Addressed—
Major Smith,
95^{th} Reg^t of Rifles,
Serving under the
Duke of Wellington,
France.
Letter VII. Endorsed—“31^{st} Dec^r, 1816. My Father’s Letter announcing the death of my good Grandmother, 83 years old.—H. G. Smith, Col.”
Whittlesea, Decr 31st, 1816.
My Dr Harry,
After a very short tho’ not painful illness, your poor old Grandmother paid the last debt of nature in the 83rd yr of her Age. During the whole of the time she lay on her death-bed she retained her senses, and died calm and reposed, a Blessing which God grant we may all do in the same manner as she did, a Pattern of true Piety and Benevolence. The changes in our family have within these last seven yrs been great, and one of them painful and very distressing to me, having lost that Companion whose Conduct endeared her to every one who at all knew her, and, that being the case, how much more so must I have felt her Loss! But these are trials we must all expect to meet with, and let none of us in our gay moments forget how soon the case may be our own....
I find the House is to be sold, but times are so bad here now that no one has got any money to purchase, however desirable they may be. I hope if Charles and his Lady shou’d marry, they may become the Purchasers....
Since the Death of poor old Jack, I have lost my Uria Mare, which I was obliged to have shot. I afterwards bought a fine big Horse five yrs old, one I expected wou’d have proved valuable. After keeping him about ten Weeks he made his exit as rotten as a Hare, so you see I am one of those unfortunate Beings in the Horse way. I must now be satisfied with my little Mare and my good old Gig Horse; when you are tired of your bay Mare, forget not she is a particular favourite of mine....
Remember me most kindly to all my friends, particularly Col. Achmuty, Bell, and my old friend St. John.