West Yorkshire Archive Service  SH:7/ML/698

Anne's plans for the winter; the LADIES COMPANION (Letter torn and taped back together, a couple squares missing) 

Leamington Weds. 17th July 1833

Dearest Fred,

I am so afraid of the John Lawton’s arriving

and thereby preventing the few lines you ask for. That

without doing more than swallowing my breakfast, I sit

down to tell you how much obliged I am for your letter

this morning. I hardly expected it, & therefore it was doubly

welcome. I fear, indeed, you must be a little dull, but

this I trust will quickly pass away, if not likely to do so, you

have still within your reach the means of providing for yourself,

(for winter at least) the enjoyments of friendship and converse

and I would not throw them lightly away, do anything

that will crown your winter with roses. If your friends

decidedly negative any of your plans they ought I think

to find you better ones, if Mrs Bob D won’t do, let them

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seek some one who will, for it seems they don’t recommend

Lady G. tho’ they would not object to her. I shall try to

find out whether the widow would have gone had the

plan been proposed. Your uncertainty may well surprise

your friends who probably have never seen any thing in

you but that quickness & promptitude which is so often

met with in genius - you ought not to wonder that

others are not like you. The weaknesses of human nature

are much more predominant than sense and genius, &

to judge others by yourself is not fair to either — I have no

doubt but that you will decide well at last, at all rates

consider what is best for your own comfort, surely you have no friends

who will quarrel with your doing this - you say you can make

any thing answer, & Heaven I trust will prosper your ability to do so.

I shall be most anxious dearest to hear your determination

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(torn page) have found my per ----------------------------  to beg

one to send you a “Ladies Companion" ------------------- of post,

you forget that they are not ----------------- had here. They must

be sent for from Sheffield. However as you seem bent upon

having one I will run the risque of sending you mine, & will

send for one for myself. The thimble I cannot send as Mrs

Chaloner has had it engraved with my name, & it is a

very particular looking one, tho' very disagreeable to use —

you must therefore get one to fit the case -

I am better today than I expected to be, tho’ I had little

sleep. My horse, still the grey, won’t do for me, he starts at coaches

& James thinks must have sometime or other been hurt by one as he

would fly thro’ the hedge rather than meet one. I will take care of

myself and be as happy as I can. At this moment I am not dull

for I feel to have plenty to do. I have seen none of the households

but I hear comfortable accounts of all. I found a letter from home

and one from W. C. - the former says Nantz is better. The latter begs

a few lines on my return, & answers to some questions about Mr C.

I shall be heartily glad when the next fortnight is over. I dread

the Law --------------------------- ke the best ——------------------------

comes in ———------------------ Fred! I never have forgotten you ——

ever can ------------------------------ fresh as ever. Opinions may have changed

with circumstances --------------- had “devotion” in words, you have had

it at least ———------------------- all leave my letter open to the last.

The John Lawtons arrived about 3– I am sick at heart, & so would you if you

had such a prospect before you — Martha is all sunbeam, she likes her place

& every body likes her. If the “Ladies companion” does not arrive in time for

you, send it back & I will send you one by Lady Gordon if you send me

her direction — God bless you — believe me always truly & affectionately yours

Mariana.

You will find a letter in Paris.

Letter address:

To Anne Lister - Knights Hotel - Dover Kent

Note by Anne Lister on front of letter:

Received Tuesday 30 July 1833 at Laffites Paris under cover from Quillacq

Answered Friday 2 August 1833

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Note: Once upon a time someone decided to rip this particular letter into a bunch of squares. And then a heroic individual taped them all back together again. But alas! A couple pieces are missing and I've indicated that with a bunch of -------.

But thanks to this letter surviving I will now add amateur 'digtabulist' to my resume. I will find that thimble...