My dear old George—

I have been very sorry to hear of your miserable suffering, & it was a great relief to know today that you were at Cannes.¹ Try & keep up your courage: I think this extreme badness may be connected with your cold.

I wish you had travelled all the way in the coupé²—do not regard expence—you know that I shall be always glad to pay for extras.— The warmer climate, I trust may do you some good.

My love to Horace & I hope he may find or make some acquaintances, so as not, to be very dull, & that the place may suit his health. Farewell my two dear sons. How it will rejoice us to have a better account of you.—

Your affect | C. D.

Jan. 22^d. 73

We shall soon have finished the “Contemporary” & send it, & afterwards the “Fortnightly.”³

My mixture consists of equal parts of “Oxley’s Essence of Ginger” & of the “Tincture of Cayenne”.— I mix them with 4 or 5 times as much brandy, I take from 15 to 20 drops.—⁴ I add the Brandy solely to make the dropping in measuring glass easier, as I sh^d require only 4 or 5 drops of the pure mixture.—