Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Edward Blackett – 20 Apr 1803

Newcastle 20th April 1803

Dear Brother

      I went to Morpeth soon after I wrote to you & spent a week there very agreeably with the Admiral & my Daughter, the weather was very fine, too much so for the season, we were out most of the day till drove into the house by the heat, the Admiral <...ssing> with his ax & spade & all of us employed, there was a great change in the weather on Saturday, since which it has been severely cold with high winds at W & SW & frequent heavy showers of hail & frost at night which has already done infinite harm to the Gardens, cut of the blossoms & even the <..> berrys are destroyed; I intended staying a few longer but was called away by the illness of my Brother Harry who I found on tuesday evening very much indisposed indeed with the influenza, his incessant cough distracted his head, which with a sickness, want of rest, & apetite, almost wore him out; I found him very low, & reduced, but his cough something abated, & he had two much better nights than he had for some time before; I took an airing with him in the Chaise yesterday noon which did him good, & Mr Ingham called upon him in the afternoon & sent him some thing to relieve the cough, the Blister on his back had answered very well, the opiates that he had taken had bound him too much & made it necessary for some opening medicine & he was about applying a warm Plaster to his breast by the advice of Mr Ingham; he is much shook with this complaint; & it will I fear be some little time before he is quite free from the cough & his rest & apetite was improving, on the whole I left him much better this morning & I hope & that you may soon have a better account from himself.

      My Grand Daughters have not received that improvement from the School or this place that their Parents expected, so they are taken from it, & are at present at home under the instruction of their Fathers Mother untill such time as they can meet with well qualified proper Person well recommended as a Governess for them which they are inquiring about, & is attended with some difficulty. Some inquiries have been made about Mr Steads Ryal estate, but no offers are yet made. A fortnight ago Thos Bates your tenant at Halton being at the Morpeth market dined at Admiral Collingwoods & produced a Ring which I understand was found on removing some Stones at the part where it is supposed there had been a Roman Encampment near Halton, which (as the Admiral  at that time dayly expected to be called to Town) T. Bates requested that he would take with him to be delivered to you, it was then almost covered with the earth & not known to be Gold till he brought it to Morpeth. I cleaned it with soap & water & a tooth brush, it is in very good Preservation the workmanship creditable to an artist of the present time, the weight 8 pennyweight to 15 Gras. a small blue stone with the impression of a Man I think in the Consular Robe if intended for a Ring is for a very small finger possibly for the Empress Fostina [Faustina], it is certainly a very great curiosity & had your Friend Owen Brereton being living he would have gone many miles for the sight of it; I delayed acquainting you with it in expectation of seeing T. Bates that I might have informed you precisely of the place & manner of finding it, you will please to let me know if I am to keep it till you or Mrs Blackett come down, or to send it by the first safe hand to the care of Mr <Co….> <Barker>, at present it is not likely that Admiral Collingwood will have a call & it is to be hoped the matters in dispute may soon be settled.

I am with Love & best wishes to Lady Blackett & yourself, 

			Dear Brother

				Yours most Affectionately

				John E Blackett

I shall be happy to hear that Mrs Scott & her family are returned in health to this Country