Mount Pleasant May 10^th.. 1814

My dear James
You will be surprised to receive a Letter
from me so soon but really I am so un{^com}fortable in my
mind I cannot rest never since you left here as my
Father given {^me} either a pleasant word, or look, the Evening
after you left he asked me many questions and said he
thought it very strange you had not contrived some
means to talk to him upon the subject before you left
Manch^r_ and wondered how you could leave me in that
situation he said it plainly appeared to him you had
you had no real love or any intentions of marrying
and from our goings on it was a preventative
against any one else having me he then replied I
must not think of remaining here for I should not
I was a disgrace to his house and a great deal more
equally cruel and cutting in fact I shall never forget
his harsh language it is a continual prey upon my
spirits and makes my life miserable and then to
make it worse never day as passed for the last fortnight
but some one as told me something concerning Harriet
&c. I am fully convinced it has come through the
hands of the Nurse or her daughter (which my F. keeps)
to remove her would be impossible without I could take
her myself for they would then be more malicious than
ever and use all their arts to deprive me of a home
for it is not to tell the influence they have over my

Fathers passions oh! cruel fate that should deprive me from
Nursing my child and still crueler her Father that such
a sight could see. _____ M^rs. Alexander also came up
the day you left and gave me every consolation she could
in hopes to cheer me she wished me much to go with her
down and make Uncle Anthony into a Friend that it
would ease me so, but that I declined when she told him
she had been up to see me, he inquired how you and I
had settled things and how soon you were coming again
what was the reason we did not get Married, he thought
it was to have taken place this Spring, she replied the place
&c. you had at Longsdon was not sufficient to keep up upon
he then swore what did you take that house for, it was like
throwing money into the street, but till such times as we were
married in an honourable manner he would never do any
=thing for you and then he should be willing to come forward
to let you have money to either stock a farm or go into
business if you wished it and that no one would be a greater
Friend to us than him if we acted properly that he approved
of the match and we had every prospect of being both
happy and comfortable if you intended to be steady that
we should do much better without your folks than with
them, and wondered much you had not spoke your sentiments
to him when over and appeared to speak of us both with plea
=sure and good humour, so the other day the old Lady came
up in high glee to tell me this and wished me to write you
immediately, I defered being ansious to see Uncle Peter to hear
if you had said any thing to him so on Sunday he came
to dinner and directly to me you were gone to your house
and had slept there and wished to know how soon you
intended fetching me, I replied not at all at which he
seemed much surprised and observed you was so

whimsical and changeable you certainly did not know your own
mind there was no talking to you, he said you was like to
have a Housekeeper which you would find as much [illeg]
as a Wife and would not be so pleasant as her society he
further observed your father was likely enough to live twenty
years yet and that at all events you would never have more
than the Estate let you do as you would for him in short
he said it was not right you should have for the others ought
to have what else there was and made no doubt but he
would soon be reconciled to us let him say what he would
at first for that I was likely to have a better fortune
than you in the end if we only kept Friends with my Uncle
which he particularly urged me to do my Father [damaged]
in which put an end to our conversation, I would have [damaged]
you seriously to weigh all these things in your mind
for he assured I will not long remain as I am with freting
it makes me very unwell nor have I set up a day
together for more than week, I lead a life more miserable
than a dog I am a complete prisoner never going out
nor seeing any one that comes, and before I will live
in this state of suspence I will (that is to say if any one
will have me) marry a working man that would
bring me his wages home weekly and lay on a bed
of straw for peace and contentment I could say much
more it will perhaps be as well to defer it, I have never
spoken to any Dr. yet nor do I like for Heaven knows where
it will be my lot to be cast, I shall expect an early
answer as I have not written to Martha Robinson yet
which if I do not do soon she will be coming, I remain
yours sincerely though perhaps for the last time your
(miserable
Maria Longdon ____
P.S. I have seen ____ once since you were here and at the sight fainted [illeg]

To

M^rs.. Longsdon Sen^r ____
Longsdon
N^r. Bakewell
Derbyshire

Mount Pleasant May 10th 1841

My dear James

You will be surprised to receive a letter
from me so soon but really I am so un{^com}fortable in my
mind I cannot rest never since you left here as my
father given {^me} either a pleasant word, or look, the Evening
after you left he asked me many questions and he said he
thought it very strange you had not contrived some
means to talk to him upon the subject before you left
Manch^r and wondered how you could leave me in that
situation he said it plainly appeared to him you had
you had no real love nor any intentions of marrying
and from our goings on it was a preventative
against anyone else having me he then replied I
must not think of remaining here for I should not
I was a disgrace to his house and a great deal more
equally cruel and cutting in fact I shall never forget
his harsh language it is a continual prey upon my
spirits and makes my life miserable and then to
make it worse never {?day} as hoped for the last fortnight
but some one as told me something concerning Harriet
etc. I am fully convinced it has come through the
hands of the Nurse or her daughter (which only [illeg])
to remove her would be {?impalpible} without I could take
her myself for they would then be more malicious than
ever and use all their arts to deprive me of a home
for it is not to tell the influence they have over my

fathers [illeg] oh! cruel fate that should deprive me from
Nursing my child and still crueler her father that such
a sight could see. - Mrs. Alexander also came up
the day you left and gave me every consolation she could
in hopes to cheer me she wished me much to go with her
down and make Uncle Anthony into a friend that it would ease me so, but that I declined when she told him
she had been up to see me, he inquired how you and I
had settled things and how soon you were coming again
what was the reason we did not get married , he thought
it was to have taken place this Spring, she relied the place
[illeg] you had at Longsdon was not sufficient to keep us upon
he then swore what did you take that house for, it was like
throwing money into the street, but till such times as we were
married in an honorable manner he would never do any
thing for you and then he should be willing to come forward
to let you have money to either stock a farm or go into
business if you wished it and that no one would be a greater
friend to us than him if we acted properly that he approved of the match and we had every prospect of being both
happy and comfortable if you intended to be steady that
we should do much much better without your {?folks} than with
them, and wondered much you had not spoke your sentiments
to him when over and appeared to speak of us both with plea-
-sure and good humour, so the other day the old lady came
up in high glee to tell me this and wished me to write you
immediately, I {?defered} being anxious to see Uncle Peter to hear
if you had said any thing to him so on Sunday he came
to dinner and directly told me you were gone to your house and has slept there and wished to know how soon you
intended fetching me, I replied not at all at which he
seemed much surprised and observed you [illeg] so

whimsical and changeable you certainly did not know your own
mind there was no talking to you, he said you was like to
have a Housekeeper which you would find as much [illeg]
as a Wife and would not be so pleasant as her society he
further observed your father was likely enough to live twenty
years yet and that at all events you would never have more
than the Estate let you do as you would for him in short
he said it was not right you should have for the others ought
to have what else there was and made no doubt but he
would soon be reconciled to us let him say what he {?would}
at first for that I was likely to have a better fortune
than you in the end if we only kept friendly with my Uncle
which he particularly urged me to do my [illeg] then {?came}
in which put an end to our conversation, I would have
you seriously to weigh all these things in your mind
for be [illeg] I will not long remain so I am with fretting
it makes [?me] very unwell nor have I set up a day
together for more than week, I had a life more miserable
than a dog I am a complete prisoner never going out
nor seeing any one that comes, and before I will live
in this state of suspence I will (that is to say if any one
will have me) marry a working man that would
bring me his wages home weekly and lay on a bed
of straw for peace and contentment, I could say much
more it will perhaps be as well to defer it, I have never
[illeg] to any Dr. yet nor do I like for Heaven knows where
it will be my lot to be cast, I shall expect an early
answer as I have not written to Martha Robinson yet
which if I do not do soon she will be coming, I remain
yours sincerely though perhaps for the last time your
miserable
Maria Longsdon -

P.S. I have seen - once since you were here and at the sight fainted {?over}

To,

Mrs. Longsdon Senr.
Longsdon
Nr. Bakewell
Derbyshire

Mount Pleasant May 18^th 1814

Fathers passions oh! cruel fate that should deprive me from
Nursing my child and still crueler her father that such
a sight could see. - Mrs Alexander also came up
the day you left and gave me every consolation she could
in hopes to cheer me she wished me much to go with her
down and make Uncle Anthony into a Friend that it
would ease me so, but that I declined when she told him
she had been up to see me, he imagined how you and I
had settled things and how soon you were coming again
what was the reason we did not get married, he thought
it was to have taken place this Spring, she replied the place
&c. you had at Longsdon was not sufficient to keep us upon
he then swore, what did you take that house for, it was like
throwing money into street, but till such times as we were
married in an honorable manner he would never do any
=thing for you and then he should be willing to come forward
to let you have money to either stock a farm or go into
business if you wished it and that no one would be a greater
Friend to us than him if we acted properly that he approved
of the match and we had every prospect of being both
happy and comfortable if you intended to be steady that
we should do much better without your father than with
them, and wondered much you had not spoke your sentiments
to him when over and appeared to speak of us both with plea=
sure and good humour, so the other day the old lady came
up in high glee to tell me this and wished me to write you
immediately, I defered being anxious to see Uncle Peter to hear
if you had said any thing to him so on Sunday he came
to dinner and directly told me you were gone to your house
and had slept there and wished to know how soon you
intended fetching me, I replied not at all at which he
seemed much surprised and observed you was so

whimsical and changeable you certainly did not know your own
mind there was no talking to you, he said you was like to
have a Housekeeper which you would find as much [illeg]
as a wife and would not be so pleasant as her society he
further observed your father was likely enough to live twenty
years yet and that at all events you would never have more
than the Estate as you do as you would for him in short
he said it was not right you should have for the others ought
to have what else there was and made no doubt but he
would soon be reconciled to us let him say what he would
at first for that I was likely to have a better fortune
than you in the end if we only kept friends with my Uncle
which he particularly urged me to do my father {damaged}
in which put an end to our conversation, I would have
you seriously to weigh all these things in your mind
for be assured I will not long remain as I am with freting
it makes [illeg] very unwell nor have I set up a day
together for more than a week, I had a life more miserable
than a dog I am a complete prisoner never going out
nor seeing any one that comes, and before I will live
in this state of suspence I will (that is to say if any one
will have me) marry a working man that would
bring me his wages home weekly and lay on a bed
of straw for peace and contentment, I could say much
more it will perhaps be as well to defer it, I have never
spoke to any Dr yet nor do I like for Heaven knows where
it will be my lot to be cast, I shall expect an early
answer as I have not written to Martha Robinson yet
which if I do not do soon she will be coming, I remain
yours sincerely though perhaps for the last time your
miserable
Maria Longsdon
P.S. I have seen - once since you were here and at the sight fainted away

To
Mrs Longsdon Snr
Longsdon
Nr Bakewell
Derbyshire