Z699/257a-b

Letter from Louisa Hooper to Edward Harris Strange

9 Nov 1849

From: 1849 To: 1849

Alton 11th mo 9th 1849 My dear Cousin Thy first letter received more than a week ago was so long interesting & acceptable I felt deeply indebted to thee, but deferred any return for 2 or 3 weeks, when I thought I could sit down in the quiet & give thee something like a letter - for I must at once tell thee we are not even now exactly settled, but the last week has done much for us, and sundry window curtains &c are this morning announced as on their way from Town, so that I hope in one week more nothing will remain but a little immaterial upholstery work and the setting to rights of unimportant crannies. But I was going to say that thy second letter which came to hand the next morning - excited a strong desire in me to respond to it immediately - which however I could not do - but the remembrance of its contents distressed me really & I scarcely know whether I thought most of thee or thy dear child, as I dwelt much & often on the threatened affliction to you both.- Yet I must own that the more I considered it, the more I found cause for hope, that at her age, the attack even if repeated, may prove of no lasting character - we have known such cases; thou must thyself have thought of Margaret May - and perhaps others who as growing girls have suffered in a similar way and been permitted to overcome it - Poor girl, if she is sensible of the probable nature of her sudden indisposition she must feel it very much for herself - what a comfort for thee that she is surrounded by kind & watchful friends as I trust thou canst feel well assured is the case - I wrote to dear Mary Ellen whilst I was staying at my Uncle Arch's just before coming here - I told her how much I wished she would write to me sometimes, & how greatly it would please me for her to do so with perfect freedom, and tell me everything, just as though she was talking to me - However I have not yet had the pleasure of hearing from her - though before she left Kennington she engaged to correspond with some of us - Thy allusions in thy first letter to some domestic unsettlement or unpleasantness with reference to E.Y. & my dear Uncle May - were as new to me as surprising - surprising in so far as my Uncle was the one to experience any annoyance for I know how high he esteemed and valued her and her supposed suitability for thy situation - It is vain (though in some degree it is impossible to help it) to refer to the past - but were I freely to say all the impression the said individual made on my mind when I first saw her, and my feelings on a little further acquaintance, I should soon show how I am not surprised that thou hast found her short of even that degree of perfection thou wast given to expect - such a superabundance of self-esteem is not often met with I think; I told Carry May a little of what I thought but felt it was not for me to unsettle the plans of those nearer connected with thee and who better knew, or who had seen more, of the character before us - I trust thou art not feeling thy home rendered uncomfortable by the presence of one, not likely I am sure to be too much "behind the scenes" there,- if the dear children benefit by the instructions it is some comfort, and I trust she is careful of their happiness, & not too strict, so as to hurt their young feelings - the fine feelings of the heart are early developed, and require cherishing very tenderly - Oh how I hope those which exist in no small or even ordinary degree in thy precious little flock, may be guarded, for the sake of her who would have nurtured them as her tenderest delight & pride - I suppose my Uncle May is safe housed for the winter at Ipswich;- from my Brother Edward now spending a few days in Town we hear of an intended visit to Bristol of my Cousins C.& N May - who gave E a hint that they might possibly take us in on their way home - it would be very delightful to see them here - and I think it would do dear Mama good if she is better then than now - for just at present she is very low & nervous from the effects of a second fall - she had one more than a week ago in her bed room;- we thought it was occasioned by loose pieces of carpeting in her bed room - and she appeared soon to recover her spirits, tho' her nose & face became blue & green from bruises:- this still was the case when last fifth day, in our verandah, she fell again; she seems even less able to account for this fall, and tho' her face escaped is a good deal hurt & shaken and so fearful that it may be more than accident, that she is sadly out of spirits - I try to hope a few days may set her up again but it is sad to see her so just as we were getting through our muddles & beginning to have leisure to enjoy our lovely home, for such, for situation and accommodation it certainly is - We just want our dear Charles & Harriet and Uncle & Aunt Arch - Charles & Aunt, Mama quite sighs for when feeling low - it is a comfort that they & all our friends were fully convinced it was her own wish to settle here - I think myself she is suffering from an over-strained mind, for she has much to occupy it, without time to rest, for months past - and just lately much also to do - the death of my Uncle Curtis [William C.] too was a great trial to her, & disappointment, he was the chief attraction to her native place - I have just taken the pen to conclude this most untidy scrawl now this 11th day of 11th month - it has been waiting 2 or 3 different times, and I scrawled away at it in the dusk yesterday, so that I have produced a lamentable daylight specimen of the art - which I must trust to thy kindness to excuse - Do give my dear love to either of the dear children who remembers me - I should extremely enjoy the power to look in on you all some times - but not possessing it, must content myself with gleaning what occasional news of you I can - My Mama and sisters desire their love to thee, the former is a little better today and has even been to meeting this morning, walking very slowly - but I fear [unfinished] Envelope: Penny red Edward H Strange Ampthill Beds

No. of pieces: 2

English

paper and envelope

item

Hooper, Louisa,
Strange, Edward Harris,
May, Margaret Sims,
Strange, Mary Ellen,
Arch,
May, Caroline,
May, Charles,
May, Nancy,
May, Harriet,
Curtis, William,
Hooper, Edward

household goods, deaths, health, mourning, personal correspondence, Kennington, Bristol, Ipswich