Page:Letters from India Vol 1.djvu/97

 Wednesday, March 9. We had rather more than sixty visitors between 10 and 12 to-day—most of them ladies; the day was intensely hot, and the fatigue of so many fresh people is very great. Drove to Garden Reach to visit Lady Ryan, the wife of the chief judge. She is a nice person and fond of her garden, and has contrived to rear some violets and sweetbriar; therefore has probably many other good qualities. We dined at Sir H. Bains’, to meet what they call the ‘heads of departments and their wives.’ The mosquitoes were worse there than at Government House. When we came home, George, it appeared, had made the same resolution that I had, which is never to dine out again. There is so much to do at home that no constitution could bear engagements abroad too.

Calcutta, March 9, 1836. I shall begin a letter to you, dear, though I do not know when it will go; but I may as well give you my first impressions.

I know you will be glad to hear that my Calcutta impressions are more cheerful than I