253 - David Anderson to Christina Findlay, 3 July 1789

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[f.78v]
Mrs Anderson
of St Germains
Queen Street
Edinburgh
[f.77]

London Friday 3rd July 1789
6 York St James’s Square


My Dearest Christina,

I arrived here shaved & powdered, a little
before 12, all ready to go down to the Trial – I drove first
to Mrs Large’s from what motive I shall leave you to guess
Whatever was my Motive, my wishes were completely
gratified in finding a kind Letter from You which told
me you were Well - There is certainly a Kind of Sympathy
betwixt Us - or is it that your Example inspired me with
more Fortitude at our last parting than at our former,
and with more Spirits too during the Journey? The
next thing to be done was to get a news paper to give
me some Idea of what was going on at the Trial –
William was not long in fetching one – How Shall I
express to you my Dear Christinaxxxxxx the
Mortification it gave me to find that I was come up
4 days sooner than I can possibly be wanted! For it
appears that the Lords yesterday referred another point
of Law to the Judges and adjourned the Trial till
Tuesday – it was now needless to pursue my Intention
of going down to Westminster Hall – I set out therefore
on a xxx ?sus ?Visit which I thought could give me some

[f.77v]

Grounds on which I could judge of the Length of Time
that I am fated to Stay in London – I called forth at
Mr Hartings, Both Mr and Mrs H were gone out but they
were to dine at Home – I left a message that I would
dine with them to day – I then called at Colonel Toones –
then at Major Scotts – then at Mr Anstruthers – they
were all out – I left my name at all their Houses
and to Mr Ansturther I mean to write a Card.
I then called at Conways – My Face was exactly in the
state I left it, finding most charmingly amongst a
number of other charming Faces – If I stay so long in
Town, which indeed there is little Doubt of, I am to return
xxxx to Conway on Sunday, when he thinks he will
be able to be give me the Picture finished – I called
at the Watchmakers – Your Watch is finished – it is to
be sent to me tomorrow Morning – it is very neat and
the Watchmaker assured me it goes very well.
It is excessively hot and I am not
sorry to be obliged to pass an hour or two in writing
to you and in dispatching some Letters about Jack Stuart
to his Sister Anne & to Mr Howden – The former is
anxious to hear of him, as I send by a Letter which has
been lying some Time here in Expectation of my
Arrival – in the Evening Jack is to carry my

[f.78]

note to Mr Howden – and tomorrow if nothing should
happen to prevent me I shall go out with him to
Uxbridge. As I shall pass the Day there it will not be
in my power to write to You – Consider my Silence therefore
as a ?pre of of my being at Uxbridge, and that I have
got no Tiding in the Course of this Evening what are
worth writing to You – for in that case I would write
a few Lines to you in the Morning before I set out – The
Day after is unfortunately Sunday, and he first sets out
from London on that Day – so that I shall probably not
write to You till Monday –
I live in Hopes that Tuesday
will enable me to turn my Face again to the
North – I have heard nothing of James or Findlay.
I feel myself a little Watt – The ancients tell us th[at]
some souls after their Separation from Their Bodyes were
doomed to wander melancholy & dejected for a certain period
on the Banks of the gloomy Styx before they were
allowed to enter the Elysian Fields – My condition is
somewhat similar to their – But there is this Difference
that I am not xxxx a Soul without the Body; but like
a Body without the Soul – In that I am not
myself when I want my better half – My Love to
all Friends – My prayers constantly xxxx with you -
May every Blessing attend You – Yr ever affectionate & faithfull Husband
D. Anderson

Continue to write or cause some One to write
to my least (which God forbid) I should be detained longer
than I expect.
[f.78v]
Mrs Anderson
of St Germains
Queen Street
Edinburgh
[f.77]

London Friday 3rd July 1789
6 York St James’s Square


My Dearest Christina,

I arrived here shaved & powdered, a little
before 12, all ready to go down to the Trial – I drove first
to Mrs Large’s from what motive I shall leave you to guess
Whatever was my Motive, my wishes were completely
gratified in finding a kind Letter from You which told
me you were Well - There is certainly a Kind of Sympathy
betwixt Us - or is it that your Example inspired me with
more Fortitude at our last parting than at our former,
and with more Spirits too during the Journey? The
next thing to be done was to get a news paper to give
me some Idea of what was going on at the Trial –
William was not long in fetching one – How Shall I
express to you my Dear Christinaxxxxxx the
Mortification it gave me to find that I was come up
4 days sooner than I can possibly be wanted! For it
appears that the Lords yesterday referred another point
of Law to the Judges and adjourned the Trial till
Tuesday – it was now needless to pursue my Intention
of going down to Westminster Hall – I set out therefore
on a xxx ?sus ?Visit which I thought could give me some

[f.77v]

Grounds on which I could judge of the Length of Time
that I am fated to Stay in London – I called forth at
Mr Hartings, Both Mr and Mrs H were gone out but they
were to dine at Home – I left a message that I would
dine with them to day – I then called at Colonel Toones –
then at Major Scotts – then at Mr Anstruthers – they
were all out – I left my name at all their Houses
and to Mr Ansturther I mean to write a Card.
I then called at Conways – My Face was exactly in the
state I left it, finding most charmingly amongst a
number of other charming Faces – If I stay so long in
Town, which indeed there is little Doubt of, I am to return
xxxx to Conway on Sunday, when he thinks he will
be able to be give me the Picture finished – I called
at the Watchmakers – Your Watch is finished – it is to
be sent to me tomorrow Morning – it is very neat and
the Watchmaker assured me it goes very well.
It is excessively hot and I am not
sorry to be obliged to pass an hour or two in writing
to you and in dispatching some Letters about Jack Stuart
to his Sister Anne & to Mr Howden – The former is
anxious to hear of him, as I send by a Letter which has
been lying some Time here in Expectation of my
Arrival – in the Evening Jack is to carry my

[f.78]

note to Mr Howden – and tomorrow if nothing should
happen to prevent me I shall go out with him to
Uxbridge. As I shall pass the Day there it will not be
in my power to write to You – Consider my Silence therefore
as a ?pre of of my being at Uxbridge, and that I have
got no Tiding in the Course of this Evening what are
worth writing to You – for in that case I would write
a few Lines to you in the Morning before I set out – The
Day after is unfortunately Sunday, and he first sets out
from London on that Day – so that I shall probably not
write to You till Monday –
I live in Hopes that Tuesday
will enable me to turn my Face again to the
North – I have heard nothing of James or Findlay.
I feel myself a little Watt – The ancients tell us th[at]
some souls after their Separation from Their Bodies were
doomed to wander melancholy & dejected for a certain period
on the Banks of the gloomy Styx before they were
allowed to enter the Elysian Fields – My condition is
somewhat similar to their – But there is this Difference
that I am not xxxx a Soul without the Body; but like
a Body without the Soul – In that I am not
myself when I want my better half – My Love to
all Friends – My prayers constantly xxxx with you -
May every Blessing attend You – Yr ever affectionate & faithful Husband
D. Anderson

Continue to write or cause some One to write
to my least (which God forbid) I should be detained longer
than I expect.
Details

David Anderson to Christina Findlay, 3 July 1789

David in is London attending a trial – he discusses his appearance – he arrived at court ‘shaved and powdered’ – he was very pleased to find a letter from her that informed him that she was well. Discusses the difficulty of their parting, but he had been in better spirits on this most recent journey than upon the journey before. He has attempted to call on various friends and places of business in London. He appears to be in the process of having his portrait painted – there is a discussion of faces, his own and others – portraits painted at Conways? The weather is very hot, and he described his hopes to return to Edinburgh soon as ‘turning his face to the north’. The letters ends with an interesting discussion of their separation as being akin to the separation between body and soul, referencing mythology and ancient souls cursed to wander the banks of the river styx – he does not feel whole when parted from her: ‘but like a Body without the Soul – In that I am not myself when I want my better half’.

Anderson Papers

BL MS Add 82675 77

British Library

1789

7

3

6 York St James’s Square [London, England]

St Germains, Queen Street, Edinburgh [Scotland]

  • reporting
  • response

  • metaphorical
  • negative
  • positive

  • closing
  • main body
  • opening
  • throughout (inconsistent)

61-80%

People
Person: David Anderson
View full details of Person: David Anderson

primary author

  • body
  • face

  • dining
  • travel
  • visiting
  • walking
  • writing

aesthetics

separation

  • affection
  • feeling
  • happy
  • hopeful
  • love (romantic)
  • low
  • spirit (immaterial)

  • personal blessings
  • self
  • soul

  • travel
  • urban
  • weather

marriage

Person: Christina Anderson
View full details of Person: Christina Anderson

primary addressee

writing

separation

well

feeling

self

marriage