Anna Beddoes to Davies Giddy, begun shortly before and completed on 30 May 1801 [1]
And so I am desired and expected, by everybody to be merry, and write in good spirits – my silliness pleases more than my wisdom I find, my friends certainly are the best judges, and however unwilling I am to throw off my new acquired gravity of character, I must do it in my own defence, or else loose all my friends which I had much rather not do, particularly my new friend who would certainly desert me, if I were to be in the doleful dumps any more – I am glad you approved of the letter – the answer tells me that my requests shall be complied with, but he [2] proposes to be at Clifton in a few days and wishes to have half an hours conversation with me – You need not fear that I shall in any respect deviate from the path that has been so judiciously traced out for me – now I have nothing to combat with for my former feelings are gone – and I promise you they never shall return. – I wrote a long letter to your sister, but being unwell at the time I was desired to leave it unfinished, so I did, and unfinished it has remained ever since – but this was so much the better for I had said you would tell her what had passed, which I now find is not your intention so I shall write another – for this is all over and I won’t think of it any more – And now you must give me your advice for my friend [3] who is really in a very miserable situation, her Father has lately treated her with the greatest barbarity – he threatens to lock her up, & he says if a child of his dare exchange a word with her, he will turn her out of doors – all her poor sisters adore her – She says when she is of age which will be in a few months, she will go as governess into some family, for that she cannot live any longer with her father & mother who really both hate her – what do you think of this – it is better at least, than leaving her father without knowing where to go or what to do, without money, or any prospect of obtaining it. She has been more unhappy than usual lately; amongst those who frequent her father’s house is a young man a particular friend of her brother’s who has been a long time engaged to a lady of large fortune praised by all the world, more than by the man who ought to love her above all women, it was a match of interest made by the friends, & parents of both, and against the wishes of the young people, their estates which are both large for she is an heiress, join xxx they are in Ireland and it is to be a fine thing to throw them into one – The lady is said to be pleasing, but the gentleman is indifferent he has become intimately acquainted with my friend, & his indifference is increased – still he is bound in honour to marry the rich lady tho he has put it off so as to offend her friends. Maria T says she considers him as a married man, but tells him all her thoughts – & he seeks her society – this is rather imprudent so I have told her but she says nothing has passed that should not she says in a little time he will be married & she shall only loose his society – he has been always called a remarkably good young man and very prudent – Is not it an odd fancy to apply to you upon these sort of cases? I don’t know how it is, but we could not have found a better Solomon even had we gone back to the old fellow himself, who by the bye was not over nice in these little interesting affairs – I have been very happy these few last days for Amelia Keir [4] is come to spend a little time with us, accompanied by her husband Mr Moilliet a very [text missing] [5] young man to whom she is just ma[rried] [6] and she is one of your sisters stamp [text missing] [7] am sure you would like her, indeed ev[ery] [8]body that knew her must, for she is so remarkably amiable – and pleasing – she is well informed, and is I think certain to be happy – –
Saturday. [9] Ah my dear friend, the softened voice, gentle manner, and the tears of a man not effeminate, have awakened the feelings, which I told you were quite gone – yet upon the whole I have behaved pretty well – He arrived at Clifton yesterday – he did all he could to prevail upon me to change my resolution about the pictures – but I triumphed he said he would do nothing in the world to give me pain – but requested with so much affectionate earnestness to be allowed (since he must not see me) to write a few lines, now & then such he said as no creature could object to that – tho I said no to the very last, yet he said he should write once & leave it to me whether I would reply or not – his son is under our care – he means in a few months to come for him – & then he goes to Italy. – Indeed he is not a bad man – I am writing this at an Inn called Cannards Grave [10] 22 miles from Bristol – I left him – Dr was called to see a patient not far from home – & I accompanied him – he returns this night to town – and so it must not be – not even common friendship to subsist between us – very well – it is done then – Em [11] – rather xx harshly accused me of useless unkindness – she was very sorry for him – so old a man [12] it was absurd &c Oh! this vexed me & I was unhappy enough before – she might be sorry for him but was not I more so. Farewell. I am so sick I can write no mo[re] [13]
At least I [text obscured by seal] very bad – do so again [text obscured by seal] thank you & when you [text obscured by seal] sure write to me.
Address: Davies Giddy Esq / Tredrea / Marazion / Cornwall
Postmark: BRISTOL / JN1 801
Endorsement: 1801 / June the 1st.
Notes
[1] The date of the postmark and the date of the endorsement seem to agree: 1 June 1801. In 1801 the first of June was a Monday, and the Saturday preceding it was 30 May. The letter seems to have been completed on this Saturday.
[2] William Wynch.
[3] Maria Thompson.
[4] Amelia Keir (1780–1857), the only daughter of the chemist and industrialist James Keir (1735–1820), of Tipton near Birmingham. Thomas Beddoes had known Amelia since she was a girl, and Anna had visited the Keirs in January 1798. Amelia married John Lewis Moilliet (1770–1845) on 15 May 1801.
[5] Text missing, part of page torn away here.
[6] Conjectural reading, page torn away here.
[7] Text missing, page torn away here.
[8] Conjectural reading, page torn away here.
[9] This letter was endorsed with the date 1 June 1801 by Giddy, which, according to his practice, was either the date of the postmark (in this case not fully legible) or the date of receipt. In 1801 the first of June was a Monday, and the Saturday preceding it was 30 May. Given that it took three or four days for the post to get from Bristol to Tredrea, it seems likely that the endorsed date 1 June 1801 refers to the day of posting, so that the letter was begun shortly and continued on Saturday 30 May.
[10] Cannards Grave Inn, near Shepton Mallet, was named after Tom Kennard, who was the last man to be hung for sheep stealing in England.
[11] Emmeline, Anna’s sister.
[12] Wynch was then fifty or fifty-one.
[13] Conjectural reading; the writing goes off the page here.