Browninghill Saturday August 30 th 1760

Dear Papa

I arrived in good time at the inn on Tuesday morning for I believe it was 3/4 of an Hour after I came before they sat out: I believe I shall make you stare a little when you hear of one of the passengers: they were one Miss Norreys of Newberry , M r Pointer that keeps an Inn there, and is intimately acquainted with M r Harris; and M rs Vincent, the famous singer at Vaux-hall; who was going to pay a visit to her relations. she was pretty free in discovering herself, for she did not long wait before she talked about M rs Vincent as of herself and Miss Brent; with whom she said she had had a quarrel; for the Girl was so insufferably proud there was no such thing as bearing her: however she owned, the Girl was good natured enough: but at last they shook hands, and all was well again At first I did not know what to make of her; for she intimated that she was in a publick way of life which I understood at first to be the Playhouse, but yet she talked of spending 3 Guineas in plays in one year and so I wondered how one that belonged to the play-house could talk of spending any money
Similar Items
  • Title: [Bowood Oct. 2 d 1781 1781-10-2 It]
    Description: Bowood Oct. 2 d 1781 1781-10-2

    It was a cursed foolish thing in me to set myself such a task as that of

    sending you a diary of every thing that passes here: & now I do not

    recollect where I left off. Oh, I think it was on Saturday that I

    despatched my letter; and I believe I told you of Bank's coming in from

    Font-hill with Pratt & Will Pitt.

    Sunday Sept. r 30 came in to dinner a whole heap of

    Sturts, likewise from Font-hill: M r & M rs Sturt, Miss Sturt a girl about 17 or 18

    & Miss Eliza Sturt, about 11. Banks it appeared, is intimate in

    that family. After dinner came in Dunning, passing hot from Bristol.

    Monday [Yesterday] Oct. 1 st. A party of us went to

    Methuen's at Corsham about

    5 miles from this place to see his pictures: it is a famous

    collection made by S r Paul Methuen: the family were

    not at home. They are at L d Boston's , who

    married a daughter of Methuen's. I shou'd have said Methuen's

    daughter, as he has but one. The party consisted of Lady Shelburne, L d Camden Miss Pratt & Miss Fox in

    L d S's Coach: Pratt Pitt, Banks

    & your humble servant on horseback. On our return, to my great

    mortification we found M r & M rs Dunning were set off for London. It was

    absolutely necessary: M rs Dunning & her maid

    were expecting every hour to fall to pieces.

    Tuesday Oct.2. In the morning before breakfast L d

    Camden & Miss Pratt went off for Hereford-shire: Banks and Pitt for

    Kingston-hall Bank's house in Dorsetshire: The Sturts to their house which

    is 4 miles from Kingston-hall.

    Wednesday Oct.3. This morning before breakfast Pratt went off for Bath,

    where he is gone to cultivate his corporation: so that there is nobody left

    but Barre & I. S r G. Bayntun

    has been breakfasting here. One would think he came here as a spy of the

    court: for he always comes at breakfast, the time that people are

    collected together. This is at least the sixth time of his breakfasting

    with us since I have been here.
  • Title: [Fetcham Thursday Sept: r 12 th 1776]
    Description: Fetcham Thursday Sept: r 12 th 1776

    Hon'd Sir

    Yesterday I was again at Ripley; and fortune was again

    perverse. To anticipate any company that might come in, and to give time

    to Miss S. to get ready for riding, should she be disposed to it, I got thither

    with my poor forlorn beast a little before 9. It was plain it was not

    Miss S's original intention to ride out that day, as she came down to

    breakfast in a gown: but upon my proposing it first to her Mama, and

    afterwards as soon as Miss came into the room to herself, she came into

    it at first word: gave orders to the Coachman to get up the horse, and as

    soon as breakfast was over went up to put on her habit. The dressing

    of her hair took up an uncommon length of time. M rs B. apologized

    for it, and assigned as a reason, that as they were going out to make a

    visit in the afternoon, Miss was dressing her hair in such a manner

    as that it might serve once for all. It was about 12 when M rs B.

    who had been above stairs for a few minutes, came down and told me

    that Miss had been taken with the complaint she is subject to in her

    stomach, that she had taken some of the Medicine she kept by her for the

    purpose, but that she was afraid she would not able to ride out that day

    Soon after Miss herself came into the room ;, mentioned her indisposition,

    and said that under those circumstances she was afraid to venture

    upon riding, as the motion of the horse was apt to make her worse.

    I then thought it was time to take my leave: but first my business

    was to endeavour to get them to appoint a time for coming over to

    Fetcham. From what had passed when I was there before I really

    thought they meant it; and indeed M rs B. for it was she alone who spoke, acknowledged that I had reason. but when it came to a trial I had the misfortune

    to find all I could say would not prevail. She assigned first

    the length of the way, shortness of the days, and so forth; their expecting a

    Lady who was to come and spend a fortnight with them soon, and who might

    come so soon as Monday or Tuesday. When answers were given to all these objections At last she owned to be fearing

    that she could not think of paying a visit to a single gentleman:

    that indeed it was not her custom to dine with any body, and that

    her dining with my Mother was a particular exception to the rule.

    I said that I was persuaded my Mother and you would meet them

    at Fetcham with great pleasure, and that I would not expect them but

    upon that condition: and when that would not do, pleading the disappointment it
  • Title: [I have been looking about for the Scaphandre]
    Description: I have been looking about for the Scaphandre, my dear

    Sam, but cannot find it any where - I have a sort of

    a half notion of your having it yourself.

    I do not recollect saying any thing to you in my last

    letter or any letter since I saw you about any uneasiness -

    Throug God's mercy I have no particular uneasiness that I

    Perhaps if you are very good and the Marine Dictionary

    costs no more than a guinea, I may let you have it.

    Have there been no letters yet from M rs W. besides what

    I saw, and what you mentioned?

    I don't believe I have ever had the grace to make an

    apology to my dear M rs D. for opening that letter of M rs W.

    that I sent: but I looked upon it as included in the general

    engagement & permission.

    Now M r N. is with you I suppose you will take the advantage

    and consult him about your Pelican. Poor thing it has

    lain along time neglected in your garret, like a Pelican in the wilderness.

    I have been told there have been two attacks upon D r Adam

    Smith by the godly, for testifying that David Hume died in peace

    There was a little grinning-prig Oxford Parson t'other day at

    Q.S.P. of whom Madam asked whether he had seen the

    answer to the Humean impiety; meaning one of those.

    I met Your dear friend D r Chelsom deed at Q.S.P. last Thursday.

    He talked in magnificent terms of the character of a Christian Divine

    Talking of Parson Horne's quitting the Church for the Law, he took notice

    of it as somthing singular: it was the first instance he said

    he had known of a man's quitting the higher profession for the

    lower.

    May 6. 1777.

    Linc. Inn.

    Make my Compliments to M r & M rs Nairne —

    Love to M rs D.

    Desire Inv. if ever she happens not to know what to

    do with herself, to take pen in hand, & give me the history of Patty D.'s departure.