I have asked Papa about the book and he has left it with the Rector some time ago - he is sorry that you have been deprived of it for so long -
I am reading the book you lent me; I like it very much. do you remember that phrase quite at the beginning “We are for the most part unhappy, because the world is an unkind world”.[1] Oh how true that is. I thinkp2or at least I hope that later in life you get more or less indifferent to that excessive unkindness of the world; but when you are young and not accustomed to it it cuts you to the heart.
You are very kind to inquire about my dear brother - he is getting on very well in his career but alas! he is not as good as I should wish him to be; but I fondly hope that our dear Lord will hearp3our poor prayers and bring him back to the right road - Not that he is a bad boy, far from it but I should like to see him a good pious man; he is now 25[2] he is engaged to a very good nice little girl she is only just sixteen and is going to school to Paris for two years then they will be married immediately afterwards[3] all this is a secret as yet so don’t tell any one – Pray for him please.
Mrs Weale told me of the nice distractionp4you had the other day during Mass - I should not be sorry if you had often distractions of that kind. I shall pray for you
P.S. I forgot to ask Mrs Weale about the typhus. You were indeed looking ill last Thursday. I hope you are all right now.