George Cautley (1807?-1880), a clergyman and scholar, writes to Stratford Canning, Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe (1780-1880), a diplomat, about activities in his neighborhood and expresses hope that the Viscount's wife's health will improve. Cautley also shares his plans to publish a translation of the Emblems of Alciati, asks about the Viscount's literary work and gives reviews of a few recently published works.