1017 - Judith Madan to Martin Madan, 20 February 1734
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1733/4
I have just recd yrs, my Dearest Life! & in one
moment forget ye Pain of Sundays Disapointment – I am pleas’d Even wth
that Part of yr Letter, where you condemn me as Indiscreet, it shows a
Freedom, & sincerity wch my Heart, will ever Expect to meet from you, and
Beside I do not desire yo to Love my Follys, & Imperfections, I Exact no
you find, or think you find me in the wrong, you would always consider
wt was my Real intention, & motive, however I may be mistaken in the
means, if yo find yr Happiness, & advantage not my aim, I Desire to be
thrown out of your Regard, & to forfeit that Place in your Heart, wch ye kind
& Endearing Assurance in yr Last make me Hope I still maintain – yet
tho’ I have own’d my {^self} not displeas’d with yr Reproofs, how happy should I
think my Lot, could I
- shade all my Faults from your Enquiring Sight,
and place my merits in the Fairest Light –
and Now, my Dear Madan, give my Leave to Justifie my Conduct in the
affair now under consideration, that I am fond of Hertfordshire I do not
Deny, & that of all ye places in it, I prefer Aston Burry is also True; but
that I would settle there without your full & Entire approbation, is what I
cannot fear you should Imagine me capable of
[f.137v]
from Desiring to trespass on yr goodness & Indulgence to me, by Hurrying
into a Complyance of this Kind, if you have ye Least scruple unanswer’d, or
Dissatisfaction Left about it, therefore tell me your Real sentiments, wt that
Frankness, I think I have a Right to demand from ye Partner of my soul.
From whom to conceal any part of mine, I should look on as a crime you
ought never to forgive – as to my consenting to Joyn in ye Purchase
Hope you do not Imagine I ever Pretended to do it I talk’d of {^it}as Ashley will tell you
as a thing I wish’d, & submitted {^to} your self to Determine, & have still kept off ye
concluding ye Purchase, yt I might ye better judge of yr sentiments in ye affair, &
had you given any material Reasons or seem’d in any degree, Eager to a Being
in another County, I am sure Ashley would not have proceeded so far, tho he
Charm’d with ye Place, & did design to have made ye Purchase before I Let
him into our scheme, he says he is fully satisfie’d as to ye Value of the
Land, not from ye partys concern’d But from ye Neighbouring farmers, However,
it is not yet settle’d when it is, you are to have it on ye terms you propose
{^to my yearly} Half ye Interest at 4 pr Cent, of the Purchase money. We hope’d some
acct from you of ye House you said you were to see, if you think that or
any other you can Hear of
is settle’d, I am sure all here are so desirous you should be pleas’d in this
affair, they will yet come into wt will be most agreeable to you, but Love
no time, for I cannot say how soon this may be Finish’d tho’ I Believe it may
be 3 weeks Longer at Least, & in that time send me your thoughts &
Final Determination. If we have this place, I shall follow ye
method you propose, as {^to} removing wch will make it very convenient, & Easy; Let us
know wt Tonson’ says, our House at Holliport, I offer’d to Harcourt before I
came Hither, but as they are to
I had a letter tother day from yr Br Jamey, he had been at Chelsea to see
Martin, & found him wth two coats on, upon Enquiring ye Reason, was told it was
[f.138]
to keep his Best coat clean his play coat being worn out, upon wch,/sup> my Br says
he order’d him a Dugget suit for that Purpose, I am sorry so much pains has
been taken to save his fustian till it is outgrown, & wonder Mrs,/sup> Webster could
manage no Better. He is well, as are all Here, & at Holliport, I hear from
thence every week, my last Brought an account of Ldy Stapletons having
miscarry’d of two children,
you bid me tell you all my thoughts of you since you left me! how much
Easier would it be, had you Enjoy’d me to tell you all I have thought that did
not Relate to you! As to ye first, tis Endless, I could as Easyly number ye
Leaves in Autumn, or Reckon up my obligations to you, a General Sence of
wch is impress’d on my soul, but ye Particulars, not in ye Power of my
arithmatick: this be assur’d your image is perpetually before my Eyes,
from wch I cannot, nor indeed would not, separate ye Idea of the thousand Joys
yt ever attend you, there is no one action of yours that ever was, or will
be indifferent to me, no one inclination of yr Heart, by wch my own is not
sensibly touch’d – your Joys; your Pains, Real & imaginary, your Hopes
Fears, & Little anxieties, all are mine, & all Render you Dearer to my
soul – I thank Heaven, that in all I have suffer’d from ye malice of our
Ill fortune in ye ten years I have been yrs, I have ever maintain’d a Judgment
Clear Enough, to consider you, as a full Recompence for all - & the Possession
of your Heart, amply amends for the Loss of Friend, & constant succession
of Unhappy Accidents that have befallen us abroad, & at Home – I hope all
of that ill Fate that has hitherto persu’d us is over, & ye years yt are to
come will be as Row. says – White & Lucky all – adieu, my
soul, I can scarce Leave a subject so agreeable to me, yet for your sake
adieu!
I beg to hear from you soon answer all ye Particulars of this, & if you think it too Long
tell me so – Turn over & you’ll find something to make you amends, I shall soon
[f.138v]
send you a miscellany worth your reading.
Ashley on the Death of his Son.
Dig a grave, & Dig it Deep,
Where my Child, & I may sleep
near some Haggard Blessed Oak
Where ye midnight Ravens croak
or some nodding Frightfull Cliff,
Where ye wretched find Relief
Lay me down in mournfull state,
mournfull as my luckless Fate,
Scorpion’s Furies Hither come,
and with yr Horrors Grace my Tomb,
Hither Ruin’d maids Repair,
and with your Cries torment ye air,
Here let Tears of orphans flow!
and swell ye dreadfull Pomp of woe!
Let ye mother, Frantick Wild.
Mourn her lost her Dearest Child –
sweet (if such a one can Be)
as cruel fates have Torn from me;
Then, when you see her Boson Bear
Ghastly Looks of Dumb Dispair,
view my sorrows painted there.
Can anything be more tender, & natural?
1733/4
I have just recd yrs, my Dearest Life! & in one
moment forget ye Pain of Sundays Disappointment – I am pleased Even wth
that Part of yr Letter, where you condemn me as Indiscreet, it shows a
Freedom, & sincerity wch my Heart, will ever Expect to meet from you, and
Beside I do not desire yo to Love my Follies, & Imperfections, I Exact no
you find, or think you find me in the wrong, you would always consider
wt was my Real intention, & motive, however I may be mistaken in the
means, if yo find yr Happiness, & advantage not my aim, I Desire to be
thrown out of your Regard, & to forfeit that Place in your Heart, wch ye kind
& Endearing Assurance in yr Last make me Hope I still maintain – yet
tho’ I have own’d my {^self} not displeased with yr Reproofs, how happy should I
think my Lot, could I
- shade all my Faults from your Enquiring Sight,
and place my merits in the Fairest Light –
and Now, my Dear Madan, give my Leave to Justify my Conduct in the
affair now under consideration, that I am fond of Hertfordshire I do not
Deny, & that of all ye places in it, I prefer Aston Burry is also True; but
that I would settle there without your full & Entire approbation, is what I
cannot fear you should Imagine me capable of
[f.137v]
from Desiring to trespass on yr goodness & Indulgence to me, by Hurrying
into a Compliance of this Kind, if you have ye Least scruple unanswered, or
Dissatisfaction Left about it, therefore tell me your Real sentiments, wt that
Frankness, I think I have a Right to demand from ye Partner of my soul.
From whom to conceal any part of mine, I should look on as a crime you
ought never to forgive – as to my consenting to Join in ye Purchase
Hope you do not Imagine I ever Pretended to do it I talked of {^it}as Ashley will tell you
as a thing I wished, & submitted {^to} your self to Determine, & have still kept off ye
concluding ye Purchase, yt I might ye better judge of yr sentiments in ye affair, &
had you given any material Reasons or seemed in any degree, Eager to a Being
in another County, I am sure Ashley would not have proceeded so far, though he
Charmed with ye Place, & did design to have made ye Purchase before I Let
him into our scheme, he says he is fully satisfied as to ye Value of the
Land, not from ye parties concerned But from ye Neighbouring farmers, However,
it is not yet settled when it is, you are to have it on ye terms you propose
{^to my yearly} Half ye Interest at 4 pr Cent, of the Purchase money. We hoped some
account from you of ye House you said you were to see, if you think that or
any other you can Hear of
is settled, I am sure all here are so desirous you should be pleased in this
affair, they will yet come into wt will be most agreeable to you, but Love
no time, for I cannot say how soon this may be Finished though I Believe it may
be 3 weeks Longer at Least, & in that time send me your thoughts &
Final Determination. If we have this place, I shall follow ye
method you propose, as {^to} removing wch will make it very convenient, & Easy; Let us
know wt Tonson’ says, our House at Holliport, I offered to Harcourt before I
came Hither, but as they are to
I had a letter t'other day from yr Br Jamey, he had been at Chelsea to see
Martin, & found him wth two coats on, upon Enquiring ye Reason, was told it was
[f.138]
to keep his Best coat clean his play coat being worn out, upon wch,/sup> my Br says
he ordered him a Dugget suit for that Purpose, I am sorry so much pains has
been taken to save his fustian till it is outgrown, & wonder Mrs Webster could
manage no Better. He is well, as are all Here, & at Holliport, I hear from
thence every week, my last Brought an account of Ldy Stapletons having
miscarried of two children,
you bid me tell you all my thoughts of you since you left me! how much
Easier would it be, had you Enjoyed me to tell you all I have thought that did
not Relate to you! As to ye first, tis Endless, I could as Easily number ye
Leaves in Autumn, or Reckon up my obligations to you, a General Sense of
wch is impressed on my soul, but ye Particulars, not in ye Power of my
arithmetic: this be assured your image is perpetually before my Eyes,
from wch I cannot, nor indeed would not, separate ye Idea of the thousand Joys
yt ever attend you, there is no one action of yours that ever was, or will
be indifferent to me, no one inclination of yr Heart, by wch my own is not
sensibly touched – your Joys; your Pains, Real & imaginary, your Hopes
Fears, & Little anxieties, all are mine, & all Render you Dearer to my
soul – I thank Heaven, that in all I have suffered from ye malice of our
Ill fortune in ye ten years I have been yrs, I have ever maintained a Judgment
Clear Enough, to consider you, as a full Recompense for all - & the Possession
of your Heart, amply amends for the Loss of Friend, & constant succession
of Unhappy Accidents that have befallen us abroad, & at Home – I hope all
of that ill Fate that has hitherto pursued us is over, & ye years yt are to
come will be as Row. says – White & Lucky all – adieu, my
soul, I can scarce Leave a subject so agreeable to me, yet for your sake
adieu!
I beg to hear from you soon answer all ye Particulars of this, & if you think it too Long
tell me so – Turn over & you’ll find something to make you amends, I shall soon
[f.138v]
send you a miscellany worth your reading.
Ashley on the Death of his Son.
Dig a grave, & Dig it Deep,
Where my Child, & I may sleep
near some Haggard Blessed Oak
Where ye midnight Ravens croak
or some nodding Frightful Cliff,
Where ye wretched find Relief
Lay me down in mournful state,
mournful as my luckless Fate,
Scorpion’s Furies Hither come,
and with yr Horrors Grace my Tomb,
Hither Ruined maids Repair,
and with your Cries torment ye air,
Here let Tears of orphans flow!
and swell ye dreadful Pomp of woe!
Let ye mother, Frantic Wild.
Mourn her lost her Dearest Child –
sweet (if such a one can Be)
as cruel fates have Torn from me;
Then, when you see her Boson Bear
Ghastly Looks of Dumb Despair,
view my sorrows painted there.
Can anything be more tender, & natural?
Judith Madan to Martin Madan, 20 February 1734
The arrival of Martin’s letter alleviates some of the disappointment Judith had felt the previous Sunday. Discussion of their love for each other and each other’s dispositions, and the place they have in each other’s hearts. Discussion of purchasing a house. Little Martin has been wearing two coats because he doesn’t want to wear them out. All are well, but Lady Stapleton had recently miscarried two children. Martin has asked Judith to write down all the thoughts she has had of him – she responds that it would take less time if he wrote down all the thoughts she has had that weren’t about him. Judith includes a few lines of verse, entitled ‘Ashley on the death of his son”.
Madan Family
Eng Letter C.284 f.137
Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
1734
2
20
Colne Green [Bristol, Somerset, England]
[England]
primary author
heart
thinking
separation
- grateful
- love (romantic)
- disposition
- mind
- self
- soul
- thought
marriage
primary addressee
heart
separation
- affection
- happy
- hopeful
- love (romantic)
- worried
soul
pain
marriage
other
- build
- clothing
- status
childhood
well
Judith Madan to Martin Madan, 20 February 1734, 2021734: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, Madan Family, Eng Letter C.284 f.137