City Road. July 5th 1805.
My Dear Mary
I saw Mr Young yesterday about Charles, and he by no means approves of Bathing him if you find it strikes him with terror. You know I suppose that there is a place in worthing call'd the warm Baths, (look at Mr Evans's Book) [1] where proper persons attend who understand the business, and would dip you all, if you wanted it. It was certainly intended that Charles should sit up to his neck in warm salt water for ten minutes, and Mr Young says that with the plaister, and with the greasy, and resisting quality of the ointment, that the water would not penetrate near so much as you seem to suppose it would. But said he, 'I have no objection at all to its being heatd for a while, and if he were my Boy I should do it, as we can at any time reproduce the discharge if there should be occasion; and to give him rest now, and to apply the warm Bath when it is heatd, and not before, I think would be highly advisable.' Still leaving you to act as you please, I only venture to say that I wish it to be heatd: time is flying away and I should not like him to come home without in some way or other trying sea water.
I send you the Cloaths you mention'd, and likewise a ten pound note which you will eke out in your best manner. I wonder when Mr Jeffery will come? if I was a little richer I would not wait for him. Charlotte is less than she was last week, and the little girl is to be call'd Jane I believe, but they talk of defering the Christening untill you come home. They are all tightish.
Our Charlotte is better, and Mary in spirits. Sally Wyatt having a holiday from school, is here for a few days.
Your sister and Wyatt dined with us on sunday—Next Sunday I have to pay my long-defer'd visit to Mr Naylor's at Hammersmith.
But all these visits, and gossips will not make me quite happy. I want you to consult with, and to attend to the house instead of me.
I shall surely see you soon. I wish you would heal the Boys knee awhile and run all hazards, though the Surgeon seems not to think of it as a hazard, but advises it.
My best love to you