Cossey in Mama’s Room ?9 o
clock at night April the 6^th
1785

I received about ten days ago my Pretty Dear Girls
Letter: and thank her for it. Your style is extremely
pleasing & I cannot say how much comfort it gives me
to see that you write with such ease and such affection to me.
Indeed there cannot be any person so entirely devoted to
your Interest and Welfare as I am. But I am happy in the
testimony of your being so well persuaded of it. I hope that
nothing will ever happen to distress my dear Charlotte much:
but at all times she will be sure of finding a most sincere
Friend, in her ever affectionate mother – I believe I might
{?nul} my name, and finish my letter after the above line: but
I cannot so soon resign to give up my Conversation. For
I feel my self talking, & my Little Girl Listening to me.
I am sorry you have {?Lost} the poor English {?Pantry} Lady, just
in the moment that she began to be in a proper disposition to
to profit of her situation. It will most likely give her a tinge
of unhappiness and unsettle her for a long time. If you hear any
more of her you must let me know. The General Mother who put

[f.26v]

a little letter enclosed in yours speaks very highly of you. She
says that you appear to be happy there, and that you are with
reason very much loved by every Body. What a Blessing this is to
me! & how much I feel obliged to my Little Girl for {?Berating} so.
Neddy is quite well and spent his Easter much in London. The Chevalier
writes great encomiums of him. He is really very much improved in
his manner since last August. I received a little letter from London
full of blots & mistakes but I like it better than the formal one that
comes from the school. He tells me a great piece of news viz. that
Mrs Stuart was to set off on Monday last with the two Miss
Heneages for {?France} & that he intended to profit of the opportunity
to write to you. What does this mean? Surely Miss Petre will
not be entrusted to come over with a person like Mrs Stuart:
she is too much grown up for that {?is} too very well for the little
Heneages but I should think it highly improper for Miss Petre.
Yet I don't hear anything of Lord and Lady Petre's going
Perhaps You may know more of this than me. Mrs {?Motaline}
& her husband are xxxx to make a tour in Italy. She goes by
Paris so I shall Desire her to call upon you as I think you
will be glad to see such an old acquaintance. The poor House of Industry

Girl is dead. When we returned we found her in a confirmed Dropsy.
You may remember that she was always of a very retired Habit which
the swelling in her legs denoted. It is rather a happy circumstance for
her that God Almighty was pleased to take her for she could not
go at a time she was more innocent. Robert’s oldest sister Molly
Fox supply’s her place. The laundry maid is gone to London she
said she could not make herself easy here, so she departed. Betty
Hastings is the present laundry maid. Mrs Betty Dairy desired to
step into the housemaides place and we have a new Country Girl
for the dairy. Poor old Godfrey has been very ill for some months
and it is thought is drawing near his End. You may tell all this
domestic news to George, for he likes
to hear all these details, and I shall therefore
leave them to you to communicate. I was much
diverted and pleas’d with your account of the
laughing fit that {?fixed} you with your dancing master. I feel for
your fright when the Grate was unlocking. I suppose the {?tourure}
had acquainted the Lady with what had happened. Who are the two
girls who take their lessons with you? I forget in my last to desire
my Comp^ts to M^de De La Force, but I hope you supply’d the mission
{?stay} you will this time. Has her mother ever ask’d to see you? I have
had a letter from Arthur & his Wife. He tells me he intends to take her to
make you a visit. The French ambassador Mr Comte d'Adhémar, was
taken very ill in the drawing room at St James’s, a just of a fit. The Queen


of France who is very fond of him, immediately sent over to Mr de Paudrevis
another of her intimates to see him. He brought over to duc de Poligny
Son. They are now in London with many other French people. There is
a piece of news for to tell in your Convent and I have that good reason
like a little intelligence. The ambassador is almost got well.
Miss Arundell Was married in January to her Cousin Mr Arundell who will
be Lord Arundel if the present peer does not produce a son. It is a very
proper match. The Chevalier was to have been here this week but the transport
is off until the next. Do tell me if you think I could send the General any items
which she would like. Papa was very much pleased with your letter, tho
he says you have so little impudence to laugh at him. He has got your
things ready. My brother Harry has been very much out of order so as to
defer his journey here. The mistress tells me that you my Dear had a feaver some
weeks ago. Pray take care of yourself & Continue to Love as {?Raison} well as {?for} you
Betty sends her Respects
[change of orientation]

Certainly you may say [illeg] or any thing
else, that you find necessary. Good bye little G.
{?Weep! ?Weep!} Don’t {?tear} after me.

Mademoiselle de Jerningham aux dames
Ursulines, Rue St Jacques
à Paris

Cossey in Mama’s Room ?9 o
clock at night April the 6^th
1785

I received about ten days ago my Pretty Dear Girls
Letter: and thank her for it. Your style is extremely
pleasing & I cannot say how much comfort it gives me
to see that you write with such ease and such affection to me.
Indeed there cannot be any person so entirely devoted to
your Interest and Welfare as I am. But I am happy in the
testimony of your being so well persuaded of it. I hope that
nothing will ever happen to distress my dear Charlotte much:
but at all times she will be sure of finding a most sincere
Friend, in her ever affectionate mother – I believe I might
{?nul} my name, and finish my letter after the above line: but
I cannot so soon resign to give up my Conversation. For
I feel my self talking, & my Little Girl Listening to me.
I am sorry you have {?Lost} the poor English {?Pantry} Lady, just
in the moment that she began to be in a proper disposition to
to profit of her situation. It will most likely give her a tinge
of unhappiness and unsettle her for a long time. If you hear any
more of her you must let me know. The General Mother who put

[f.26v]

a little letter enclosed in yours speaks very highly of you. She
says that you appear to be happy there, and that you are with
reason very much loved by every Body. What a Blessing this is to
me! & how much I feel obliged to my Little Girl for {?Berating} so.
Neddy is quite well and spent his Easter much in London. The Chevalier
writes great encomiums of him. He is really very much improved in
his manner since last August. I received a little letter from London
full of blots & mistakes but I like it better than the formal one that
comes from the school. He tells me a great piece of news viz. that
Mrs Stuart was to set off on Monday last with the two Miss
Heneages for {?France} & that he intended to profit of the opportunity
to write to you. What does this mean? Surely Miss Petre will
not be entrusted to come over with a person like Mrs Stuart:
she is too much grown up for that {?is} too very well for the little
Heneages but I should think it highly improper for Miss Petre.
Yet I don't hear anything of Lord and Lady Petre's going
Perhaps You may know more of this than me. Mrs {?Motaline}
& her husband are xxxx to make a tour in Italy. She goes by
Paris so I shall Desire her to call upon you as I think you
will be glad to see such an old acquaintance. The poor House of Industry

Girl is dead. When we returned we found her in a confirmed Dropsy.
You may remember that she was always of a very retired Habit which
the swelling in her legs denoted. It is rather a happy circumstance for
her that God Almighty was pleased to take her for she could not
go at a time she was more innocent. Robert’s oldest sister Molly
Fox supply’s her place. The laundry maid is gone to London she
said she could not make herself easy here, so she departed. Betty
Hastings is the present laundry maid. Mrs Betty Dairy desired to
step into the housemaid's place and we have a new Country Girl
for the dairy. Poor old Godfrey has been very ill for some months
and it is thought is drawing near his End. You may tell all this
domestic news to George, for he likes
to hear all these details, and I shall therefore
leave them to you to communicate. I was much
diverted and pleased with your account of the
laughing fit that {?fixed} you with your dancing master. I feel for
your fright when the Grate was unlocking. I suppose the {?tourure}
had acquainted the Lady with what had happened. Who are the two
girls who take their lessons with you? I forget in my last to desire
my Comp^ts to M^de De La Force, but I hope you supply’d the mission
{?stay} you will this time. Has her mother ever asked to see you? I have
had a letter from Arthur & his Wife. He tells me he intends to take her to
make you a visit. The French ambassador Mr Comte d'Adhémar, was
taken very ill in the drawing room at St James’s, a just of a fit. The Queen


of France who is very fond of him, immediately sent over to Mr de Paudrevis
another of her intimates to see him. He brought over to duc de Poligny
Son. They are now in London with many other French people. There is
a piece of news for to tell in your Convent and I have that good reason
like a little intelligence. The ambassador is almost got well.
Miss Arundel Was married in January to her Cousin Mr Arundel who will
be Lord Arundel if the present peer does not produce a son. It is a very
proper match. The Chevalier was to have been here this week but the transport
is off until the next. Do tell me if you think I could send the General any items
which she would like. Papa was very much pleased with your letter, though
he says you have so little impudence to laugh at him. He has got your
things ready. My brother Harry has been very much out of order so as to
defer his journey here. The mistress tells me that you my Dear had a fever some
weeks ago. Pray take care of yourself & Continue to Love as {?Raison} well as {?for} you
Betty sends her Respects
[change of orientation]

Certainly you may say [illeg] or any thing
else, that you find necessary. Good bye little G.
{?Weep! ?Weep!} Don’t {?tear} after me.

Mademoiselle de Jerningham aux dames
Ursulines, Rue St Jacques
à Paris