The Cotman Letters 1835-1837

{Typed transcript}
Addressed to J. J. Cotman Esqr
Newmarket Terrace
Norwich.
5

29 Maskell St. Rusholme Lane
Chorlton upon Medlock.
October 27th. 1836.
Manchester.

My dear Brother
I have received your letter of the 21st and right glad was I at the sight of it as it proved by occular Demonstration you were alive. it is as you say a long time since we heard from each other, it gave me some uneasiness because I feared you might, from not hearing from me for so long a time, think me careless and forgetful of your many kindnesses and many happy hours, days and months we have had together, but no, my Dr John, nothing can efface them. I now and then picture to myself the few days before I left London to visit you when I really did think the latter end of poor Walter was come, but how different one short week found me, those runs on the beach at Yarmouth and more particular when we buried ourselves in the sand at the pier oh was fun, funny and mirth unalayed by care and that absence from care was the best Physic for my case then our trip to Cromer what a splendid trip that was, although raining all the way there, did we not crack our jokes as well and laugh as heartily as if it were the finest night possible, and we did beat the Old Quarter in the hooded Chaise then the maids and the Lobsters, Sunday trip to When I bought that old Chair, how did we cease laughing for one minute all the time we were out, then.

Now suppose John it should be all a gull and Miss Julia is not Tub’d what a shindee it would be and so it was, I shall never forget condoling with Mrs. D. not daring either of us to look in each others faces lest our sympathetic feeling should find vent not in floods of tears but roars of laughter talk of Keen and Kempler their acting