Leigh Hunt letter to George De Wilde, January 3, 1838

              Chelsea-January 3d. 1838. 
	
My dear Sir, 
I know that you are kind enough, considering the state of
my health and avocations, not to be disconcerted when I take
the liberty of delaying to answer a letter for a few days.
The time however in the present instance is not quite so
long as it appears;  for though you wrote on the 22d., your
parcel did not reach me till the 26,-the day after the one,
upon which, we presume, its eloquent enclosure was intended
to enliven our table.  Many thanks for it.   It seems a very
fine one, worthy of a Northampton Mercury; and no doubt we
shall find it so; for we are still keeping it, against a
friend's visit.   I am glad you are no sportsman; for
sportsmanship in people with hearts & brains (& there are
plenty such) bothers one.   One doesn't like it, & it seems a
foppery to object to it.   However, one must speak as one
thinks, when writing about it, & so I must continue to
object, & am glad I have you on my side.   As to the fox, you
are right in your conjecture.   It came across me, as I  

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P. S. I have had hearty remembrances lately from Amersham. Da1by is one of the names, with me, for "the porcelain clay of the earth."