630 - Judith Cowper to Martin Madan, 1723
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We are at Present ye reverse of ye happy
family you left us, I never spent so melancholy a week in my Life, I
believe I bear it ye worse having lately known so many cheerfull ones. I am
continualy with poor Ldy Sally, whose greif can Only be Express’d, by saying it is
Equal to ye Object of it: nothing was ever so moving! I have too much
Tenderness (I ought to have said weakness) in my own nature for ye office of a
{^comforter} which has been ye task alloted me, all this melancholy week, but such as
I am I cannot forbear going, while it is my power: I think it wrong
to save one self a Pain by keeping from those we love in any Circumstance
of Life – Pitty me if you Will, & Remember me, if you can.
I wish you at this nights assembly, a more agreeable partner then you
had condemn’d your self to - & I believe you might possibly have had, if I
[f.5v]
were less unhappy then I am. Ye Freedome I have ever, I scarce know why
us’d in my conversation with you, may perhaps make you Fancy I have less
reserve in my temper then I have, I can only say I do not use to be so
easily acquainted, you are almost a stranger to me, & if you have as
much artifice in you, as I to be fashionable, ought to have, you will
Laugh at me for answering your Letter with so much Gravity, & think
ye Creature more rediculus then Ever. I never knew a reason yt
could justifie hippocrisy, & am afraid now it is too Late to Learn
If you can be sincere, I can Esteem you – adiue
Hertingfordbury. 1723
J Cowper
family you left us, I never spent so melancholy a week in my Life, I
believe I bear it ye worse having lately known so many cheerfull ones. I am
continualy with poor Ldy Sally, whose greif can Only be Express’d, by saying it is
Equal to ye Object of it: nothing was ever so moving! I have too much
Tenderness (I ought to have said weakness) in my own nature for ye office of a
{^comforter} which has been ye task alloted me, all this melancholy week, but such as
I am I cannot forbear going, while it is my power: I think it wrong
to save one self a Pain by keeping from those we love in any Circumstance
of Life – Pitty me if you Will, & Remember me, if you can.
I wish you at this nights assembly, a more agreeable partner then you
had condemn’d your self to - & I believe you might possibly have had, if I
[f.5v]
were less unhappy then I am. Ye Freedome I have ever, I scarce know why
us’d in my conversation with you, may perhaps make you Fancy I have less
reserve in my temper then I have, I can only say I do not use to be so
easily acquainted, you are almost a stranger to me, & if you have as
much artifice in you, as I to be fashionable, ought to have, you will
Laugh at me for answering your Letter with so much Gravity, & think
ye Creature more rediculus then Ever. I never knew a reason yt
could justifie hippocrisy, & am afraid now it is too Late to Learn
If you can be sincere, I can Esteem you – adiue
Hertingfordbury. 1723
J Cowper