Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    L30/17/4/66
  • Title
    From Grantham in Madrid to Nanny
  • Date free text
    6 December 1773
  • Production date
    From: 1773 To: 1773
  • Scope and Content
    "My Dearest Nanny, The Print, the Print! at last is arrived, & has paid our impatience by it's beauty & it's likeness. It is indeed a very fine & graceful Figure, the countenance very sweet & composed rather however too grave, the attitude of the hands natural to her, the Hair admirable, being in a great style, yet exact; in short it gave us compleat satisfaction. The next parcel, tho' far less interesting, surprised & pleased us much I mean the Tablet which Fritz presented me with as my Birthday gift. It accounts for the Praises, which you & Therese have bestowed on that manufacturer which in deed is highly improved. There is great brillancy & neatness in that branch of it the arms [?] too are very handsome, & the seals exceeding clever. I am next to mention the Buttons, which are mostly very handsome I have only to observe that they were not in full setts for Dress cloaths however we managed them. They arrived just in time to be put on our Ratteens. Fritz's rust brown lined with white mine scarlet lined with Garter Blue. Very like the King's Cloaths. The rest of yr Parcels were Odd Pieces of Staffordshire ware, which came safe & foods of various kinds & I must not omitt an excellent long letter from Sir Joshua, which I shall answer by Mr Waddilove. The Archbishop requires his immediate Precence, & he will set out next week, probably be in London, early in January; you will scarcely be in Town then, tho' I think you will when he comes back from Yorkshire. - I am very gald it is his Plan to return, & I trust the Archbishop will not have any objection to it.- Hitherto I have not yet said one word of your's off the 2d of last month which I have received & thank you for we were in the secret of yr Picture & were told it would be as it turned out, that you preferred yr buckles. Mr Parker however did most kindly & gallantly in resigning the Bracelets, which were almost a fair Prize - Sir Joshua says that little John when he last saw him was growing excessive handsome. I am very happy to hear he runs about yr house so stoutly as to bring you my letter. The great table is set & tomorrow we try the Dishes, the Repas happens to be less this year to night I treat Fritz with toasted Cheese. Adieu my dearest Nanny. My love to Mr P Therese & little John. Fritz's to you. I am Ever & Ever Most Sincerely Grantham"
  • Level of description
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