as he desires me to say he shall execute the commissions with great pleasure, and ’twill be no inconvenience to him to purchase the other articles, and I merely mentioned it as I did not know that you knew the real sum in Mr. Bowne’s hands. ’Tis very lucky there is so direct an opportunity to Scarborough; we shall endeavor to send as many things as possible. Shopping at present is a prohibited pleasure to me, but as all the things can be better procured at wholesale stores, and my husband has both a great deal of taste and judgment in those things, and makes better bargains than I do, you will be no sufferer by the loss of my services in that,—and I can have anything sent to me to look at, and therefore ’tis quite as well as if I went for them. I don’t mean you shall understand because I don’t go shopping that I am confined to the house. On the contrary, I am much better than could be expected and hope with care to do very well. I shall go out very little until the middle or last of the winter, when I hope, if I continue well, to be most as smart as other people. My husband does not allow me to go into a shop. I laugh at him and tell him I don’t believe but the health of his _purse_ is _one-half_ his concern—a fine excuse. Mrs. Bogert is in expectation of seeing Lucia Wadsworth when the General comes on. I have been confined to the house with a severe cold since Thursday,—Friday and Saturday was quite sick, and to-day feel unfit for anything almost but my bed. Adieu; my best love to all the family. You mentioned nothing of the Cypher on the Plate: O. S. or B.—or your crest, or William’s crest, if you can find them out,—I suppose we could here,—or what? Mamma’s I suppose will be S. only. I have a great mind to tell you what a saucy thing my husband said on your anxiety—that the bowls and edges of the spoons should not be sharp; but I leave you to guess, or if you can’t, perhaps William may help you to an explanation. Adieu. Yours ever, E. S. BOWNE. Miss Octavia Southgate. November 14, 1805.