251 - Anne Don and Christina Anderson to David Anderson, 18 May 1789
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[f.24]
Clerkington, 18 May 1789
My Dear Mr Anderson,
With the greatest Pleasure I take up The
pen you made me to fulfil my Promise of writing
& Happie I am to Inform you that your Dear Wife is in Perfect
Health. She is rely as well as you can wish which
I am sure is saying a great dale she has had no Comfit
since you saw her which is more than I expected when [I]
think of the Situation she was in at Parting with you
I am sure my Heart was Equally sore for you Both.
What a dismal day Saturday was never saw so long
a day we spun it out till near Eleven o’clock I sat
with her ?on she was ready to go to Bed never saw more
dulness or a more disconsolate woman well said I to
myself Mentualy I am sure theirs a pain of you This
night was not a right she slept Better than expectation
She was in Better Spirits on Sunday with the Thoughts
of writing to you I was glad the Sheet of Paper was no
(f24v)
larger for had it been as large as the room it must all be
wrote over. After all I think this Parting has Produced a
Pleasure which none of you had before of writing one another
& I Believe the Pleasure she Takes in writing you Prevents
it from hurting her - what a Cordial your letter is on an
Monday morning when opening her eys saw it upon
the Pillow it gave her somthing to talk of all day & I am
sure she Could now say every word by Heart I was with
her This morning when your unexpected but wellcome
letter made its appearance which you may Believe
[…] her the greatest Pleasure of a sweet kiss it got before
she brock the seal I have had a Battle to prevent her
writing to you to day had she been so good as to allow
me that Pleasure & as she knows you wish her to Take
an airing is going out in the Carriage & will write
you to morrow or next day I must now Conclude & see
her before she goes out & Indulge by putting a Paragraph
in this give my best Complts to your Brother Tell him
I was sorrow I did not see him before he went your
wife is so Impatient I must bid you a hasty adieu so
god Bliss you ever yours Sincerely A. Don
[f.25]
I have paid A. Don a high Compliment in allowing
her to write my dear Husband, I scarcely imagine I
xxxx would have been so Complacent had I felt myself in
the humour, but I own the truth I am rather stupid
this morning owing to my having slept ill this
last night, the fidgets got hold of me, and sin[ce]
I found I must expect no relief from the
drowsy God […] I comforted myself by writing you […]
an Epistle […] my Mind only, think of my
mortification when I found myself so unfi[t]
for the Pleasant task this Morning
I take no trouble about any thing whatever
your sister and Miss Don are good enough
to do every thing about inventorys for me
Adieu for the present & ever yours with
I intend & direct this affectiont Christina
I know you will feel disappointment when the Epistle
is not from me don’t deny this more love & ?same
[f.25v]
what a vain Creature your wife is by what she
has last wrote I am sure you will be glad to see my
hand bad as it is
[change of orientation]
David Anderson Esqr
no: 6 Mark Street
St James’s Square
London
[change of orientation, change of hand]
1789 May June July
Letters from Mrs Anderson
Clerkington, 18 May 1789
My Dear Mr Anderson,
With the greatest Pleasure I take up The
pen you made me to fulfil my Promise of writing
& Happie I am to Inform you that your Dear Wife is in Perfect
Health. She is rely as well as you can wish which
I am sure is saying a great dale she has had no Comfit
since you saw her which is more than I expected when [I]
think of the Situation she was in at Parting with you
I am sure my Heart was Equally sore for you Both.
What a dismal day Saturday was never saw so long
a day we spun it out till near Eleven o’clock I sat
with her ?on she was ready to go to Bed never saw more
dulness or a more disconsolate woman well said I to
myself Mentualy I am sure theirs a pain of you This
night was not a right she slept Better than expectation
She was in Better Spirits on Sunday with the Thoughts
of writing to you I was glad the Sheet of Paper was no
(f24v)
larger for had it been as large as the room it must all be
wrote over. After all I think this Parting has Produced a
Pleasure which none of you had before of writing one another
& I Believe the Pleasure she Takes in writing you Prevents
it from hurting her - what a Cordial your letter is on an
Monday morning when opening her eys saw it upon
the Pillow it gave her somthing to talk of all day & I am
sure she Could now say every word by Heart I was with
her This morning when your unexpected but wellcome
letter made its appearance which you may Believe
[…] her the greatest Pleasure of a sweet kiss it got before
she brock the seal I have had a Battle to prevent her
writing to you to day had she been so good as to allow
me that Pleasure & as she knows you wish her to Take
an airing is going out in the Carriage & will write
you to morrow or next day I must now Conclude & see
her before she goes out & Indulge by putting a Paragraph
in this give my best Complts to your Brother Tell him
I was sorrow I did not see him before he went your
wife is so Impatient I must bid you a hasty adieu so
god Bliss you ever yours Sincerely A. Don
[f.25]
I have paid A. Don a high Compliment in allowing
her to write my dear Husband, I scarcely imagine I
the humour, but I own the truth I am rather stupid
this morning owing to my having slept ill this
last night, the fidgets got hold of me, and sin[ce]
I found I must expect no relief from the
drowsy God […] I comforted myself by writing you […]
an Epistle […] my Mind only, think of my
mortification when I found myself so unfi[t]
for the Pleasant task this Morning
I take no trouble about any thing whatever
your sister and Miss Don are good enough
to do every thing about inventorys for me
Adieu for the present & ever yours with
I intend & direct this affectiont Christina
I know you will feel disappointment when the Epistle
is not from me don’t deny this more love & ?same
[f.25v]
what a vain Creature your wife is by what she
has last wrote I am sure you will be glad to see my
hand bad as it is
[change of orientation]
David Anderson Esqr
no: 6 Mark Street
St James’s Square
London
[change of orientation, change of hand]
1789 May June July
Letters from Mrs Anderson
[f.24]
Clerkington, 18 May 1789
My Dear Mr Anderson,
With the greatest Pleasure I take up The
pen you made me to fulfil my Promise of writing
& Happy I am to Inform you that your Dear Wife is in Perfect
Health. She is rely as well as you can wish which
I am sure is saying a great deal she has had no Comfit
since you saw her which is more than I expected when [I]
think of the Situation she was in at Parting with you
I am sure my Heart was Equally sore for you Both.
What a dismal day Saturday was never saw so long
a day we spun it out till near Eleven o’clock I sat
with her ?on she was ready to go to Bed never saw more
dullness or a more disconsolate woman well said I to
myself Mentally I am sure theirs a pain of you This
night was not a right she slept Better than expectation
She was in Better Spirits on Sunday with the Thoughts
of writing to you I was glad the Sheet of Paper was no
(f24v)
larger for had it been as large as the room it must all be
wrote over. After all I think this Parting has Produced a
Pleasure which none of you had before of writing one another
& I Believe the Pleasure she Takes in writing you Prevents
it from hurting her - what a Cordial your letter is on an
Monday morning when opening her eyes saw it upon
the Pillow it gave her something to talk of all day & I am
sure she Could now say every word by Heart I was with
her This morning when your unexpected but welcome
letter made its appearance which you may Believe
[…] her the greatest Pleasure of a sweet kiss it got before
she brock the seal I have had a Battle to prevent her
writing to you to day had she been so good as to allow
me that Pleasure & as she knows you wish her to Take
an airing is going out in the Carriage & will write
you to morrow or next day I must now Conclude & see
her before she goes out & Indulge by putting a Paragraph
in this give my best Compliments to your Brother Tell him
I was sorrow I did not see him before he went your
wife is so Impatient I must bid you a hasty adieu so
god Bliss you ever yours Sincerely A. Don
[f.25]
I have paid A. Don a high Compliment in allowing
her to write my dear Husband, I scarcely imagine I
xxxx would have been so Complacent had I felt myself in
the humour, but I own the truth I am rather stupid
this morning owing to my having slept ill this
last night, the fidgets got hold of me, and sin[ce]
I found I must expect no relief from the
drowsy God […] I comforted myself by writing you […]
an Epistle […] my Mind only, think of my
mortification when I found myself so unfi[t]
for the Pleasant task this Morning
I take no trouble about any thing whatever
your sister and Miss Don are good enough
to do every thing about inventories for me
Adieu for the present & ever yours with
I intend & direct this affection Christina
I know you will feel disappointment when the Epistle
is not from me don’t deny this more love & ?same
[f.25v]
what a vain Creature your wife is by what she
has last wrote I am sure you will be glad to see my
hand bad as it is
[change of orientation]
David Anderson Esqr
no: 6 Mark Street
St James’s Square
London
[change of orientation, change of hand]
1789 May June July
Letters from Mrs Anderson
Clerkington, 18 May 1789
My Dear Mr Anderson,
With the greatest Pleasure I take up The
pen you made me to fulfil my Promise of writing
& Happy I am to Inform you that your Dear Wife is in Perfect
Health. She is rely as well as you can wish which
I am sure is saying a great deal she has had no Comfit
since you saw her which is more than I expected when [I]
think of the Situation she was in at Parting with you
I am sure my Heart was Equally sore for you Both.
What a dismal day Saturday was never saw so long
a day we spun it out till near Eleven o’clock I sat
with her ?on she was ready to go to Bed never saw more
dullness or a more disconsolate woman well said I to
myself Mentally I am sure theirs a pain of you This
night was not a right she slept Better than expectation
She was in Better Spirits on Sunday with the Thoughts
of writing to you I was glad the Sheet of Paper was no
(f24v)
larger for had it been as large as the room it must all be
wrote over. After all I think this Parting has Produced a
Pleasure which none of you had before of writing one another
& I Believe the Pleasure she Takes in writing you Prevents
it from hurting her - what a Cordial your letter is on an
Monday morning when opening her eyes saw it upon
the Pillow it gave her something to talk of all day & I am
sure she Could now say every word by Heart I was with
her This morning when your unexpected but welcome
letter made its appearance which you may Believe
[…] her the greatest Pleasure of a sweet kiss it got before
she brock the seal I have had a Battle to prevent her
writing to you to day had she been so good as to allow
me that Pleasure & as she knows you wish her to Take
an airing is going out in the Carriage & will write
you to morrow or next day I must now Conclude & see
her before she goes out & Indulge by putting a Paragraph
in this give my best Compliments to your Brother Tell him
I was sorrow I did not see him before he went your
wife is so Impatient I must bid you a hasty adieu so
god Bliss you ever yours Sincerely A. Don
[f.25]
I have paid A. Don a high Compliment in allowing
her to write my dear Husband, I scarcely imagine I
the humour, but I own the truth I am rather stupid
this morning owing to my having slept ill this
last night, the fidgets got hold of me, and sin[ce]
I found I must expect no relief from the
drowsy God […] I comforted myself by writing you […]
an Epistle […] my Mind only, think of my
mortification when I found myself so unfi[t]
for the Pleasant task this Morning
I take no trouble about any thing whatever
your sister and Miss Don are good enough
to do every thing about inventories for me
Adieu for the present & ever yours with
I intend & direct this affection Christina
I know you will feel disappointment when the Epistle
is not from me don’t deny this more love & ?same
[f.25v]
what a vain Creature your wife is by what she
has last wrote I am sure you will be glad to see my
hand bad as it is
[change of orientation]
David Anderson Esqr
no: 6 Mark Street
St James’s Square
London
[change of orientation, change of hand]
1789 May June July
Letters from Mrs Anderson
Details
Anne Don and Christina Anderson to David Anderson, 18 May 1789
NB: 2 authors, the first author, Anne, discussing the health of the second, Christina, who then herself writes the second part of the letter. Anne writes about Christina’s poor health and low spirits and informs David that she has now recovered and is in better health. Anne sympathizes with David on his anxiety at her poorly state when he left. Discusses the emotional pain of David and Christina’s separation, and the fact that letter-writing is a pleasure for them both that they did not previously have. At the end of the letter, Christina, now in better health, writes her response, which is full of humour and little digs at Anne. Christina described herself as very drowsy and ‘stupid’, a discussion of her state of mind. Having read Christina’s portion of the letter, Anne then writes a rejoinder.
Anderson Papers
BL MS Add 82675 24
British Library
1789
5
18
Clerkington [East Lothian, Scotland]
no. 6 Mark Street St James's Square [London, England]
People
How to Cite
To Cite this Letter
Anne Don and Christina Anderson to David Anderson, 18 May 1789, 1851789: British Library, Anderson Papers, BL MS Add 82675 24
To Cite this Edition
Material Identities, Social Bodies: Embodiment in British Letters c.1680-1820. Compiled by: Karen Harvey, Helen Esfandiary, Sarah Fox, Emily Vine, University of Birmingham. Project funded by the Leverhulme Trust (2021-2025, Ref. RPG-2020-163), https://socialbodies.bham.ac.uk.