Tell Charles we have not written to him as you wou’d be able to tell him every particular. I hope his Mare turns out well and that he is able to hunt her. How are all your Horses? I hope you have had good hunting; it has been very wet here, and very heavy riding. I suppose the same with you.
Give my Love to Juana, and tell her the whole of her Brothers and Sisters do also.
I remain,
My D^r Harry,
Your affect. father,
Jno Smith.
Addressed—
Lieut.-Col. Smith.
Rifle Brigade,
Town Major,
Post p^d. Cambray,
France.
Letter VIII. Endorsed—“18^{th} March, 1822. Eleanor as to the Genealogy of my Mother’s family.—H. G. S.”
Whittlesey, March 18th, 1822.
My dear Harry,
... You have desired me to collect for you all the information I can of the Moore family, but that is very little. My good grandfather Moore always used to say that he was descended from that great though unfortunate man Sir Thomas Moore, who was beheaded in the reign of Henry the eighth. Alice always says that she is sure we are descendants, the arms are undoubtedly the same. When my poor Mother was very young, my aunt Stona told her that she was descended from no mean family, and to prove it unfurled a genealogical table which reached half over the room, but my Mother was then so young that she never could recollect much about it. She used to say that she remembered seeing a number of Gabriel Moores. This table I am sorry to say was destroyed during the riots in London. At that time my aunt Stona lived in London and lost a great many valuable things. Our great great grandfather was the first of the Moores who lived in Whittlesey, and he was an Attorney and came out of Buckinghamshire.
... I must now say farewell, and with kindest love to yourself and Juana, believe me, dear Harry, to remain your truly affectionate sister,