Letter from Maria Fitzherbert, London, to Mary Georgiana Dawson-Damer, 1831 October 10 : autograph manuscript signed with initials.

Expressing concern at her most recent letter and saying "...it is very necessary for you to keep very quiet at about this period for fear of a little mishap which has happened to you more than once & which nothing is more destructive to the Constitution - therefore pray do keep quite quiet for a little time & I hope all will go on well - The defeat of the [Reform] Bill by a majority of [illegible] has set the whole Town in a flame - Lord Grey will persist [illegible] & indeed I hope he will for there has been so much mischief & excitement done by that party that no one could possibly wish to be in their place - they have rais'd the tumult & must put it down - alas they are so hit by the French Revolution that they are following its example in every respect so god knows what is to become of us all - I think you & George are very lucky to be out of the way at this Crisis - I hear yr friend Lady Clanricarde is become a violent anti Reformer - she call'd upon me the other morning but I was from home - FitzClarence has just been with me - he tells me he wrote you word yesterday of what was going on tho' he says he had such a head ache that he could hardly see what he wrote - He & indeed every body is alarm'd at what the K. may be persuaded to do...there is at this moment a great meeting in Marybone [sic] & on Wednesday the Trades are to go again in procession to St. James's & the K. has fix'd on that day to go in great State to dine at the Duke of Buccleuch & stand God father to his child - as the Duke is a great anti-reformer his going at this moment is better avoided - it will not be very flattering to Lord Grey... people are very much interested that he should postpone it upon the same reason he was advis'd not to go to the City last year...I will not close my letter till the last moment that you may hear the latest accounts - Lord Ebrington is to go & propose to the House of Commons their approbation of the Ministers entreating them to remain which is suppos'd will be carried...There is a great assemblage of people in the Regency Sq'r - at present all is quiet - every body is gone to hear Lord Ebrington's Speech - if any thing worth writing about occurs you shall hear from me;" adding, in a postscript, that Lord Munster will send his report.