Emily Collinson’s letter to her son includes a print of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne intended to show her son's Chinese friends what a country towns look like. She expresses her anxiety of not hearing from him from many months and refers to newspaper accounts on monsoons affecting the mail. She informs him that they have published extracts of his previous letters in local newspapers. A large section of the letter is devoted to a ‘journal’ of events at home and news of family and friends visiting. She concludes by hoping to send a parcel to him and asks what she should send.