Letter from Barbara Hofland, Hammersmith, to Mr. Wright, 1841 January 23 : autograph manuscript signed.

Asking about a book perhaps called "...the Book of beauty or the Art of Beauty it had many prescriptions for cosmetics and other nonsense but it had also rules how to eat and drink according to rule in order to gain flesh. Now a very dear young friend of mine literally reduced to skin & bone by some error in the digestive is slowly recovering from being extremely handsome she is become yellow withered and grievous looking and I cannot help earnestly desiring to possess this book that I may write out this receipt & give it her without her suspecting whence it comes. I have no idea when it is published nor ever saw it anywhere else but it struck me the old copy brought to me might be about your place or that in some way you can help to get it either by buying it or having it."