Bath Monday Noon 14 Feby 1803

    I hope, my dearest Love, You were pleased yesterday Afternoon at the receipt of mine from Marlbro: which I put into the Post myself. It appears I think that my friend Sammy Tutin did not send my parcel as he promised, although by way of a spur to his diligence I allowed him to enclose one for himself. The morning of Saturday the frost broke up but it gave a rough sort of salute at floating(?)  -  it began to rain as I was leaving the Inn door but it was so extremely cold as to cause every drop to freeze as it fell; the consequence was I was literally enveloped in Ice. Sydney & his Brothers might have skated on the Turnpike Road all the way to Bath  -  my Horse, not being prepared for the Ice, "Straddled" at an alarming rate, & he however kept on her feet till we arrived at Calne, where we both took a good breakfast. I then had her rough shod & set out in comfort for this City. The rain had in a short time so completely overpowered the frost that my precaution was render'd totally unnecessary & long before I reach Bath there was no appearance of any frost. About 7 miles before I came to my journey's end, Capt Townsend overtook me. He had slept the preceeding night at Marlbro in his way from Oxford, unfortunately at a different Inn, or we might have kept company all the way. He saw Edward Marsh a little before he came away, who was well & told him he had just got a letter (from) Sydney.

    I am not at all surprized at the contents of Mrs Brown's letter  -  I hope diligent search will be needed; the "one witness" she alludes to must be the Harpey who laid her out & who receive'd the unfortunate Creatures Clothes, & it is to me astonishing the friends and others have not been already most(?) minute in their enquiries - amongst other circumstances I should think. The Wretches Clothes would betray him for they must have been so covered with dirt as to render them unfit to...