lord Craven either here or in London will
be sure to find me. Adieu my dear Brother
Believe me most cordially yours
R. A. Johnson
Sunday 25^th Jan^y:about 1780
Benhams Place
Newbury
Berks.

Dear Brother
As Lord Craven has been so obliging to
ask me to accompany him to Town for a few days the beginning
of next month, and you talked of going to London after
Christmas I am not without hopes of having the satisfaction
of meeting you there, but as my stay will be very short
and it would be very mortifying to miss each other by not
knowing: in what part of London we Lodge, I take this oppo-
-tunity of saying you may certainly hear of me at Lord
Craven’s house in Charles Street Berkeley square, and if
you have any thoughts of being In Town about the
same time I shall hope to have a line to say where
you mean to take up your abode. – I came here
yesterday sennight, and on Monday last Lord Craven carried
me up with him to the meeting of Parliament, but
as there was no business likely to come on till the
second of February, we returned here again on Wednesday
and shall not go to Town again till that day. This
is a sweet place, and they have built a most comfortable
house on the same spot where the old one that was burnt
stood. The Park is not quite contiguous to it, but as you

[f.72v]

have a fine view of it from the House, it is almost
as well as if it joined. It is a most delightful spot, and
they have greatly improved it, though much remains still
to be done. It is so central too, being just half way
between Bath and London, {^^and} at no great distance from
Oxford, that it is really one of the most eligible situations in
England. My head is much better than it was, so I
trust I have in great measure got the better of my complaint.
I left M^rs Craven, M^rs Johnson and the little folks at Bath
they were all very well when I heard last from them.
There is little public news in London Lord Cornwallis
certainly brought home very indifferent accounts of the
state of our army and navy, the men in general very
unhealthy from having been confined so long to salt provisions
and scare any fresh provisions to be got, in Philadelphia, Beef
was four shillings a pound and butter eight, and bread
hardly to be got at any price. A letter directed to me
under cover to Lord Craven either here or in London will
be sure to find me. Adieu my dear Brother
Believe me most cordially yours
R. A. Johnson
Sunday 25^th Jan^y:about 1780
Benhams Place
Newbury
Berks.