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The present text covers pages 348–357, 360–389 of volume 1, including letters written from Killala and other places, such as Nenagh.
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Created: by Mary Pendarves, née Granville (1700–1788) Date range: 25 May to 30 October 1732.
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Dangan,
We left Dublin, last Thursday at twelve o'clock, stopped at a place called the Pace, where we bated ourselves and our horses. Miss Kelly and Letty Bushe accompanied us so far on our journey in a chaise, Mr. Usher, Nemmy Donnellan and Mr. Lloyd on horseback; those that we were to leave behind had most sorrowful faces. Phillis's love, and mine (that is Miss Kelly and Letty Bushe) played their parts very handsomely, and I should have been very glad could they have proceeded on the journey with us, but that was not practicable, so part we must, and did; at five o'clock I went in a chaise with my Lord Bishop; the evening was very pleasant, and the road very good.
Mr. Wesley took a walk to meet us two mile from his house; we got to our journey's end about eight o'clock, were received with a very hearty welcome; we shall not stay here longer than the latter end of next week. Our young men are not with us now, but are expected to day. The house is very large, handsome, and convenient, the situation not very pleasant, the country being flat about it, and great want of trees. Mr. Wesley is making great improvements of planting trees and making canals. You know the good people so well that belong to this place, that there is no occasion for me to say how agreeable they make their house, and they never fail of obliging me by enquiring after my dearest sister. The sweet little girls remember you and all your pretty ways. Miss Wesley does the honours of the house as well as if she was a woman. We live magnificently, and at the same time without
Newtown Gore2,
We are now, my dear sister, within six mile of Killala. We came here on Saturday night, and are to decamp this morning. But before I say anything of this place or the person it belongs to, I must let you know all that has happened since I last wrote to you. This is the third letter I have addressed to you in my travels; my first was from Mr. Wesley, Dangan; the other was from Mr. Mahone, Castlegar. I hope you have received both those letters, that you may see that wherever I go you are still in mind; not that I believe you want a confirmation of
The face of the country has very much improved since we left Mr. Mahone's, bogs less frequent, and pretty woods and water have supplied their place — a good exchange you'll say. The country of Ireland has no fault but want of inhabitants to cultivate it; the mountains and noble loughs, of which there are abundance, make a fine variety, but they cut down all their woods instead of preserving them here. Mr. Bingham and his lady are very agreeable people; he has been a great beau, and has seen a good deal of the world, is now turned perfect country gentleman, and affects bluntness and humour, which he manages so as to be very entertaining; Mrs. Bingham is very civil, and a smart woman. We left them on Saturday morning, travelled that day over very high mountains — a pretty romantic road. The roads are much better in Ireland than England,
Phill hopes she shall find a letter from you at Killala; you may now direct your letters to me there; you need say no more than for me "at Killala, in Ireland." The poverty of the people as I have passed through the country has made my heart ache, I never saw greater appearance of misery, they live in great extremes, either profusely or wretchedly.
Killala,
Killala is a very pretty spot of ground; the house old, and indifferent enough, the sea so near us, that we can see it out of our window; the garden, which is laid out entirely for use, is pretty, — a great many shady walks and full-grown forest trees. The Bishop has added a field, and planted it in very good taste; there are abundance of green hills on one side of the garden, on the other a fine view of the Bay, and main ocean beyond it, and several pleasant islands. I have given already an account of our journey, and how my heart fluttered as I went further from you, but I must not turn my thoughts that way now, if I do I shall soon grow incapable of finishing my letter.
One day Miss Don, Miss Forth, Mr. Crofton, Mr. Lloyd, and your Penny, mounted their horses to take the air! We rode very pleasantly for a mile by a sweet river, were caught in a smart shower of rain, took shelter in a cabin as poor as that I described to you some time ago, the master of it the greatest bear that ever walked erect on two legs, his wife little better, and that man is absolutely worth two thousand pounds a year; ‘muck is his darling,’ poor miserable wretch! but, however, he had hospitality to receive us as civilly as his sort of manners would allow, made a good fire, and his wife gave us tea; the sky cleared, we took our leave, and returned home wisely moralizing all the way, and condemning the sordidness of the wretch we left behind us.
Last Sunday the Bishop gave us a very good sermon. Perhaps you think our cathedral a vulgar one, and that
I expect the post every minute, beside supper stays for me, which puts me into a hurry of the spirits. We rise at eight, meet altogether at breakfast at ten, after that sit to work, Phill holds forth, Zaide7 entertains us at present in French, — 'tis a pretty romance. How I love Belasive, Alphonzo's mistress, and pity him, though his folly wrought his destruction. We dine at three, set to work again between five and six, walk out at eight, and come home time enough to sit down to supper, by ten, very pretty chat goes round till eleven, then prayers, and so to bed.
How many of my waking and sleeping hours does my dearest sister occupy! I harassed mama with a long letter
I am yours for ever and ever,
M. Pen.
Killala,
You have already had an account of our journey and safe arrival. You say nothing of my letter from Castle Gar (Mr Mahone's) so I supposed that has escaped you. Another you ought to receive from Sir Arthur Gore's. Poor Mrs Wilson! I am sorry for the shock her death must have given Sally, whose tenderness must sometimes take place of her wisdom, but I hope when she considers the great advantage her sister in all probability will receive by the exchange she has lately made, that she will be reconciled to the loss of a sister that has given her more woe than happiness; pray has Mrs. Wilson left any children? Whilst I am writing this letter my ears are dinged with the Irish howl, our window looks to the churchyard, and during the burial
Could you be here with a wish, our godships would soon have their band enlarged, and we would ravage Olympus to find a title suitable to you. I am glad you correspond with Gran, Phill takes it a little to heart that you have neglected her correspondence so much. I am glad Ogleby is worth your acquaintance. Let no
Notwithstanding many pretty things we do here, the shortening of the days gives me a secret joy — not that I wish for a return to Dublin, but the sooner winter comes, the sooner comes spring, the time when I am to take my flight and perch I know where.
I had a letter yesterday from my brother, by this time he is playing the coquet among the belles on Tonbridge walks, and I know not who can do it better! I have not yet had a letter from Lady Sunderland since Sir Robert's misfortunes. I believe she has not been in a very writing way; I own my heart aches for her, and the thought of her being unhappy comes across my mind too often. Who could have thought that her fortune should fail her? We have begun Clelia,9 she is a much better French lady than an English one; our hours of work and reading are from breakfast to dinner, and from five to seven our walking hours. You are very good in getting the copple-crowned fowl: I suppose they are white ones. I writ a direction how you were to send them to the Bishop, but for fear that letter should miscarry, I will repeat it.
Killala,
As I was yesterday sitting on a haycock, thinking intensely of her that gives the relish to all my pleasures, and as a reward for so faithfully performing my duty, my dearest sister's letter was brought to me. As for the riddle, I own my ignorance, I cannot find it out; pray always send me the explanations with your riddles, for I am dullness itself.
Poor Mrs. West! there's an end of her beauty and vanity; the illness she had before her death I hope was of service to her. Just as I came was I dragged out, to go to the grotto: I resisted as much as I could, that I might bestow all the evening on you, but company being here, I was afraid they might be affronted if I shut myself up, and country ladies, you know, are tetchy things. I have now snatched up my pen in great haste, much afraid I shall not have time to finish my letter before the postman sounds his horn.
You said not one word to me about Bunny's wearing his own hair.10 I had a letter yesterday from Lady Carteret: she writes me word that he ‘looks very well with his new-adorned pate.’ Tell me what you think? I fancy a wig became him better; what provoked him to cut so bold a stroke? I received a packet of the same sort as yours, the author is easily guessed — she is made of odd materials; I wonder at this time frolics can take place.
Last Monday our family and Mr. Palmer's met on a very agreeable expedition. We were in all twenty; we left home about eleven, and went four mile in coaches and chaises, then we all mounted our horses, and went to a place called Patrick Down, seven mile from Killala. The road is all the way by the sea-side, over vast cliffs, such as you have seen about Mr. Basset's, in Cornwall. We had no prospect from the Downs where we stood, but the main ocean; about a mile from the cliffs, that are of an immense height, is a rock which formerly was joined, I believe, to the part where we stood, for it seemed to be the same height: grass grows upon it, and there is the remains of a wall; it is so perpendicular that no one could climb it. The day was just so windy as to make the waves roll most beautifully, and dash and foam about the rocks. I never saw anything finer of the kind; it raised a thousand great ideas; oh! how I wished for you there! it is impossible to describe the oddness of the place, the strange rocks and cavities where the sea had forced its way. For our feast there was prepared what here they call a ‘swilled mouton,’ that is, a sheep roasted whole in its skin, scorched like a hog. I never eat anything better; we sat on the grass, had a rock for our table; and though there was great variety of good cheer, nothing was touched but the mouton. The day was very agreeable, and all the company in good humour.
I beg the receipt of American balsam and elder-berry water.
Killala,
Long before this will reach you you will be returned from Staunton.12 I can easily guess how well you spent
Sir Thomas Peyton13 was married on the 2nd June, at Cambridge — my friend Dr. Williams tied the Gordian knot; the affair was finished at Emneth.14 Very merry doings they have had ever since; the lady is far from a beauty, but every way else much commended. Now you must know I always thought the Tomtit a better judge of beauty than of the agreeable; I have not heard what fortune, but I fancy no great matter, or it would have been mentioned. It is comical that I, who am removed to one of the remotest parts of Hibernia, should be sending you news from your neighbourhood, but
Miss Forth made me abundance of speeches the other day for a letter she writ you, with directions how you might enclose my letters free; but as you have never mentioned the receiving it, or taken the advantage she proffered you, I suppose the letter miscarried; I am sorry you should miss of it, because it cost her some pains to write it; her eyes are not well enough to permit her to write often, or hardly at all.
Lord Weymouth has given his house at Old Windsor to his mother,15 who immediately sold it. I wish he had given it to me! 'twas on a pleasant spot of ground, and the house good enough for me. Lady Carteret writes me word that she has bought the ground her house stood on in Arlington Street, and that my lord designs to build there.16 Lady Dysart is at Welmingham, Miss Lewson with her: her daughter, Lady Grace, is at Ham, — a fine thriving child; Mrs. Percival is at a lodging at Little Chelsea, and Dr. Delany with her, who has just married a
Our fiddler has left us, so there's an end of dancing for some time, but we expect a famous piper and haut-boy, and then we shall foot it again most furiously. Miss Granville is gone to England; I hear that Lord Lansdowne went as far as Chester to meet her. Mrs. Graham has got another son. I fancy they will take a trip to France, but I have no authority to say it. Miss Bushe writes me once a fortnight — she has as good a command of her pen as of her pencil: she sends me some pretty produce of her pencil every time she writes: when I see you I shall be able to show you a collection of her works. I must write three or four letters this post besides this, so adieu, my much-loved sister; I have not had any letter from my brother Bevil, but my Lord Lansdowne has had an account since I heard of him, that confirms the news of his extraordinary good fortune.
The Islington Wells which are mentioned in this letter, were also called Sadler's Wells, from a spring of mineral water, discovered by a man named Sadler, in 1683, in the garden of a house which he had opened as a public music-room, and called by his
A Morning Ramble, or, Islington Wells Burlesqt.
Of Tunbridge springs which most excells
I'll tell you by my ten year's practice
Plainly what the matter of fact is:
Those are but good for one disease,
To all distempers this gives ease.
London, 1684.
Killala,
Your last letter, my dearest sister, raised an idea that I could not think of without a mixture of pain and pleasure, the remembrance of those happy hours that I have passed with you and Sappho: the arbour, Bunhill, the fields, all the places where we have enjoyed her conversation I have a particular regard for, and could not bear their being passed away, had I not hopes of renewing that satisfaction as soon as I can set my foot on English ground: that prospect indeed is too far off, but winter approaches, and as soon as a safe passage may be depended on, I shall sail over the main to my best beloved sister.
I hope Sally finds a great deal of comfort from her fair companion whose person you commend: if she has a mind capable of improvement she has now a fair opportunity of cultivating it to the utmost advantage. I am glad our goddaughter is such a lively creature, and gives you reason to think she will have her mother's wit. I hope Mr. Gore has accommodated his affairs to Mr. Kirkham's satisfaction:
Last week we were hard at work in gathering a fresh recruit of shells to finish the grotto. You lost some sport by the Tracys and Fredericks being from home. The verses on Stella and Flavia positively are Mrs. Barber's. Dr. Delany's being married to a very rich widow,17 and Mrs. Barber's design of leaving England soon, may be you know already. We have been diverted lately in reading the renowned history of Reynard the Fox. The fair of Killala has added largely to our library — Parismus18 and Parismenos,19 the Seven Champions, Valentine and Orson, and various other delectable histories too numerous to be here inserted. Philosophy,
This is Sunday morning. Mr. Lloyd is to preach to-day, which I rejoice at, for he preaches prodigiously well. I have a very good joke to tell you, but Phill has a mind to be the tell-tale herself, so I think I must leave it to her: it is a thing that has flustered me not a little. You must have patience till next week, and considering how long you kept silence, you may be contented.
We had excellent sport at the fair; I gave you an account of the method that was to be observed, the games and the prizes. About eleven o'clock Mrs. Clayton, well attended, in her coach drawn by six flouncing Flanders mares, went on the strand, three heats the first race. The second gave us much more sport; five horses put in, the last horse was to win, and every man rode his neighbour's horse without saddle, whip, or spur. Such hollowing, kicking of legs, sprawling of arms, could not be seen without laughing immoderately; in the afternoon chairs were placed before the house, where we all took our places in great state, all attired in our best apparel, it being Mrs. Clayton's birthday; then dancing, singing, grinning, accompanied with an excellent bagpipe, the whole concluded with a ball, bonfire, and illuminations; pray does your Bishop promote such entertainments at Gloster as ours does at Killala?
I had a letter last post from Lady Carteret Lady
You say nothing of my brother's having left off his wig: how does his hair become him? what work are you about, and what book?
I suppose you saw the Winningtons and Griffiths; are they as usual, or has any alteration happened? Where is Sir Tony? Now I am drawing towards my fortieth year,21 'tis time to enquire after him. Did Mrs. Wilson leave any children? No end of my questions to-day.
22 Dined at Lismullen;23 Mr. Dillon's house made mighty neat; a vast deal of wood and wild gardens about it. Walked to see the ruins of the old Abby near them — a vast building enclosed with large trees, great subterraneous buildings, with arches of cut stone, which make no other appearance above the earth than as little green hillocks, like mole-hills. The arches seem to have been openings to little cells, rather than continued passages to any place; they are very low — whether it be that
The 25th, left Naver, and travelled through bad roads and a dull uninhabited country, till we came to Cabaragh, Mr. Prat's house, an old castle modernized, and made very pretty: the master of it is a virtuoso, and discovers whim in all his improvements. The house stands on the side of a high hill; has some tall old trees about it; the gardens are small but neat; there are two little terrace walks, and down in a hollow is a little commodious lodge where Mr. Prat lived whilst his house was repairing. But the thing that most pleased me, was a rivulet that tumbles down from rocks in
The 26th, left Mr. Prat's, and travelled over the most mountainous country I ever was in; still as we had passed over one hill, another showed itself, Alps peeped over Alps, and ‘hills on hills’ arose: the face of the country not pleasant till I came to Shercock, which is a handsome house, and stands over a fine lake, that has several woods and meadows on the sides of it. A vast deal of heath and ploughed land from that till I came within three miles of Coote Hill, then the scene changed most surprisingly, and the contrast is so strong, that one imagines they are leaving a desert and coming into Paradise. The town of Coote Hill is like a pretty English village, well situated, and all the land about it cultivated and enclosed with cut hedges and tall trees in rows. From the town one drives nearly a mile on a fine gravelled road, a cut hedge on each side, and rows of old oak and ash trees, to Mr. Coote's house. Within two hundred yards of the house is a handsome gate-way, which is built in great taste, with a fine arch to drive through. This house lies on the top of a carpet hill, with large lakes on each side which extend four miles, and are surrounded by fine groves of well-grown forest trees. Below the house and between the lakes is a little copsewood which is cut into vistas and serpentine walks that have the softest sods imaginable, and here and there overgrown forest trees, in the midst of them there is jessamine, woodbine, and sweetbrier, that climb up the trees; and all sorts of flowers sprinkled in the woods; all these have end in the view of a lake of four or five miles long. From the copsewood you go into a spacious moss-walk,
Killala,
I believe Gloster looked dirty enough after the sweets of the Vale of Evesham and Glostershire hills. I have not heard lately of young Walpole's25 love: I do
Now, having answered all your queries, I proceed to inform you how we have passed our time since I last wrote. Last Tuesday our family and the Palmers went to a place called Kilcummin, not very unlike Down Patrick, but nearer to us; the day was very fine, the sea in a great agitation; we had a magnificent entertainment, with a rock our table, and rocks for seats, where we had a full prospect of the sea in all its glory, and were shaded from the wind. We were exceedingly merry; no one of the company seemed to want anything to complete their pleasure, except myself. I fell into my usual reveries, which are now so well understood, that I am indulged in them. We returned home well satisfied with our entertainment.
Last Friday we were diverted in another way: it was Mr. Lloyd's birthday, his father was bishop of this place, and Mr. Lloyd was born in this house, for which reasons it was thought proper to solemnize it. We all dressed ourselves out with all our gaiety and abundance of good taudry fancy. After dinner a fiddler appeared, to dancing we went ding dong, in the midst of which I received your last dear letter. Notice was given that a set of maskers desired admittance; so in they
The enclosed poem was presented to the gentleman of the day, which I think well deserves your notice. They were made by Mr. Donnellan, though he will not own them.
- Recitative
Hail to the day
That gave the noble Welshman birth;
Th' illustrious Lloyd.
The pride of Wales and glory of the earth.
Descended from a kingly race
Of Welsh nobility.
Cadwaladyr and Tudor's grace
His royal stock and blazon out his pedigree.- Air
What tongue can tell, or pen describe the joy
That ushered in the lovely royal boy.
The shaggy tribe in transports wild,
Did frisk, curvet, and play;
The rugged rocks and mountains smiled,
And Penmaen mawr looked gay.
The leek in freshest verdure clad,
Its choicest odours spread
And formed a beauteous garland glad
T' adorn the hero's head.- Recitative
From heavenly mansions bright,
The gods with Taffy posted to the earth,
And at Penhwnllys27 famous castle light,
T' attend the great, the vast the important birth,
They club the lovely babe t'endow.
With every virtue, every grace.
Each god and goddess did their gifts bestow
To dizen out his body, soul, and face.
These Taffy mixed, and his best clay employed,
Then called the happy composition, Lloyd.
- Air
Let every Welshman then with might and main,
Echo aloud his praise,
And every harp with stirring strain
Call forth its choicest lays.
Let the seas roar,
On the bleak shore,
The rocks their joy proclaim;
And kids and goats,
With quivering throats.
Bleat forth his mighty fame.
Chorus.
Let every, etc.28
Killala,
I won't make an apology to you, my dear sister, for not writing to you last post; I know you are better pleased
Your last letter was kind, entertaining, and delightful. I blame myself for not sometimes shewing your letters, they would do you great honour, but I have a particular pleasure in thinking, though they are worthy of being perused by the best judges, that they are designed only for me, and that my shewing them would rather offend than please you. I however read part of some of them to dear Phill, who has the heart and delicacy to be delighted with them, and she says you write better than anybody and with more ease and liveliness. I hope you have now the pleasure of my brother's company, and that the assizes and review will have given you much diversion: you are list'ning to the sound of the trumpet, the beating of the drum, and the fine speeches of the officers, whilst we are occupied in our rural sports, far
Do display your fan, my dear sister, never spare it, and make those wretches tremble that would make you a slave were you in their clutches. I don't believe one word of Tom Tit's great fortune; for I think his aunt and sister would have acquainted me with it were it true. The occasion of Miss Forth's writing to you, was to put you in a way of enclosing your letters to a relation of hers, that would have conveyed them without expense to me; she said nothing of it to me at that time for fear I should oppose her giving herself so much trouble; but I have made your compliments to her, and that will do as well as your writing to her. You have reason to wish to hear Mr. Donnellan preach; he is very excellent that way, but has weak lungs, and is forced to spare himself; he has not brought a sermon with him to Killala, to my great disappointment, I never heard him but once. I believe I
Yesterday at five o' the clock in the afternoon we took boat and went to a shore about a mile off to gather shells, where we found a vast variety of beauties. We were very merry at our work, but much merrier in our return home, for five of us, viz., Phill, Mrs. Don., Mr. Lloyd, and a young clergyman (who is here very often, one Mr. Langton), and Penelope all mounted a cart, and home we drove as jocund as ever five people were. I laughed immoderately at the new carriage, and wished for you there, more than ever I did when flaunting in a coach and six. The rest of the company were conveyed home
Nenagh,
This is the first opportunity I have had since my leaving Castlebar, of writing to my dearest sister; the days that we have rested on the road have not happened on post days. If you have suffered by that, I promise you I have heartily shared with you; and the want of telling you every step I took, made the road tedious and dull. Perhaps you'll say that was owing to the bad ways and weather; no indeed; the roads, though bad for Irish
I writ to you from Mr. Bingham's: we staid there Tuesday and Wednesday, and were very merry. Left that place on Thursday morning, and dined at another Mr. Bingham's, about eight miles from Castlebar, uncle of the Mr. Bingham we left — a very good, agreeable sort of man, extremely beloved by all the gentlemen of the country; his wife — a plain country lady, civil, hospitable and an immoderate lover of quadrille; their two eldest daughters are beauties — reserved, well-behaved, but not entertaining, so we passed that day hum-drumish. The next morning we decamped, and travelled to Tuam; nothing happened on the road remarkable, sometimes I rode, but generally went in the chaise with Phill, that being the way I like best. We got early into our inn, played at my lady's hole, supped, and went early to bed.
The next day we arrived at Mrs. Mahone's, staid there Sunday and Monday, were free and easy, lived as at Killala, everybody went their own way, we danced and sung, and were entertained in a very handsome friendly manner. We left them Tuesday morning; jogged on through bogs, and over plains, and about three miles from the place we were to rest, we passed a fine place called Aire's Court, a great many fine woods and improvements that looked very English. We passed the finest river in Ireland — the Shannon, but it was so dark I saw but little of it; it parts Connaught and Munster. The town we lay at that night was Bannahir, in the King's County. After very little rest in a bad inn, we rose at six, and made the best of our way to the place where we are now lodged, which belongs to Mr. Donellan. The
Nenagh,
As I was saying, my dearest sister, this place has afforded me very good entertainment of all sorts. The people you know already, by my account of them. Mr. Donellan has only laid the plan of his improvements, and raised fine nurseries for that purpose; he is going immediately to execute his designs, which when finished will be delightful. Nature has done everything for him
The weather has been very favorable to us since our being here; we have gone every morning in chaises to view Mr. Donellan's grounds. We dine at three, plenty of excellent food. After tea and coffee, we divide into different parties. The Bishop and Mr. Donellan go to chess, a party of quadrille is made, and the overplus play at backgammon, at which I always make one. Mr. Kit Donellan is here, and young Nemmy, and we are a jolly company; we sup at ten, and go to bed very late. Yesterday we went to church, the Bishop preached. Company came to dinner, among them a great beauty, Miss Pretty: she is very handsome, and if she was less acquainted with it, it would be more agreeable; she is tall and well shaped, and has a great resemblance to Lady Charlotte Hyde and Peg Sutton. We are to dine abroad Tuesday and Wednesday, to my sorrow; for I do hate the fuss of dressing, and unpacking all one's frippery. I have a pretty girl at my elbow, about five years old, who has asked me a thousand questions; Mrs. Donellan has very fine children, her two eldest boys are at school. At home
We shall not go back to Mrs. Wesley's till after we have been at Dublin, which will be more convenient to us all, for our apparel wants to be recruited. I have taken my brother at his word, and have not troubled him with a letter since I began my journey. I suppose you let him know my progress, and that I am now in the County of Tipperary. After breakfast I thought myself sure of time enough to finish your letter; but a walk was proposed, and the company insisted on my going with them, and by that means my letter was delayed a post. The weather has happily favoured us ever since our being here, by which means we have had an opportunity of seeing all Mr. Donellan's estate, and knowing all his schemes. How much more laudable is his turn, than most country gentlemen's, who generally prefer a good stable and kennell, to the best house and finest improvements, though the expense would be rather less. Three days together have we dined abroad.
We shall not go away till Monday; you must not expect to hear from [a piece here out], the town of ‘Nenagharoon,’ that is, in English, Sweet Nenagh; at the bottom of the hill, which is covered with wood, runs the river, by the side of which Mr. Donellan can make a walk three miles long, of the finest turf that ever was seen. The river is so well disposed, that he can make cascades, and do what he pleases with it; I almost envy him the pleasure his improvements will give him every hour:
Oh, I had almost forgot a request I promised to make, which was for the receipt of your white elder wine; we met with some yesterday that was not quite so good as ours; and Mrs. Clayton wants the receipt mightily. I am always troubling you with some trumpery thing or other: I wish you could contrive to send me over a pattern of your gloves, that I may bring you over a few pair, when I come to you; not that the gloves are better here than in England, but they are cheaper. Does your stuff wear well? Mrs. Clayton designs having her assembly when she goes to town till Lent, so we must prepare for hurrydurry; but as it will be the only agreeable crowd, I think it may be borne once a week. I shall soon now give you an account of your old acquaintances, Will, Usher, Mrs. Hamilton, etc., whom you have not heard of a great while; till then, my dearest sister, once more adieu, wherever I am my best affections are constantly with you; 'tis not possible for me to be more faithfully than I am,