Reference
Z699/65
Title
M D Dickenson (schoolfriend) to Priscilla May 21 June 1828
Coalbrookdale 6th mo 21st 1828
Altho' my dear Priscilla, I am aware that I have little to communicate that can prove interesting to thee, I should be sorry not to avail myself of the opportunity of sending a few lines by my Uncle & Aunt Darby (who with my cousins intend to leave home for Leighton tomorrow) even if they should contain only my thanks for thy very kind letter. I feel deeply interested in the welfare of all, with whom I enjoyed the privilege of receiving dear S.C.'s valuable instructions and may assure thee that to hear from thee, as it was a gratification that I had no right to expect, was peculiarly pleasing, and should I ever visit Ampthill thou may be certain that I would not willingly forego the pleasure of seeing thee at home which I dare say thou finds a second absence renders doubly dear.
I suppose that thou sometimes hears from Mary & Jane Curtis; I have received very little intelligence of them since they quitted S.N.S. I regret that I hear so little of many to whom I feel affectionately attached; but I have twice had the gratification of receiving valuable packets of letters and notes from Newington.
I was disappointed that John Backhouse and his family did not return this way; they wished to go to Matlock and the Dale being so many miles out of their road, it would have been selfish to wish them to come here to see me , whilst I know, that excepting the beauties of the scenery which I see with a partial eye, there is very little that could compensate them for the detention, thou wilt however readily believe that it would be a very great pleasure to me to meet dear Ann & I still venture to hope that some future period I may welcome her at this place. It is a week since I had a very kind note from my beloved friend S.Corder, it was written on the morning that the Backhouses left Newington.
The time of the departure of her girls is always a sorrowful one to S.C. and perhaps on several accounts her spirits when she penned those lines were more than usually depressed; she did not tell me whether she should spend the Vacation at S.N. but I hope her relatives will prevail on her to go into Essex, a little change would I think be beneficial to her health, which I fear suffers from too much exertion and anxiety; for the sake of others, it is certainly important that she should comply with the entreaties of her friends to take care of herself.
Probably thou knowest that M.A.Kenway has a comfortable suitable situation at Coventry, she is so desirous of promoting the comfort of those by whom she is surrounded that I do hope that she is herself comfortable. My parents with my two Eldest Brothers and Sisters attended the Yearly Meeting dear Sarah & Rebecca came home with my beloved Father and Mother last seventh day fortnight. Hannah arrived the same day; my three Brothers also, came from school last week, so that we are now a large family, we only want my Brother Barnard to make our circle complete & we anticipate his company for about two weeks before the Vacation concludes; tho' I cannot complain, that I am at a loss for comparisons at the present time, so numerous are my engagements and the warm weather renders me so unfit for doing much of any kind, that I have made very little if any progress in my studies lately, however, for three or four months after I came home I went on with French, Italian & Latin with some degree of regularity; Rebecca & I study a little together, we are reading "Prudeaux's {Connections ?} we think it an instructive and highly interesting work; Rebecca collects & presses botanical specimens.
Thou kindly enquired if my Mother were hurt when she met with an accident when in Town, she fell in the street, but I am happy to say that she sustained no serious injury.
Our valued Uncle & Aunt Smith have been spending ten days with us. We have greatly enjoyed their society, they only left us this afternoon; my dear Aunt, tho' in very delicate health still, is considerably better than she was last year and as cheerful ,as ever.
I am quite ashamed to send thee this wretched scrawl but thou knowest that bad is even my best writing and perhaps thou canst excuse this, as thou may rest assured that with dear love it comes from
thy sincere friend
M.D.Dickinson
Dear Rebecca is gone out to tea, but she would I am sure send a message of love to thee. May & Wise
Drapers
Priscilla May. Ampthill
Date free text
21 June 1828
Production date
From: 1828 To: 1828
Exent
No. of pieces: 1
Format
paper
Level of description
item