Aug: 31 1730
JM
After having Past an Evening abroad, &
come home sleepy & tir’d, Judge w^t an
agreeable Surprize & refreshment it was to find
your Letter on the table. A thousand thanks
to my soul! For his unmerited, I will not say
unexpected goodness – I write this by y^e
first opportunity to Inform you, you may
still Direct your Letters Here, for I would
not Delay a moment, Least you should y^e
uncertainty where I was, should make you
Forbear writing, w^ch is all I have to Live
upon in your Absence: Dearest Creature!
Continue to remember, & in spight of your
good sence & Judgment Love me, I know there
are many Reasons why you should not, but
However, I hope they will not appear to you
so strongly as they do to my self, should
y^t Ever Happen, should I ever survive y^t
happy partiality you have always express’d
for me, I should plead to just a Title to your
Pitty, y^t perhaps y^t might by insensible degrees
make you love me again. Miss Mordaunt

[f.117v]

this day went to London w^th L^dy Sally, in her
Chair, & her Ser^t In y^e Stage, y^e Kings Coach
comes to London for Her, so y^t I could not
have gone as I came if I would, besides she
Did not mention it: my sister goes in a
Little time to Town, & will carry me, from
whence I shall take a coach of Hides –
but write on, Hither, for depend on it, you
shall have timely notice of my Leaving this
Place: thanks for the song, but tis a false
accusation of me, for I do not think any of
y^e things it charges me with, I am just to your
goodness, & incapable of a Thought y^t may
wrong it. But where is my Poetical Letter?
Can Brekly fail to inspire you? how it is
possible you can look on the place where we
have Live’d to ourselves, & Enjoy’d more of
Happiness in the Possession of one another, then
y^e whole world besides can Bestow: without an
Irresistable inclination to Distinguish the
scene of so many inexpressible Joys
for my part, Hertingfordbury, Brings many
Past Hours to my remembrance and where {^^were}

[f.118]

not my Tenderest, & Dearest Reflections, severely chastiz’d, by y^e Idea
of my misfortunes here – you would soon be Haunted w^th a Poetical
Ghost. My Soul! Say something in your next about the time w^h
I am to have the Happiness of seeing you again, don’t imagin by
this I would have you stay a moment the Less with your friends
in {^^a} place where I am sure everything round you is agreeable, &
where, I hope no uneasiness can Reach you, Far from it I am
pleas’d y^t you are so, & the Perswasion of your Happiness, makes
all that I at present injoy, I would only know your resolution
as to y^e time of your Return, y^t the pleasure of expectation, may
put an end to y^e pain of uncertainty, & that I may say to my self
(tho it is at never so great a Distance) at such a Time I shall
Live again, shall again be bless’d w^th the Tender & Dear conversation

[f.118v]

of the creature I was born to adore – shall hear the Voice my
Heart rejoyces in, & see the Eyes where I read my Joy or
misery – when you have read this Letter burn it, for I have
Express’d my self in some places of it in a manner, only your
self should see, & one don’t know what accident may bring it
to another hand – I cannot forbear sending you my heart
& soul, the follies of Both are safe in your Love, & therefore I
cannot speak too freely to you. My Humble service waits
on Lady Stanhope, whose good Sence, & good nature will I am sure
suggest to her y^e Reasons why I have not thought proper to write,
xxx nor return y^e proper acknowledgments I ought to have done, &
w^th {^^{ye assurance}} that I am very sensible of my obligations to the friendship she was pleas’d
to Express for, me, & shall be Happy whenever it is my power to give
her this assurance in Person – say as much of this as you think proper
pardon this long scrawl for ‘tis w^th difficulty I am

Aug: 31 1730
JM
After having Past an Evening abroad, &
come home sleepy & tired, Judge w^t an
agreeable Surprize & refreshment it was to find
your Letter on the table. A thousand thanks
to my soul! For his unmerited, I will not say
unexpected goodness – I write this by y^e
first opportunity to Inform you, you may
still Direct your Letters Here, for I would
not Delay a moment, Least you should y^e
uncertainty where I was, should make you
Forbear writing, w^ch is all I have to Live
upon in your Absence: Dearest Creature!
Continue to remember, & in spite of your
good sense & Judgment Love me, I know there
are many Reasons why you should not, but
However, I hope they will not appear to you
so strongly as they do to my self, should
y^t Ever Happen, should I ever survive y^t
happy partiality you have always expressed
for me, I should plead to just a Title to your
Pity, y^t perhaps y^t might by insensible degrees
make you love me again. Miss Mordaunt

[f.117v]

this day went to London w^th L^dy Sally, in her
Chair, & her Ser^t In y^e Stage, y^e Kings Coach
comes to London for Her, so y^t I could not
have gone as I came if I would, besides she
Did not mention it: my sister goes in a
Little time to Town, & will carry me, from
whence I shall take a coach of Hides –
but write on, Hither, for depend on it, you
shall have timely notice of my Leaving this
Place: thanks for the song, but tis a false
accusation of me, for I do not think any of
y^e things it charges me with, I am just to your
goodness, & incapable of a Thought y^t may
wrong it. But where is my Poetical Letter?
Can Brekly fail to inspire you? how it is
possible you can look on the place where we
have Lived to ourselves, & Enjoyed more of
Happiness in the Possession of one another, then
y^e whole world besides can Bestow: without an
Irresistible inclination to Distinguish the
scene of so many inexpressible Joys
for my part, Hertingfordbury, Brings many
Past Hours to my remembrance and where {^^were}

[f.118]

not my Tenderest, & Dearest Reflections, severely chastised, by y^e Idea
of my misfortunes here – you would soon be Haunted w^th a Poetical
Ghost. My Soul! Say something in your next about the time w^h
I am to have the Happiness of seeing you again, don’t imagine by
this I would have you stay a moment the Less with your friends
in {^^a} place where I am sure everything round you is agreeable, &
where, I hope no uneasiness can Reach you, Far from it I am
pleased y^t you are so, & the Persuasion of your Happiness, makes
all that I at present enjoy, I would only know your resolution
as to y^e time of your Return, y^t the pleasure of expectation, may
put an end to y^e pain of uncertainty, & that I may say to my self
(tho it is at never so great a Distance) at such a Time I shall
Live again, shall again be blessed w^th the Tender & Dear conversation

[f.118v]

of the creature I was born to adore – shall hear the Voice my
Heart rejoices in, & see the Eyes where I read my Joy or
misery – when you have read this Letter burn it, for I have
Expressed my self in some places of it in a manner, only your
self should see, & one don’t know what accident may bring it
to another hand – I cannot forbear sending you my heart
& soul, the follies of Both are safe in your Love, & therefore I
cannot speak too freely to you. My Humble service waits
on Lady Stanhope, whose good Sense, & good nature will I am sure
suggest to her y^e Reasons why I have not thought proper to write,
xxx nor return y^e proper acknowledgments I ought to have done, &
w^th {^^{ye assurance}} that I am very sensible of my obligations to the friendship she was pleased
to Express for, me, & shall be Happy whenever it is my power to give
her this assurance in Person – say as much of this as you think proper
pardon this long scrawl for ‘tis w^th difficulty I am