The Cotman Letters 1834

rather furiously; it cooled down however and quiet was restored. She and William left us at nine to walk home, and we had the debate all over again. T’would be interesting to you so I shall only say it was about a party of pleasure, of a party made to go to the Theatre at North Walsham on Thursday and the lady could not make herself agree to any plan proposed to get there or propose one of her own. Oh those parties of pleasure, how often do they cause mischief!! how often are they really parties of pain!!! I am not croaking (I have heard part of Geldart’s letter) but I find I have the habit of thinking to myself. I found this out on Sunday while the debate was going on. I was reading a book called Thinks I to Myself and I am sure I have somewhere or other acquired that habit. On Monday the Knapton hounds met at the School House, Hanworth, a[l]though a rainy morning I went to see them not riding as John’s kindness did not carry him as far as to lend me his mare (I did not of course expect it would) but walking, running!! and by good management, by crossing, managed to see tolerably well. One hunt, I saw better than the riders, as the dogs fairly left them all!! all but me. I then, ½ past 11, went home for dinner to be in time for the coach, the hounds came to near to the house though that we left dinner to look for them from the window, for which I paid dear. I had I mean, to get to Aylsham in less than an hour!! less by ten minutes, and to walk, the pony lame. I began my race against time and literally won, though lumbered with my cloak!!! what do you think of going 5 miles in 50 minutes, I did it fairly having two to spare.** [see next leaf] I never had such a run in my boon days, even the run after the coach you know of was not so bad, for the day though occasionally showery was Sunny and