Wensday morn: 1724

I have been waiting all this morning for y^e
Post w^ch at last has brought y^e Expected happiness – w^t I can say to my own
Madan, for those Dear Expressions w^ch fill my heart, even at this Distance from
him with a joy not be Discrib’d - I know you love me, & in y^t Knowledge
am happier, then titles, & Pomp ever made y^e vainest of my Sex. My Dear
Dear creature - my faithfull tender Friend - your Lov’d Image is continually
Present to my mind - I see you smile, & make my self happy by fancying
I see you smile upon me, as I remember you have so many times done,
when I have been in a trifling humour, and had Indulg’d y^e gladness of my
soul, in w^t a heart y^t did not answer to my own, might have call’d impertinence, & perhaps it was so - but you, my Angel! Gave it a softer
name - I feel I confess y^e sympathy you mention - you don't need to be
convinc’d of it, or I could appeal, to y^e Part I have ever so Visibly Borne
in your Joys, & now, & then in y^r uneasyness, Did you ever task a Happiness,
& Discover a satisfaction on any one circumstance, that did not make me
Look pleased, & happy? May this Blest Sympathy continue - may all my
joys be communicated to my Madan – but, I have yet to reserve - I am
in this one, instance covetous - I would have all my Cares & Greifs, (if
Heaven has allowed any for me) Entirely {^^to} my self. Dearest soul! thou
Softest, only treasure of my Heart! with w^t more then joy {^^do} I see y^e time

[f.43v]

approach y^t will restore thee to my fondness - absence is a kind of Death
as Rowe says
- Death is Parting, tis y^e Last Said adieu t’wixt Soul & Body
Since I have known you, I have ceas’d to wonder y^t Life is look’d upon as so
Invaluable a blessing - I am convinc’d – Life, & you, are, inestimable blessings –
your Dear Letter Lyes on y^e table by me - I have kiss’d it a thousand
times - when my Angel! Shall I have power to do y^e same to y^e hand y^t writ
it? That I could but lay it to my Lips, & heart! You must bear with me
I am never at ease but when I am writing to you, or reading a Letter
from you – Dear, Dearest Creature! I send you with this my Best, &
Fondest wishes - continue to Love me - & remember you are y^e only
possessor of My Heart, & Soul - if there is a right sentiment in either
tis you that have inspir’d it – all in me y^t can be agreeable, is w^t I
have gain’d from my Passion for you, you have given a better, & softer
turn to my Disposition - I love, I admire, & imitate, (as much as I can
y^e Dear creature, I was born to Doat on. My mother who sends her
Love, & Blessing to you, has this day rec^d a letter from our Father, he
Desires me, in a very Particular Manner to give his Love to you wⁿ I write
& assure you he never thinks of you but with Real affection. I wish
you joy of a new relation, they come to town this week to see company
I have had a very kind letter from my Grandmother, who says she hopes
her dear Martin, & my self will come to town for a Day or two, to see
them, & pay our Complements: y^r distance must be an Excuse from y^t
but how can I fill a letter to you {^^with} anything beside, telling you, that I
love you, & that if I were to frame a wish, w^th a certainty it would be
answer’d, it should be that you should continue to me y^e place you have
so generously xxx {^^given} me in your Esteem - I might say your love - farewell my
soul My only Bliss! My Dearest life! Farewel.
J Madan.


If y^e enclos’d relates to Mrs Betty's Br: I Beg you would let me know it. I get
my Br Cowpers ser^t: who is going early to morrow morning to Town, to put this in y^e post there, I
believe you will have it a day y^e sooner: see my Dearest, how I embrace every opportunity of
conversing with you - tho in this distant manner. My Dear Life you are my constant wish
& thought - send me word y^e day {^^is} fixed for your return? I expect you w^th an impatience w^ch
no merit but y^rs could Justifie - once more adieu, my own Madan, my Eternal Joy, Adieu

[f.44v]

To
Cap^t Madan of Lord Cobhams Reg^mt: of
Horse att Northampton
Northamptonshire

Wednesday morn: 1724

I have been waiting all this morning for y^e
Post w^ch at last has brought y^e Expected happiness – w^t I can say to my own
Madan, for those Dear Expressions w^ch fill my heart, even at this Distance from
him with a joy not be Described - I know you love me, & in y^t Knowledge
am happier, then titles, & Pomp ever made y^e vainest of my Sex. My Dear
Dear creature - my faithful tender Friend - your Loved Image is continually
Present to my mind - I see you smile, & make my self happy by fancying
I see you smile upon me, as I remember you have so many times done,
when I have been in a trifling humour, and had Indulged y^e gladness of my
soul, in w^t a heart y^t did not answer to my own, might have called impertinence, & perhaps it was so - but you, my Angel! Gave it a softer
name - I feel I confess y^e sympathy you mention - you don't need to be
convinced of it, or I could appeal, to y^e Part I have ever so Visibly Borne
in your Joys, & now, & then in y^r uneasiness, Did you ever task a Happiness,
& Discover a satisfaction on any one circumstance, that did not make me
Look pleased, & happy? May this Blest Sympathy continue - may all my
joys be communicated to my Madan – but, I have yet to reserve - I am
in this one, instance covetous - I would have all my Cares & Griefs, (if
Heaven has allowed any for me) Entirely {^^to} my self. Dearest soul! thou
Softest, only treasure of my Heart! with w^t more then joy {^^do} I see y^e time

[f.43v]

approach y^t will restore thee to my fondness - absence is a kind of Death
as Rowe says
- Death is Parting, tis y^e Last Said adieu t’wixt Soul & Body
Since I have known you, I have ceased to wonder y^t Life is looked upon as so
Invaluable a blessing - I am convinced – Life, & you, are, inestimable blessings –
your Dear Letter Lies on y^e table by me - I have kissed it a thousand
times - when my Angel! Shall I have power to do y^e same to y^e hand y^t writ
it? That I could but lay it to my Lips, & heart! You must bear with me
I am never at ease but when I am writing to you, or reading a Letter
from you – Dear, Dearest Creature! I send you with this my Best, &
Fondest wishes - continue to Love me - & remember you are y^e only
possessor of My Heart, & Soul - if there is a right sentiment in either
tis you that have inspired it – all in me y^t can be agreeable, is w^t I
have gained from my Passion for you, you have given a better, & softer
turn to my Disposition - I love, I admire, & imitate, (as much as I can
y^e Dear creature, I was born to Dote on. My mother who sends her
Love, & Blessing to you, has this day rec^d a letter from our Father, he
Desires me, in a very Particular Manner to give his Love to you wⁿ I write
& assure you he never thinks of you but with Real affection. I wish
you joy of a new relation, they come to town this week to see company
I have had a very kind letter from my Grandmother, who says she hopes
her dear Martin, & my self will come to town for a Day or two, to see
them, & pay our Complements: y^r distance must be an Excuse from y^t
but how can I fill a letter to you {^^with} anything beside, telling you, that I
love you, & that if I were to frame a wish, w^th a certainty it would be
answered, it should be that you should continue to me y^e place you have
so generously xxx {^^given} me in your Esteem - I might say your love - farewell my
soul My only Bliss! My Dearest life! Farewell.
J Madan.


If y^e enclosed relates to Mrs Betty's Br: I Beg you would let me know it. I get
my Br Cowpers ser^t: who is going early to morrow morning to Town, to put this in y^e post there, I
believe you will have it a day y^e sooner: see my Dearest, how I embrace every opportunity of
conversing with you - though in this distant manner. My Dear Life you are my constant wish
& thought - send me word y^e day {^^is} fixed for your return? I expect you w^th an impatience w^ch
no merit but y^rs could Justify - once more adieu, my own Madan, my Eternal Joy, Adieu

[f.44v]

To
Cap^t Madan of Lord Cobhams Reg^mt: of
Horse at Northampton
Northamptonshire