Flaxman-4-7

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Nov 2 1797

My very dear Bard

I did not arrive in Buckingham street till 6 last night, so that I could not, as I wishd, send a few lines by yesterdays post but I hasten to inform you that I got to the house of our kind friends with as little fatigue & headache as I could have expected. I am extremely anxious to hear that you did not suffer from your ride over the Hills & that your cold is better. I trust you will have the goodness to relieve my anxiety by Saturdays post. Pray take care of yourself & tell my dear Mother with my love to take as much care of you & herself too as she can- I called on M^rs H. this morning & was very sorry to find her in bed with a fever which she has got, together with a cold, wch which reder renders her so deaf that it is with difficulty I can make her understand what I mean. M^rs Dalziel told me she caught a cold a week ago & she took James’ Powder & kept her for three days, but she was so much worse on the 3^d, that she persuaded her to send for Mr Long

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who has been very kind & attentive indeed, & sent D^r Latham upon this condition, that M^rs H. should pay him no fee - The D^r. says that she is better this morning.- She eats hardly anything but that perhaps is so much the better - She is much pleased with D^r- Latham & indeed no one can be otherwise for she his manners, \are/ extremely mild & pleasing. M^rs D. is very much obliged to you for the curtain which came very apropose [sic] to keep her room warm & comfortable-

I called also on the Roses this morning where I saw only M^rs Rose & her mother for M^r. R. was gone to his mothers wil who is also very ill, so much so that they fear her life in danger, for she is very aged & weak. But M^r. R. himself is in very strong health. M^rs Rose desires me to say that she was very much alarmed at not hearing from you before they left Plymouth, but her fears were dissipated by finding a letter from you in Chancery lane, which has lain there since the 17^th_. You shall hear from me again on the usual day & news of both the invalids. M^r. Flaxman will add a postcript –

Cavendish Square⎮I have called on M^r Romney who desired me to give his kind comp^s_ & says that he caught a cold at Kew on the evening which he has not quite got rid of. Pray let me illeg> beg of you once more to take care of yourself.

Kindest love to Mary– God bless you both

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Dear & Kind Friend

I am happy to find Thomas in a Steady disposition to pursue his Art, in which I hope he will find not interruption from his health & you may rest assured that both Nancy & myself will give whatever attention may seem needful to preserve him from any attack which our foresight can prevent — many thanks for your kind billet of quotation from Dante, thanks are due for your indulgent opinion, but believe me in practice, it is my wish to see Your Son excel in whatever is excellent without any reference to the Character of his Master, in whom the good there is, will be continually found, clouded with imperfection & evill [sic] in common with the generality of his fellow Creatures – with earnest wishes for your Health & Happiness

I have the honor to remain
Dear Friend

Your Affectionate J Flaxman

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W^m Hayley Esqr
Eartham
Chichester
Sussex