Combe Abbey 6^th August

I take the earliest opportunity
that I think there is any chance of finding you, to
thank you for your letter from Caernarvon, and tho’
you seem highly to relish the beauties of Wales, I guess
it will not be long before this meets you at Witham
I am just return’d from a very agreeable jaunt with
Lord Craven and Sir Edmond Thomas into Derbyshire
Perhaps we have seen nothing so strikingly
sublime and {^^{magnificent as}} the Mountains of Snowden and Plin
-limmon, but for picturesque beauty the country
about Matlock Bath exceeds any thing I ever saw,
Hills, woods ricks and water thrown together, form
a variety of the most beautiful scenes imaginable
Ham too, a sweet sequester’d place of m^r Porte’s, and
Dove dale, are strikingly beautiful. The immense
Caverns of Castleton and Poole’s Hole, {^^{and the other wonders of ye Peaks}} are well
worth seeing. From hence we stretch’d away to
Manchester, saw the Duke of Bridgwater’s works
which are really surprizing, M^r Gilbert inform’d us

[f.114v]

the different canals he has cut extend thirty miles
above ground, and by different channels he has pene-
trated six miles into the bowels of the earth, it is
an immense undertaking, but we were told is
likely to answer, which few schemes of that nature
seem to have done. We afterwards went on
as far as Liverpoole, and return’d by Chester
Nantwich and Newcastle. The whole scene
was quite new to me, and the weather’s being
remarkably favorable made it one of the most
agreeable journeys I ever made in my life. I
wish’d much to have lengthen’d it as far as
Westmoreland, and Cumberland: to have seen the
Lakes of Ulles and Daventwater, which from
description I conceive to be finer than any thing
this Kingdom has to shew, but want of time
presented our extending our journey so far. We
are now at Combe, but return to Kenilworth in
a day or two, the good folks here continue very
gracious, which is comfortable, as family
disputes are the most disagreeable things in the

[f.115]

world. By the by I was not a little disappointed when
I got up the morning after we got here together
to find you and Charles gone, but another time
I hope we shall enjoy more of your company.
I mean if I am able to wait on you at
Witham this year, but we have been so very
hurried with one engagement or another, and are
likely to continue in the same bustling scene
all the summer that I am not sure if it
will be in my power. But whether [damaged]
not I trust we shall see you at Bath [damaged]
winter, as you was so kind to talk of paying xx
a visit to that gay place, and believe me my
dear Brother we shall not be a little rejoiced
to see you, for your stay in this country was so
so short it seems more like a dream than a
reality. Tell Charles I will thank him for his
part of the letter as soon as I hear of his being
arrived in Lincolnshire. I want much to know
how Meyerbach agree with him. My two little
girls are very well, but m^rs Johnson has been

[f.115v]

very indifferent and is still far from well. Tho I
hope in no danger as it is weakness alone that she
complains of. She joins with M^rs Craven in best

[change of orientation]

G.W. Johnson Esq^r
Witham Hill
near Stamford
Lincolnshire

[change of orientation]


respects and good wishes to you and the Doctor.
I hope my dear Brother I shall soon hear that
you are safely arrived at Witham, without finding
any ill effects from the fatigue that must necessarily
attend a journey through Wales. Adieu most cordially your
RAJ

Combe Abbey 6^th August

I take the earliest opportunity
that I think there is any chance of finding you, to
thank you for your letter from Caernarvon, and tho’
you seem highly to relish the beauties of Wales, I guess
it will not be long before this meets you at Witham
I am just returned from a very agreeable jaunt with
Lord Craven and Sir Edmond Thomas into Derbyshire
Perhaps we have seen nothing so strikingly
sublime and {^^{magnificent as}} the Mountains of Snowden and Plin
-limmon, but for picturesque beauty the country
about Matlock Bath exceeds any thing I ever saw,
Hills, woods ricks and water thrown together, form
a variety of the most beautiful scenes imaginable
Ham too, a sweet sequestered place of m^r Porte’s, and
Dove dale, are strikingly beautiful. The immense
Caverns of Castleton and Poole’s Hole, {^^{and the other wonders of ye Peaks}} are well
worth seeing. From hence we stretched away to
Manchester, saw the Duke of Bridgwater’s works
which are really surprizing, M^r Gilbert informed us

[f.114v]

the different canals he has cut extend thirty miles
above ground, and by different channels he has pene-
trated six miles into the bowels of the earth, it is
an immense undertaking, but we were told is
likely to answer, which few schemes of that nature
seem to have done. We afterwards went on
as far as Liverpoole, and returned by Chester
Nantwich and Newcastle. The whole scene
was quite new to me, and the weather’s being
remarkably favourable made it one of the most
agreeable journeys I ever made in my life. I
wished much to have lengthened it as far as
Westmoreland, and Cumberland: to have seen the
Lakes of Ulles and Daventwater, which from
description I conceive to be finer than any thing
this Kingdom has to shew, but want of time
presented our extending our journey so far. We
are now at Combe, but return to Kenilworth in
a day or two, the good folks here continue very
gracious, which is comfortable, as family
disputes are the most disagreeable things in the

[f.115]

world. By the by I was not a little disappointed when
I got up the morning after we got here together
to find you and Charles gone, but another time
I hope we shall enjoy more of your company.
I mean if I am able to wait on you at
Witham this year, but we have been so very
hurried with one engagement or another, and are
likely to continue in the same bustling scene
all the summer that I am not sure if it
will be in my power. But whether [damaged]
not I trust we shall see you at Bath [damaged]
winter, as you was so kind to talk of paying xx
a visit to that gay place, and believe me my
dear Brother we shall not be a little rejoiced
to see you, for your stay in this country was so
so short it seems more like a dream than a
reality. Tell Charles I will thank him for his
part of the letter as soon as I hear of his being
arrived in Lincolnshire. I want much to know
how Meyerbach agree with him. My two little
girls are very well, but m^rs Johnson has been

[f.115v]

very indifferent and is still far from well. Tho I
hope in no danger as it is weakness alone that she
complains of. She joins with M^rs Craven in best

[change of orientation]

G.W. Johnson Esq^r
Witham Hill
near Stamford
Lincolnshire

[change of orientation]


respects and good wishes to you and the Doctor.
I hope my dear Brother I shall soon hear that
you are safely arrived at Witham, without finding
any ill effects from the fatigue that must necessarily
attend a journey through Wales. Adieu most cordially your
RAJ