My Soul! I have this moment rec^d y^e most tender
assurances of y^e Passion, where all my Hopes & Fears, Joys, & Greifs, are
Entirely Center’d. “I am in your Power use me as you will – could it be
possible you design to make me miserable, you need not Speak, you
need only be Silent, & I were completing so – without y^e comfort of y^r
Dear Reviving Letter, I should sink under this almost insupportable
absence, I {^^Should} give up my self to all y^e terrors of it, but as you have y^e
goodness to give me such Constant Proofs of your Regard, I must, &
will resolve to Bear it cheerfully – For I would not be ungratefull
to the Bounty of that Providence, that has made me Distinguish’d
by your Love! as to the Place y^o give so agreeable a Discrip=
tion of I Don’t Pretend to know w^t L^dy P would have prefer’d
it to, but I well know w^th w^t adition I should Prefer it to y^e
Whole world: I have found more solitude in all the Company I
have been in since y^o Left me, then I Ever did, in y^e most Lonely
Hour we Ever, pass’d together at Holliport, may those Happy Hours
soon Return! But no sooner then then is Wish’d by y^e Dear
Partner of my soul! No, Let me be as fond & foolish as Love ever
made a woman, I have yet sence enough left, to Desire nothing
y^t opposes your Inclusion. I should have{^^wrote} Last Post but
was very ill with a kind of Feaverish Disorder, w^ch held me 2 or 3
Days & Nights, but it is now pretty well gone, & I am preparing
for my Journey w^ch will begin on Tuesday next, & on Wensday

[change of orientation]

I hope to get to our Cottage: where I shall hope soon for the Pleasures of hearing from you.

[f.119v]

I beg pardon for neglecting to Name your Martin, had he not been well
you may be sure I should have told you so, for you must share in all
my Greifs as well as Joys: he is very well, & I believe you will think
grown, good as can be imagin’d, & I am happy in making every day
new Discoveres of your Temper in His: you may be sure of my
Constant care of Him, for he is now the only Business of my Life; as
well as y^e only Happiness of it, except w^t I find in these conversations
with yourself. Why do you Endeavour to renew to my Imagination,
Ideas I would if Possible erase from it? Tis insulting over my
Present misery, to remind me of Past Happiness & yet my own,
Treacherous memory is Eternaly Supplying me with y^e very Ideas I
Blame you for attempting to give me: I confess all you would know
of me, & am happy if you can think of me in {^^the} manner I constanly
do of you, you are my Daily wish, & my almost nighly Dream,
Inglorious be my Life, & Lost to Praise
So I with Thee my Martin! count my Days
with thee, thou Dear one! I tho How could speed
or Sheep upon a lonely mountain feed,
And whill w^th Soft Entrance & fold thee wound
Indulge my Hunters on the Barren Ground.

Adieu my Dear Creature! how painfull is to repeat that word, but I
must once more bid you adiue! Remember & Love your most
affectionate faithfull J M

Hertingfordbury Park. Sep^t y^e 9^th 1730.
My Humble service to Lady Stanhope &c.

My Soul! I have this moment rec^d y^e most tender
assurances of y^e Passion, where all my Hopes & Fears, Joys, & Griefs, are
Entirely Centred. “I am in your Power use me as you will – could it be
possible you design to make me miserable, you need not Speak, you
need only be Silent, & I were completing so – without y^e comfort of y^r
Dear Reviving Letter, I should sink under this almost insupportable
absence, I {^^Should} give up my self to all y^e terrors of it, but as you have y^e
goodness to give me such Constant Proofs of your Regard, I must, &
will resolve to Bear it cheerfully – For I would not be ungrateful
to the Bounty of that Providence, that has made me Distinguished
by your Love! as to the Place y^o give so agreeable a Discrip=
tion of I Don’t Pretend to know w^t L^dy P would have preferred
it to, but I well know w^th w^t addition I should Prefer it to y^e
Whole world: I have found more solitude in all the Company I
have been in since y^o Left me, then I Ever did, in y^e most Lonely
Hour we Ever, passed together at Holliport, may those Happy Hours
soon Return! But no sooner then then is Wished by y^e Dear
Partner of my soul! No, Let me be as fond & foolish as Love ever
made a woman, I have yet sense enough left, to Desire nothing
y^t opposes your Inclusion. I should have{^^wrote} Last Post but
was very ill with a kind of Feverish Disorder, w^ch held me 2 or 3
Days & Nights, but it is now pretty well gone, & I am preparing
for my Journey w^ch will begin on Tuesday next, & on Wednesday

[change of orientation]

I hope to get to our Cottage: where I shall hope soon for the Pleasures of hearing from you.

[f.119v]

I beg pardon for neglecting to Name your Martin, had he not been well
you may be sure I should have told you so, for you must share in all
my Griefs as well as Joys: he is very well, & I believe you will think
grown, good as can be imagined, & I am happy in making every day
new Discoveries of your Temper in His: you may be sure of my
Constant care of Him, for he is now the only Business of my Life; as
well as y^e only Happiness of it, except w^t I find in these conversations
with yourself. Why do you Endeavour to renew to my Imagination,
Ideas I would if Possible erase from it? Tis insulting over my
Present misery, to remind me of Past Happiness & yet my own,
Treacherous memory is Eternally Supplying me with y^e very Ideas I
Blame you for attempting to give me: I confess all you would know
of me, & am happy if you can think of me in {^^the} manner I constantly
do of you, you are my Daily wish, & my almost nightly Dream,
Inglorious be my Life, & Lost to Praise
So I with Thee my Martin! count my Days
with thee, thou Dear one! I though How could speed
or Sheep upon a lonely mountain feed,
And will w^th Soft Entrance & fold thee wound
Indulge my Hunters on the Barren Ground.

Adieu my Dear Creature! how painful is to repeat that word, but I
must once more bid you adieu! Remember & Love your most
affectionate faithful J M

Hertingfordbury Park. Sep^t y^e 9^th 1730.
My Humble service to Lady Stanhope &c.