Anna Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 14 October 1808
It gave me great pleasure to hear from you my dear friend, and your kind attention in writing so soon was particularly gratifying to me – I wished to write to you even before your little letter arrived, but when I consider how widely your thoughts are diffused and how varyingly your interests are divided I shrink back, and am surprised at my own vanity, which I suppose you have by this time found out is an hereditary defect — you had more leisure once, and I dearly love to look back upon days that are gone — never to return, this thoughts hang over my mind so frequently that I can scarcely restrain my tears — I cannot account for a species of melancholy which steals upon me in the midst of my happyest moments when you were here last this was the case, — the day you left us to be sure I might find some excuse for this feeling, which was so painful, that I vainly endeavoured by employment to overcome it — It is pleasant to have one friend to whom every thought may be confided – I have done with myself for the present — You will be pleased to hear that poor Maria Thompson is coming to live at Clifton with a maiden lady who has made some pecuniary agreement with her & her sister Fanny [1] & when their incomes are joined she thinks they can live comfortably enough – The lady’s name is Wrothers, she has a large acquaintance, & will have a house in Richmond Place – their agreement does not exceed three or fourth months, when she can come to pay us a visit without any thing being said with any appearance of truth of our having seduced her from her parents — Little Tom is returned, [2] much healthier in appearance than when he left home – and in very good spirits — the Dr has caught a violent cold so that he is very hoarse — I am well — If it is but a line I like to hear from you as it is a most sure and agreeable proof that you do not forget your affectionate
old friend
Anna
I beg to be kindly remembered to Mrs Giddy ——
PS.
Who was your Coachman?
Endorsement: Anna / 1808 / Octr the 14th
Notes
[1] Fanny Thompson (d. 1837), Maria’s sister.
[2] Anna’s son Thomas Lovell Beddoes had been with his Edgeworth uncles and aunts in Ireland.