Monday night
Sep^t y^e 6^th 1725

I have but just this moment rec^d my Dearest Madans
most welcome letter – tho I find it Dated y^e 2^d of this month: how glad am
I to have only y^e post to accuse for delaying my Promis’d Happiness! w^t
I have Endur’d under y^e Pain of ten thousand insupportable doubts, &
Fears, you who have a Soul capable of y^e most Generous tenderness, will
much Better Imagine then I discribe; I did not expect y^o a Wednesday
concluding y^e fine weather would tempt, you to a Longer stay, But y^e
Post I depended would Bless me w^th an account of y^r health, & w^t is
next of consequence to me in this Life, an assurance of your
continuing to love, & Remember me – 2 posts past & I still
disappointed – tis Impossible to Express y^e concern I was in, I neither
slept, nor could entertain a thought of Ease, your dear Image &
y^e tormenting Idea of y^e neglect, I thought you guilty off, made
me as miserable, as y^e knowledge of y^e contrary makes me happy.
a thousand thanks to my Dearest Soul – Born for my comfort –
my sure retreat from unhappiness – O my Dear Creature, this is
But part of w^t I have suffer’d since I last saw you, to encrease
if possible my uneasiness, last week I was driven out of this
House, By Fire, (y^o may Imagine in w^t a Fright,) & w^th: my
mother forc’d to seek for safety at L^dy Russells, the fire Begun
In y^e kitchen chimney, & from thence found its way to y^e
[.75v]

floor of y^e Dining room – But By the care of ashley, who luckily
came here y^e night before, it was extinguish’d without doing any more
Damage, then Pulling down y^e chimney Piece, Glass and waincote: this
Will I hope be soon repair’d at least before y^o come, for {^^I} would have
you see no remains of y^e confusion we have been in. I realy thought
y^e fright was more then I could bear, & after it was over could not but
Be afraid of y^e consequence, But thank God, I am perfectly well, &
Hope I am near being as Perfectly Happy. Thursday if it be agreeable
to you, will Be a full amends {^^for} of all, If I see you return to me
w^th Pleasure, I shall have nothing farther to wish for – But I shall
Indulge my Heart in y^e Joy it is form’d to take from y^t Presence –
Adieu my own soul – Dear, Dearest Creature, I am your most
Tenderly, unalterably, & Eternally
J Madan
I send you 1000000000000 Kisses.

My own soul! I had not Let so many posts slip w^thout writing to you, But
not Hearing from y^o I Liv’d in constant & daily expectation of seeing you
this is y^e first opportunity I have had since I rec^d yours once more adieu
Thou Only Delight of my Heart!

Monday night
Sep^t y^e 6^th 1725

I have but just this moment rec^d my Dearest Madans
most welcome letter – though I find it Dated y^e 2^d of this month: how glad am
I to have only y^e post to accuse for delaying my Promised Happiness! w^t
I have Endured under y^e Pain of ten thousand insupportable doubts, &
Fears, you who have a Soul capable of y^e most Generous tenderness, will
much Better Imagine then I describe; I did not expect y^o a Wednesday
concluding y^e fine weather would tempt, you to a Longer stay, But y^e
Post I depended would Bless me w^th an account of y^r health, & w^t is
next of consequence to me in this Life, an assurance of your
continuing to love, & Remember me – 2 posts past & I still
disappointed – tis Impossible to Express y^e concern I was in, I neither
slept, nor could entertain a thought of Ease, your dear Image &
y^e tormenting Idea of y^e neglect, I thought you guilty off, made
me as miserable, as y^e knowledge of y^e contrary makes me happy.
a thousand thanks to my Dearest Soul – Born for my comfort –
my sure retreat from unhappiness – O my Dear Creature, this is
But part of w^t I have suffered since I last saw you, to increase
if possible my uneasiness, last week I was driven out of this
House, By Fire, (y^o may Imagine in w^t a Fright,) & w^th: my
mother forced to seek for safety at L^dy Russell's, the fire Begun
In y^e kitchen chimney, & from thence found its way to y^e
[.75v]

floor of y^e Dining room – But By the care of Ashley, who luckily
came here y^e night before, it was extinguished without doing any more
Damage, then Pulling down y^e chimney Piece, Glass and wainscot: this
Will I hope be soon repaired at least before y^o come, for {^^I} would have
you see no remains of y^e confusion we have been in. I really thought
y^e fright was more then I could bear, & after it was over could not but
Be afraid of y^e consequence, But thank God, I am perfectly well, &
Hope I am near being as Perfectly Happy. Thursday if it be agreeable
to you, will Be a full amends {^^for} of all, If I see you return to me
w^th Pleasure, I shall have nothing farther to wish for – But I shall
Indulge my Heart in y^e Joy it is formed to take from y^t Presence –
Adieu my own soul – Dear, Dearest Creature, I am your most
Tenderly, unalterably, & Eternally
J Madan
I send you 1000000000000 Kisses.

My own soul! I had not Let so many posts slip w^thout writing to you, But
not Hearing from y^o I Lived in constant & daily expectation of seeing you
this is y^e first opportunity I have had since I rec^d yours once more adieu
Thou Only Delight of my Heart!