Reference
Z699/98a
Title
Priscilla May to Ann May 23 Oct 1833
Frenchay 4th day 1833
My dear Mother
Though I am not intending to send this letter till next week, I thought I had better begin for fear I could not recollect all I have to say as I want thee to have an idea of how we pass our time, which I can assure thee is very agreeable - -
My last letter I think only described our journey & reception here, the next morning Mariana came in, & Aunt not being in the way, she introduced herself to us, & after having sat a little while, wished us to go & see their garden & house, which are both elegant, the latter particularly so - we went to Moorend in the evening, as I think I told thee before, the house is not very capital & the garden has nothing but weeds in it & altogether has a desolate appearance. Alfred is making some drains, as the house has been very damp & it will be some little time I think before it all wears a cheerful & comfortable aspect, but Helen [Tuckett nee Curtis] is the same quiet creature through it all - -
We were introduced in the course of 4th day to our cousin Anna, whose manners though slightly formal are very agreeable & her very bright expression of countenance prepossessed us in her favour -
After breakfast on 4th day Aunt [Elizabeth Tuckett] told us she had been thinking that perhaps we should in general sit in the little bow room of a morning, to pursue any reading working or drawing that we liked - I need hardly tell thee how much it met with our approbation - - we have accordingly taken full possession of it - -
I will now tell thee the plan of our occupation: we are aroused in the morning at 1/2 past seven by a bell, which is rung for some little time, we are generally dressed & sitting in the bow room before the 2nd bell is rung at 1/2 past eight for breakfast - after which we return to our room & sit there till twelve, alternately reading & working, the book is Tytler's General History, we thoroughly enjoy this part of the day, the view from our window is beautiful & the rich autumnal tints give a double beauty to the little wood in front - we walk till 1/2 past one & dine at two, from which we do not rise for an hour after, as the cracking of walnuts takes some time - we drink tea about six after which Aunt reads to us in Bishop Heber's Memoirs, interrupted occasionally by either Philip or Francis bringing the newspaper -
I am making a set of lawn shirts for Anna, & Emily [Hooper] some nightcaps for Aunt, we retire at 1/2 past 10 or 11 generally, this is pretty much how we employ ourselves when not interrupted -
We see most of my cousins in the course of the day, Mariana came in one evening to read part of a letter to us, which was more like a newspaper as it was a large foolscap sheet written very close & crossed all over & such she is continually receiving & writing - she is a nice free creature & though we had heard so much of her we were not at all disappointed -- we drank tea there on fourth day in company with George & Lydia Davey (late Lean) we were in the drawing room, which is elegantly furnished - the curtains, chairs, & sofa covers being of white damask, a most expensive & elegant number of books being on the tables &c. the tea service was a glittering & beautiful one consisting of silver tea & coffee pot sugar basin, cream jug & cake basket - we all sat round the table in a sociable party & afterwards spent a very agreeable & cheerful evening in looking over books & plates -
We have also drunk tea at Philip's but as we were quite by ourselves, we were a quieter party but enjoyed ourselves very much, Anna is cheerful & very good company but more staid than Mariana she showed us her little things which were very neat & pretty - -
Aunt has been so well & cheerful all the time we have been here that it is an agreeable surprise to us. She begged us to make quite as free as though we were at home which I think we do - Caroline Fry & her brother Francis's wife Matilda have come, also Samuel & Hannah Waring came on horseback one morning - - This day week (7th day) William Ball & Richard Darby came to breakfast with us - the latter is the one that is heir to the estates at Coalbrookdale -
Aunt & Anna went to Bristol on 6th day we have not been there yet but Philip is to take us some day a ride round Clifton.-
1st day. I have written the foregoing at various times but for want of more room I must curtail what I have to say.
I am anxious to hear how you all get on & if Uncle & Aunt Arch have derived any benefit from our pure air, if they have not left do give my dear love to them & tell them how much I regret not having any of their company -
I hope thou hast not been overdone - wilt thou give my dear love to Nancy & tell her if she will send me 1/2 doz. of the children's nightcaps I think I could make them as I have no work of my own & wilt thou also send my sheet of dead gold paper which is either in the cabinet or the left hand top drawer in the spare room wrapped in blue paper, a cake of burnt umber which is in the table drawer - the winders that were ordered at Handscomb's did not come home before we left we should be glad of 1 doz. sent - if Uncle Arch has these things before the 30th of this month he can send them.
Do write a very long letter crossed all over & if Nancy has time it would give me great pleasure to hear from her - I often think of you all - whilst in the midst of so much enjoyment as I find here.- -
Mariana has her cousin Charlotte Collier of Plymouth staying with her - - Yesterday we came down from our watch tower into the drawing-room to wait for a call from Mrs A.Schimmelpennink but a message was sent that she was not quite well and was not coming - Have you heard that Rammohun Ray was buried in perfect silence in the lady's grounds where he died at his own request that he might not lose caste - Uncle Sam is in a dilemma again his mortgage being dead -Maria is still with Helen but leaves next week. H.'s children are nice little things Bessey is a remarkably good tempered child - -
The end of my paper warns me I must bring this to a close as I am afraid were I to cross it thou wouldst not be able to read it so with my very dear love to Father C. & N. accept a large share thyself from Thy affectionate Priscilla.
Samuel May Postmarks : BRISTOL No30 E [Seal : lattice in circle]
Ampthill 22OCT1833 23 OC 23
Bedfordshire. PY POST 1833
Date free text
23 Oct 1833
Production date
From: 1833 To: 1833
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No. of pieces: 1
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paper
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item