Cholmondeley Castle, 11 October 1808.—The day before yesterday I received your letter of the 10th inst. & I confess to you that it was not without shame that I saw your handwriting. Indeed, I shd. have been still more ashamed, if I had not been conscious that I have not intentionally been so very inattentive to you as I have appeared; & if there were not reasons for my silence, wch. wd., I trust in part, excuse it. The truth is, that there is now at my own house a part of a letter wch. I had begun to write to you; but which I was at the time prevented from finishing by the unexpected occurrence of a very fatiguing & constantly pressing business.