Glynn Cottage Larne,
31^st March 1840

My dear Lucy,

I am in your debt, I believe two letters, which should have been sooner paid, had I been possessed of any interesting intelligence to communicate. Mrs Martin our worthy Rector’s wife met with a severe affliction by the death of her sister, Mrs Martin of Galway - who she went to see in her illness, and was only in time to witness her last moments - the family are in consequence from home, and I have been preaching for Mr Martin the last three, or four Sundays at Larne, Cairncastle and Glynn - changing with the different clergymen for our mutual convenience. He is expected to return this week. Should he not be able to fulfil his intentions, I must take another turn at thumping the cushion, which will unavoidably the last as we propose to go to Belfast on Monday next and remain at Mrs Wallace’s No 7 College Square East, is formerly? for some time until we pay our next visit to Mr Hodder at Newcastle on Tyne. I am really very happy to find myself now able to preach, and perform the Church duties as the last time I attempted it at Kirkcubbin. I felt myself quiet weak and worse for the exertion. Miss Quail, formerly of down, stopped me in the street and appeared to be very glad to see me and asked me to call on them at the house you brought me to in Ballymacarrett - which I intend to do when I go back to Belfast but I forgot the gentleman’s name the young man is married to, and I am not sure but her own name is Neill not Quail. do let me know - if you write this week deliver here, if next week - to College Square, Belfast, Mrs Lascelles met with an accident the last time we were in that town. When crossing Bridge Street she did not sufficiently observe the raised foot path, and fell with the whole weight of her body on her face. It was the work of a momnet, I saw her prostrate, and bleeding at the mouth. I was dreadfully alarmed - but she rose in a moment and was able to walk with me to the Temperance Hotel in Waring Street. I took her in a sedan chair to Barnet’s ‘The Dentist’ and happily found she had not received much injury - and in the course of a week was quite well. Mrs Bristow rides out frequently with the Captain and, not to be less adventurous then her aunt, got a fall, and was wounded in the same part of her face that her aunt was - above the right eye but the same kind interposition of providence occurred in her favour as she also recovered in a few days. do not forget to renew my recollections about the Quail and Neill family, for I was very much taken with them in the morning I called. I hope you got the Ulster Churchman I sent you, being an orthodox, loyal publication. Mrs L and Mrs B unite in love to you an Mrs Johnston

I am, most affectly yours,

F.E. Lascelles