Autograph Letter Signed ('R H Barham') to Mrs Packman of Selling, near Faversham, Kent.

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Addressed, with fragments of red wax seal, on reverse of second leaf. On aged, worn and grubby paper, with extensive damage to second leaf, from which a panel amounting to around a sixth of its area is lacking, with a further two holes repaired with archival tape. The fifty-one lines of text of the first leaf clear and complete; loss to twenty of the twenty-seven lines of the text on the second leaf. A lighthearted missive, sending ornate birthday greetings to Miss Rush, and including news of his Oxford friend Harry Rush, and of 'the elopement of Miss Bristow with Mr Martin'. 'In [Beauty] I have been considerably improv'd since I left Canterbury by the addition of two large Whiskers on the upper lip which have given a peculiarly pleasing effect to my countenance and render'd it almost irresistable, [sic] indeed the number of additional conquests I have made since this improvement have been in the proportion of nearly three to one; They are rather inconvenient to be sure at first, particularly in eating soup, but what can I do? - The Ladies will expire if I cut them off.'