Garden Reach

11th October, 1814.

My dear Acharya,

This will be put into your hand by the Vicomte de Montferrand, a French gentleman of the old nobility who has lately come to Calcutta and whom I have asked to go up to Chandernagore on the Government’s account, to see how the French there stand toward the restoration. I told him he could not do better than break his journey with you, and I told him why, and I ask you to receive him and his party on Thursday night as you would receive me.

He travels with Mr Cavendish, a kinsman of our Mr Cavendish of the Strand, with two young ladies of a good Wiltshire family, the Misses Wentworth, and their companion, and with an officer of Dragoons. The ladies are curious about everything and afraid of nothing, and I think you will like them. The Vicomte is an engineer by inclination and asked me a good deal about the embankment works, and about Major Renwick, whom I believe he means to call on. You will know the best hour for that, as you know the best hour for everything on your reach of the river.

They have heard of your festival, as who has not, and take a particular interest in it. I have told them that it is the largest night in my district and my least favourite, and that you are the reason it has never once given me cause for a single line in a report. I should be grateful if you would tell them so yourself, for they will believe it better from you.

The hunt is Saturday, and I shall have the beaters through your villages on Friday. Tell your people they are mine and will behave.

I count on seeing you at Garden Reach when the rains are properly done. It has been too long.

Believe me, my dear Acharya, with the regard of twenty years,

Your sincere friend,

Charles Ashworth