I profit by an interval of ___, beloved old Girl to thank you myself for your letters, & to tell you that your poor old shaky friend loves & thinks of you and yours as ever. I heard from Miss Harkin that you were sunning yourself in Cornwall, but before I hear that your complexion has suffered! The tons you have in prospect sounds very pleasant -but it is too early days to plan anything - the world is in a queer state & it looks as if famine___ prevail later on, but the misfortunes of France have called out immense sympathy & it is really wonderful the sums of money that have been collected among working -people for the poor sufferers from [vinerdation?] in all the departments. I have been very bad lately having caught a chill but that is passing off, & I astonish my Doctor and Chemist also I believe by upsetting this calculation I don't mean this in an unkind ____, but I need to have so much strength with said D. A new one has foreign means to relieve my pain some day -God help you dear old Emily. His holy work be done - V. affect [LH ?]
[Note: written in a different hand, and different ink, in the top right hand corner -'Died Oct 4th 1875']
Written at Les [Maquentis], Nice.