Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Have had, through Aunt Anna [Philips], a 'very bright and pleasant account of Julian' from Henry Grey, who with his wife gave him dinner; reminded him of when he used to go to Haileybury College from Mr Seawell's for a weekend to be entertained by the Empsons - [Lord] Jeffrey's son-in-law and daughter - and the 'other famous professors' because of the 'India fame' of his uncle and father. Also reminded him of a 'much cleverer little boy' [Macaulay] who went to Queen's College, Cambridge, to be entertained by the 'great President [Isaac] Milner'. They are 'rather in the dumps' about the weather; having been forced by the Government to plough up almost thirty acres of old pasture and plant it with corn, the winter has 'caught' it despite Clarke and Nixon's 'energy and judgment' and he does not like to think about the loss he has made; others however had made greater sacrifices. They have been detained at Wallington for at least another fortnight because of the influenza 'raging at Stratford and Snitterfield'. Has just read the fine speech of Demosthenes about the Chersonnese; finds him much harder than Plato, Herodotus, Xenophon and Thucydides. Caroline sends her love; she has been very busy over the Cambo Sale for Northumbrian prisoners of war, which has raised a sum of one hundred and forty seven pounds; her own sketches fetched twelve pounds.
