| Description | A transcript of the letter can be found below:
Thursday
[12 June 1851]
My dearest Boy
To make your mind easy, I write by return of post to tell you that, if not inconvenient to your Uncle, you may stay another week in London but my dear child you must not employ your time in looking at the sights & buildings of London if you do that, not one rank extra will suffice, you must occupy yourself solely in seeing the picture galleries, & if you must lose time in making the acquaintance with Artists you had better give it up or you will not have enough for the Arts. Your Father was not quite pleased to find that in the first week you had really seen nothing. I can quite comprehend your head being [-] to prevent its interfering with your correspondence. I suppose you keep a sort of journal, & write down every evening who you have seen what pictures, & the impressions they make on you. Save all other news till you return except answers to the enquiries in this. I meant to add that you should [send?] off this journal every Sunday, unless you prefer making an entire letter on those days, but the first plan will save time & words. You must tell us how your Grandmother looked & if you can what she said to you. You should not have forgotten that your Father thinks you should not wait for Col Cadogan's card you have an excellent excuse for apparent haste in the shortness of your stay in London. I hope [-tly] you have found the Smiths address otherwise my sister will never forgive it. You could have heard at the Cowpers, as to the Vadis [-] in the evening & say your time is so occupied in the day. We are not surprised at Mrs Orme's manners. She & tact or delicacy are incompatible ideas. Lord L [rock?] probably by off the scene by the time you appear on it as a public character. [Stick?] if you think you could by making likenesses in chalk, paint them afterwards at home. It will be as [-], into the country you can't go. You must reflect every morning before you go out how you can most [-] & employ your time. Of course I did not include the Great Exhibition amongst the sights that you are not to see. Now I think of it, the journal plan will be excellent for yourself to recal your impressions. We will keep each sheet that you send us for you on your return. Do not forget to tell your Uncle, we thank him most sincerely for his kindness to you & hope you will not be in his way. We will tell you after what to give the servants, tho I know beforehand it will be unnecessarily much, because your Father has the habit of paying servants whom he visits too liberally. What is Alfred's wife like? When you are alone with Alfred, that is when his father is out of the room, tell him he has my best wishes for his happiness & I hope he does not forget me. Do not forget to ask Mrs Richardson if she received a letter from me in Paris about the last week in April? Mind you don't forget. It contained a secret commission, but in case of accidents I did not sign my name or put my address. Tell her to write to me, as it is an immense time since I heard of her. A propos to letters, I hope you have already received one from me. Upon referring to your letter, I find you have. It was lucky you had not a carpet bag as you would probably have been detained even longer at the Custom House, as people are called in according to the quantity of luggage. Those who have least, first & you need not have gone by the second class train in which you were so battered. Papa had not intended that, although it is as wise to cultivate commercial habits on all occasions. If you dine at the Laings after you receive this, & are not too tired, I should so like a little sketch of the baby boy. Of course you saw him. We concluded as a remark was made about Lina's likeness that she is too much altered for them to perceive the resemblance. Do not fatigue yourself by too much walking. Your Father's allowance for Omnibi renders that unnecessary. Have you found Mr Oakes? Col[-] Bentinck was in Frankfurt a few days back for a day, he did not call, but told Mr Orme he should have done so but lacked time.
Our kind remembrances to our relations & friends & affect'e love to you.
God Bless you my dearest son
Your affectionate Mother
A Leighton
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