Thenford August 10^th

My Dear Brother
I am very much oblig’d to
you for writing to me and am glad to hear you
and Charles are well, I came here last Thursday
and found M^rs Wodhull better than she was. I hope
she will continue mending for she has not been
in a good state of health some time. Robert and
Nan arrivd here the day after me they have
taken a house ay Bath and mean to go there about
Michaelmas, they left little Harriet very well
at Kenilworth; Mary Ingram was here when
we came but she went yesterday with M^rs Napier
to Winchester, I never saw her in better health
and spirits. Miss Ingram comes here next month.
I don’t want any money at present, I thank
you for the ten pound you sent by Robert. I shall
remember that I now owe you thirty pound on
account, which will last me a good while:
George Smyth now does to {^^Rugby} School with his B^r.
Billy and as they both come home together at
the holidays I thought it better to divide your
bounty between them, so a I gave them half
a crown a piece at Whitsuntide which made
them both very happy and Me and Mrs Smyth
desir’d I would thank you when I wrote.

[f.7v]

tell Charles the Gun arrived very safe and
Robert likes {^^it} vastly; he designs being at Mr
Liddiard’s in the shooting season.
We breakfasted at Astrop last Monday, there
were about sixty people, there are a great
many Familys upon the place, the Thorntons
and Mr & Mrs Wykam of Swacliffe dine here to morrow.
The two Miss Taylor’s daughters of Mrs
Currance are both married, one to a Hertfordshire
Gentleman, and the eldest to a Gauz weaver in
London. Charles knew them both:
The Duke of Malborough gives a Fete Champetre
at Blenheim the 19^th of this month, it is to be
extremely magnificent and all the Oxfordshire
Familys are invited, it is suppos’d to be on
account of the approaching Election.
We din’d on Saturday at M^r Nichol’s at
Bodicot, he is now fitting up the upper Rooms
in his new Building, he has three fine Boys.
I went lately to see the Earl of Essex perform’d
at Northampton which we acted so many
years ago at Wytham. It was that which induc’d me to go.
I wish you and Charles would take a ride
over to see us here, we should all be vastly
happy to see you both. I should be extremely glad
if I could prevail upon you to come, you

[f.8]

can’t imagine the pleasure it would give us all
we are very strong at present, there is nobody
here but Robert, Nan, and I. M^rs Craven
is at Liddiard’s at Rockley.
Robert and Nan joyn with me in kind Love
to you and Charles, Mr & Mrs Wodhull Comp^ts
I am my Dear Brother
Ever most affect^ly yours
B. Johnson

[f.8v]

George W^m Johnson Esq^r
Wytham Hill
Stamford Mall
Lincolnshire

Thenford August 10^th

My Dear Brother
I am very much obliged to
you for writing to me and am glad to hear you
and Charles are well, I came here last Thursday
and found M^rs Wodhull better than she was. I hope
she will continue mending for she has not been
in a good state of health some time. Robert and
Nan arrived here the day after me they have
taken a house ay Bath and mean to go there about
Michaelmas, they left little Harriet very well
at Kenilworth; Mary Ingram was here when
we came but she went yesterday with M^rs Napier
to Winchester, I never saw her in better health
and spirits. Miss Ingram comes here next month.
I don’t want any money at present, I thank
you for the ten pound you sent by Robert. I shall
remember that I now owe you thirty pound on
account, which will last me a good while:
George Smyth now does to {^^Rugby} School with his B^r.
Billy and as they both come home together at
the holidays I thought it better to divide your
bounty between them, so a I gave them half
a crown a piece at Whitsuntide which made
them both very happy and Me and Mrs Smyth
desired I would thank you when I wrote.

[f.7v]

tell Charles the Gun arrived very safe and
Robert likes {^^it} vastly; he designs being at Mr
Liddiard’s in the shooting season.
We breakfasted at Astrop last Monday, there
were about sixty people, there are a great
many Familys upon the place, the Thorntons
and Mr & Mrs Wykam of Swacliffe dine here to morrow.
The two Miss Taylor’s daughters of Mrs
Currance are both married, one to a Hertfordshire
Gentleman, and the eldest to a Gauz weaver in
London. Charles knew them both:
The Duke of Malborough gives a Fete Champetre
at Blenheim the 19^th of this month, it is to be
extremely magnificent and all the Oxfordshire
Familys are invited, it is supposed to be on
account of the approaching Election.
We dined on Saturday at M^r Nichol’s at
Bodicot, he is now fitting up the upper Rooms
in his new Building, he has three fine Boys.
I went lately to see the Earl of Essex performed
at Northampton which we acted so many
years ago at Wytham. It was that which induced me to go.
I wish you and Charles would take a ride
over to see us here, we should all be vastly
happy to see you both. I should be extremely glad
if I could prevail upon you to come, you

[f.8]

can’t imagine the pleasure it would give us all
we are very strong at present, there is nobody
here but Robert, Nan, and I. M^rs Craven
is at Liddiard’s at Rockley.
Robert and Nan join with me in kind Love
to you and Charles, Mr & Mrs Wodhull Comp^ts
I am my Dear Brother
Ever most affect^ly yours
B. Johnson

[f.8v]

George W^m Johnson Esq^r
Wytham Hill
Stamford Mall
Lincolnshire