631 - Martin Madan to Judith Cowper

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Transcription
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Image #1 of letter: Martin Madan to Judith Cowper

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Image #2 of letter: Martin Madan to Judith Cowper
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If honour, & sincerity, can merit yr Esteem,
I may claim it wth Justice, to Validate my pre=
tensions, I shall remind you, of the latter part of
yors If you can be sincere, I can esteem you wt
greater Proofs, can you possibly demand of my Ve=
racity, than wt I offer’d last night? To be entirely
yours, here I repeat it again, & for ever will –
Had yr left Hand (upon wch I breath’d the very senti=
=ments of my Soul) a thousand Toungues, I am sure
they’d be employ’d in my favour, in assuring Dr
Miss Cowper how much I love her.

[f.6v]

do not imagine my Passion proceeds from
any mercenary End, I protest to you, it does not,
& as a proof, I’m yrs upon yr own terms; I’ve ever
study’d to be happy, not Rich – I declare hap=
pyness, has been my pursuit, & my utmost Bliss is
center’d in you, If I succeed, {?Enoy} will be a stranger
to me, if I fail, may Pitty be my inseperable Companion
I am Madam
Yr Obedt humble Servt
M Madan

Wednesday Morn:

Ps: You promisd me an answer
last night, I depend upon yr Promise.
If honour, & sincerity, can merit yr Esteem,
I may claim it wth Justice, to Validate my pre=
tensions, I shall remind you, of the latter part of
yors If you can be sincere, I can esteem you wt
greater Proofs, can you possibly demand of my Ve=
racity, than wt I offered last night? To be entirely
yours, here I repeat it again, & for ever will –
Had yr left Hand (upon wch I breathed the very senti=
=ments of my Soul) a thousand Toungues, I am sure
they’d be employed in my favour, in assuring Dr
Miss Cowper how much I love her.

[f.6v]

do not imagine my Passion proceeds from
any mercenary End, I protest to you, it does not,
& as a proof, I’m yrs upon yr own terms; I’ve ever
studied to be happy, not Rich – I declare hap=
pyness, has been my pursuit, & my utmost Bliss is
centred in you, If I succeed, {?Ennui} will be a stranger
to me, if I fail, may Pity be my inseparable Companion
I am Madam
Yr Obedt humble Servt
M Madan

Wednesday Morn:

Ps: You promised me an answer
last night, I depend upon yr Promise.
Details

Martin Madan to Judith Cowper

A courtship letter from Martin Madan to Judith Cowper in which he restates his feeling for her. He uses metaphors for the body including breathing the sentiment of his soul, discussions of her hand, and the tongues that could verify his feelings for her. Detailed discussion of his emotions.

Madan Family

Eng C.284 f.6

Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford

172

True

[England]

[England]

People
Person: Martin Madan
View full details of Person: Martin Madan

primary author

  • breathing
  • talking
  • work

  • feeling
  • happy
  • love (romantic)

soul

courting

Person: Judith Madan
View full details of Person: Judith Madan

other

  • hands
  • tongue

courting

How to Cite

To Cite this Letter

Martin Madan to Judith Cowper: Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, Madan Family, Eng C.284 f.6

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.

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