LETTER157

letter157

marylambtosarahstoddart

[p.m.october23,1806.]

mydearsarah—ithankyouathousandtimesforthebeautifulworkyouhavesentme,ireceivedtheparcelfromastrangegentlemanyesterday.ilikethepatternsverymuch,youhavequitesetmeupinfinery,butyoushouldhavesentthesilkhandkerchieftoo.willyoumakeaparcelofthatandsenditbythesalisburycoach—ishouldliketohaveitinafewdaysbecausewehavenotyetbeentomr.babbsandthathandkerchiefwouldsuitthistimeofyearnicely.

ihavereceivedalongletterfromyourbrotheronthesubjectofyourintendedmarriage.ihavenodoubtbutyoualsohaveoneonthisbusiness,thereforeitisneedlesstorepeatwhathesays.iamwellpleasedtofindthatuponthewholehedoesnotseemtoseeitinanunfavorablelight.hesaysthat,ifmr.d.isaworthymanheshallhavenoobjectiontobecomethebrotherofafarmer,andhemakesanoddrequesttomethatishallsetouttosalisburytolookatandexamineintothemeritsofthesaidmr.d.,andspeaksveryconfidentlyasifyouwouldabidebymydetermination.aprettysortofanofficetruly.—shallicome?

theobjectionshestartsareonlysuchasyouandihavealreadytalkedover,suchasthedifferenceinage,education,habitsoflife,&c.

youhavegonetoofarinthisaffairforanyinterferencetobeatalldesirable,andifyouhadnot,ireallydonotknowwhatmywisheswouldbe.whenyoubringmr.dowlingatchristmasisupposeitwillbequitetimeenoughformetositinjudgementuponhim,butmyexaminationwillnotbeaverysevereone.ifyoufancyaveryyoungman,andhelikesanelderlygentlewoman;ifhelikesalearnedandaccomplishedlady,andyoulikeanotverylearnedyouth,whomayneedalittlepolishing,whichprobablyhewillneveracquire;itisallverywell,andgodblessyoubothtogetherandmayyoubebothverylonginthesamemind.

iamtoassistyoutoo,yourbrothersays,indrawingupthemarriagesettlements—anotherthankfuloffice!iamnot,itseems,tosufferyoutokeeptoomuchmoneyinyourownpower,andyetiamtotakecareofyouincaseofbankruptcy&c.,andiamtorecommendtoyou,forthebettermanagementofthispoint,theseriousperusalofjeremytaylorhisopiniononthemarriagestate,especiallyhisadviceagainstseparateinterestsinthathappystate,andiamalsototellyouhowdesirableitisthatthehusbandshouldhavetheintiredirectionofallmoneyconcerns,except,asyourgoodbrotheradds,inthecaseofhisownfamily,wherethemoney,heobserves,isveryproperlydepositedinmrs.stoddart'shands,shebeingbettersuitedtoenjoysuchatrustthananyotherwoman,andthereforeitisfitthatthegeneralruleshouldnotbeextendedtoher.

wewilltalkoverthesethingswhenyoucometotown,andastosettlements,whicharemattersofwhich,ineverhavinghadapennyinmyowndisposal,ineverinmylifethoughtof—andifihadbeenblessedwithagoodfortune,andthatmarvellousblessingtoboot,ahusband,iverilybelieveishouldhavecrammeditalluncountedintohispocket—butthouhastacoolerheadofthyown,andidaresaywilldoexactlywhatisexpedientandproper,butyourbrother'sopinionseemssomewhatlikemr.barwis'sandidaresayyouwilltakeitintodueconsideration,yetperhapsanofferofyourownmoneytotakeafarmmaymakeuncledolessforhisnephew,andinthatcasemr.d.mightbealoserbyyourgenerosity.weighallthesethingswell,andifyoucansocontriveit,letyourbrothersettlethesettlementshimselfwhenhereturns,whichwillmostprobablybelongbeforeyouwantthem.

youaresettled,itseems,intheveryhousewhichyourbrothermostdislikes.ifyoufindthishouseveryinconvenient,getoutofitasfastasyoucan,foryourbrothersayshesentyouthefiftypoundtomakeyoucomfortable,andbythegeneraltoneofhisletteriamsurehewishestomakeyoueasyinmoneymatters:thereforewhystraitenyourselftopaythedebtyouowehim,whichiamwellassuredhenevermeanstotake?thankyoufortheletterandforthepictureofprettylittlechubbynephewjohn.

ihavebeenbusymakingwaistcoatsandplottingnewworktoeedthe

tales.asyetihavenothituponanythingtomymind.

charlestookanemendatedcopyofhisfarcetomr.wroughtonthemanageryesterday.mr.wroughtonwasveryfriendlytohim,andexpressedhighapprobationofthefarce,buttherearetwo,hetellshim,tocomeoutbeforeit,yethegavehimhopesthatitwillcomeoutthisseason,butiamafraidyouwillnotseeitbychristmas.itwilldoforanotherjauntforyouinthespring.weareprettywellandinfreshspiritsaboutthisfarce.charleshasbeenverygoodlatelyinthematterofsmoking.

whenyoucomebringthegownyouwishtosell.mrs.coleridgewillbeintownthen,andifshehappensnottofancyit,perhapssomeotherpersonmay.

coleridgeibelieveisgonehome;heleftuswiththatdesignbutwehavenotheardfromhimthisfortnight.

louisasendsherlove;shehasbeenveryunwelllately.

myrespectstocoridon,mother,andaunty.

farewel,mybestwishesarewithyou.

yoursaffectionately,

m.lamb.

thursday.

whenisawwhataprodigiousquantityofworkyouhadputintothefineryiwasquiteashamedofmyunreasonablerequest,iwillneverserveyousoagain,butidodearlyloveworkedmuslin.

[sarahstoddartnowhadanewlover,mr.dowling,towhomsheseemsactuallytohavebecomeengaged.mr.barwis,ipresume,wasmr.dowling'suncle.coridonwould,iimagine,bemr.dowling.]