His aunt had now reached the ripe old age of eighty-four, an
age attained by few,--and when attained, bringing with it in almost
every case a painful diminution of physical energy, and a corresponding
decline in mental force. But such was not the case with this remarkable
woman. She still continued an active correspondence with her nephew, and
manifested the liveliest interest in all his movements. It is
astonishing to mark the vivacity and clearness of the letters she wrote
at this advanced period of her life. Thus, on the 1st of May 1834, she
writes to Sir John:--
"Both yourself and my dear niece urged me to write often, and
to write always twice; but, alas! I could not overcome the
reluctance I felt of [at] telling you that it is over with me
for getting up at eight or nine o'clock, dressing myself,
eating my dinner alone without an appetite, falling asleep over
a novel (I am obliged to lay down to recover the fatigue of the
morning's exertions), awaking with nothing but the prospect of
the trouble of getting into bed, where very seldom I get above
two hours' sleep.
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