Autograph letter signed : Albano and Rome, to his brother, Thomas Carlyle, 1837 July 23-24.

Explaining why he has not written in a long time; asking his brother to write to him with more details of the "extremely interesting" news from Scotsbrig; agreeing with Thomas Carlyle that their brother Alick should not go to America if it is going to upset their mother so much; discussing Alick's prospects in Scotland; remarking that his own life is too "peaceable and quiet" and he is suffering from "a sense of stagnation and ennui which is unwholesome" because he lacks "reasonable work" in Italy; wondering whether he should remain with Lady Clare past his current term with her, which ends next month; noting that he would "still like to see what Rome w[oul]d do for [him] in a favourable year," but adding that he doesn't expect many English [i.e. potential patients] to come to Rome this winter because of the fear of cholera and quarantine; informing him that currently "all communication is prevented between Naples & Rome ... on account of the cholera."