I have been very ill of a terrible fever and strong convulsions. I tell you this that the period may not be mistaken, and my pension stopped. My eyes are quite dim, and drawn into my head with contraction, which sometimes pulls my head back—quite back. I can hardly crawl; but yet, poor monster as I am, I shall get on: for my spirit and heart are unchanged.

Now for servants. In the event of things having taken a favourable turn, and of their giving you the money necessary, I shall want no women until I have seen you first, and heard about them, for they might not answer. Men I should want as you will find described below, but no man-servant for the house—they are quite useless; never can one give a pipe, or present himself, and always out of temper with his room, food, &c. All those who come may go back in the Turkish year 45. Do not forget to make that remark to B., but to no one else.[12]

MEN-SERVANTS.

The great object would be a storekeeper to lock up, weigh, measure, and write down everything that comes in or goes out. Strict honesty, activity, and good character, are most necessary. Perhaps one of the sons of my old wet-nurse, Mrs. T., might answer better than anybody else, as I should feel sure of their attachment and principles. Mr. Murray knows and likes her, and might make that inquiry; and, indeed, there may be a girl in the family that might suit me, or a grandchild of the eldest daughter—the more like the mother, my nurse, the better; for she was a most charming and valuable creature, the happiest temper under the sun. It would not be a vulgar place for the son, because he would have a strong fellah [peasant] under him, to lift, and carry, and expose the stores to the air: he should write a good hand, and be able to keep accounts: his place would be like that of a purser in a ship. In one of the great revolutions, about five years ago, when I was eaten up by those who fled to me for succour, there went, in less than a year, thirty-six garáras of wheat,[13] fifty of barley, and four and a half cwt. of butter, with everything else in proportion.

The second man must be an old dragoon to overlook sayses [grooms]: one out of Lord Cathcart’s regiments would be best, because they are all polite. My lord is of the old school, and his men have a fine, imposing appearance. He must be spirited, though cool; for hasty people will not do with these beasts. General Taylor, if you asked him, would understand best what I mean.

Next, I must have a Scotch gardener, a quiet, steady, and retired character, yet active and intelligent, understanding the culture of flowers and garden-stuff in a common way, and capable of being a sort of bailiff, to choose land, prune trees, plough, sow, and lay out grounds. He should bring with him all sorts of proper utensils—a plough, a harrow, &c.; seeds, roots—and be ingenious enough to make a little model for this, and a little model for that. These three will be sufficient; for all waiting-servants and house-servants are useless.

I want a maid-servant for myself; not a fine lady, but one who has been a nursery or housemaid; one by nature above her situation, about eighteen, twenty, or twenty-two years of age, proper or not proper all the same, with a most excellent character. Don’t employ fifty persons about it. The Scotch lady, who was so good to Lucy, perhaps would know such a one—I mean one who has natural sense, feeling, a good heart and person, but no boarding-school miss—for education of all things is most odious.

Then I must have one for housekeeper, knowing about a dairy, all sorts of bread, pastry, and preserves, and not mild, but faithful.

Now, you have heard me a thousand times say what are good and what are bad marks; but, as you have a horrid memory, I will add a few observations.

Wrinkles at the eyes are abominable, and about the mouth. Eyebrows making one circle, if meeting, or close and straight, are equally bad. Those are good meeting the line of the nose, as if a double bridge. Eyes long, and wide between the eyebrows; and no wrinkles in the forehead when they laugh, or about the mouth, are signs of bad luck and duplicity. Eyes all zigzag are full of lies. A low, flat forehead is bad; so are uneven eyes, one larger than the other, or in constant motion. I must have a fine, open face, all nature, with little education, in a fine, straight, strong, healthy person, with a sweet temper.