Is the wind laid?  Shall I Dever get aboard?  I came here on Wednesday night, but found a tempest that has never ceased since.  At Boulogne I left Lord Shrewsbury and his mother, and brothers and sisters, waiting too:  Bulstrode (232) passes his winter at the court of Boulogne, and then is to travel with two young Shrewsburys.  I was overtaken by Amorevoli and Monticelli, (233) who are here with me and the Viscontina, and Barberina, and Abbate Vanneschi (234)-what a coxcomb!  I would have talked to him about the opera, but he preferred politics.  I have wearied Amorevoli with questions about you.  If he was not just come from you, and could talk to me about you, I should hate him; for, to flatter me, he told me that I talked Italian better than you.  He did not know how little I think it a compliment to have any thing preferred to you-besides, you know the consistence of my Italian!  They are all frightened out of their senses about going on the sea, and are not a little afraid of the English.  They went on board the William and Mary yacht yesterday, which waits here for Lady Cardigan from Spa.  The captain clapped the door, and swore in broad English that the Viscontina should not stir till she gave him a song, he did not care whether it was a catch or a moving ballad; but she would not submit.  I wonder he did!  When she came home and told me, I begged her not to judge of all the English from this specimen; but, by the way, she will find many sea-captains that grow on dry land.

Sittinburn, Sept. 13, O. S.

Saturday morning, or yesterday, we did set out, and after a good passage of four hours and a half, landed at Dover.  I begin to count my comforts, for I find their contraries thicken on my apprehension.  I have, at least, done for a while with postchaises.  My trunks were a little opened at Calais, and they would have stopped my medals, but with much ado and much three louis’s they let them pass.  At Dover I found the benefit of the motions (235) having miscarried last year, for they respected Sir Robert’s son even in the person of his trunks.  I came over in a yacht with East India captains’ widows, a Catholic girl, coming from a convent to be married, with an Irish priest to guard her, who says he studied medicines for two years, and after that he studied learning for two years more.  I have not brought over a word of French or Italian for common use; I have so taken pains to avoid affectation in this point, that I have failed Only now and then in a chi`a l`a! to the servants, who I can scarce persuade myself yet are English.  The COUntry-town (and you will believe me, who, you know, am not prejudiced) delights me; the populousness, the ease, the gaiety, and well-dressed every body amaze me.  Canterbury, which on my setting out I thought deplorable, is a paradise, (236) to Modena, Reggio, Parma, etc.  I had before discovered that there was nowhere but in England the distinction of middling people; I perceive now, that there is peculiar to us middling houses:  how snug they are!  I write to-night because I have time; to-morrow I get to London just as the post goes.  Sir Robert is at Houghton.  Good night till another post.  You are quite well I trust, but tell me so always.  My loves to the Chutes (237) and all the etc.’s.