essays on life, art and science-第7部分

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able　to　discover　what　is　referred　to　by　the　words　〃Charles　is　a
butty　and　so　good。〃　　We　shall　presently　meet　with　a　Charles　who
〃flies　in　the　Fier；〃　but　that　Charles　appears　to　have　been　in
London；　whereas　this　one　is　evidently　in　Kent；　or　wherever　the　aunt
lived。

The　next　letter　is　from　Mrs。　Newton


〃DER　Miss　；　I　Receve　your　Letter　your　Aunt　is　vary　Ill　and
Lowspireted　I　Donte　think　your　Aunt　wood　Git　up　all　Day　if　My　Sister
Wasnot　to　Persage　her　We　all　Think　hir　lif　is　two　monopolous。　you
Wish　to　know　Who　Was　Liveing　With　your　Aunt。　that　is　My　Sister　and
Willianand　Carilineas　Cock　and　Old　Poll　Pepper　is　Come　to　Stay
With　her　a　Littel　Wile　and　I　hoped　＇hopped＇　for　Your　Aunt；　and　Harry
has　Worked　for　your　Aunt　all　the　Summer。　　Your　Aunt　and　Harry　Whent
to　the　Wells　Races　and　Spent　a　very　Pleasant　Day　your　Aunt　has　Lost
Old　Fanney　Sow　She　Died　about　a　Week　a　Go　Harry　he　Wanted　your　Aunt
to　have　her　killed　and　send　her　to　London　and　Shee　Wold　Fech　her　11
pounds　the　Farmers　have　Lost　a　Greet　Deal　of　Cattel　such　as　Hogs　and
Cows　What　theay　call　the　Plage　I　Whent　to　your　Aunt　as　you　Wish　Mee
to　Do　But　She　Told　Mee　She　Did　not　wont　aney　Boddy　She　Told　Mee　She
Should　Like　to　Come　up　to　see　you　But　She　Cant　Come　know　for　she　is
Boddyley　ill　and　Harry　Donte　Work　there　know　But　he　Go　up　there　Once
in　Two　or　Three　Day　Harry　Offered　is　self　to　Go　up　to　Live　With　your
Aunt　But　She　Made　him　know　Ancer。　　I　hay　Been　up　to　your　Aunt　at
Work　for　5　Weeks　Hopping　and　Ragluting　Your　Aunt　Donte　Eat　nor　Drink
But　vary　Littel　indeed。

〃I　am　Happy　to　Say　We　are　Both　Quite　Well　and　I　am　Glad　no　hear　you
are　Both　Quite　Well

〃MRS　NEWTON。〃


This　seems　to　have　made　the　nieces　propose　to　pay　a　visit　to　their
aunt；　perhaps　to　try　and　relieve　the　monopoly　of　her　existence　and
cheer　her　up　a　little。　　In　their　letter；　doubtless；　the　dog　motive
is　introduced　that　is　so　finely　developed　presently　by　Mrs。　Newton。
I　should　like　to　have　been　able　to　give　the　theme　as　enounced　by　the
nieces　themselves；　but　their　letters　are　not　before　me。　　Mrs。　Newton
writes：…


〃MY　DEAR　GIRLS；Your　Aunt　receiv　your　Letter　your　Aunt　will　Be　vary
glad　to　see　you　as　it　quite　a　greeable　if　it　tis　to　you　and　Shee　is
Quite　Willing　to　Eair　the　beds　and　the　Rooms　if　you　Like　to　Trust　to
hir　and　the　Servantes；　if　not　I　may　Go　up　there　as　you　Wish。　　My
Sister　Sleeps　in　the　Best　Room　as　she　allways　Did　and　the　Coock　in
the　garret　and　you　Can　have　the　Rooms　the　same　as　you　allways　Did　as
your　Aunt　Donte　set　in　the　Parlour　She　Continlery　Sets　in　the
Ciching。　your　Aunt　says　she　Cannot　Part　from　the　dog　know　hows　and
She　Says　he　will　not　hurt　you　for　he　is　Like　a　Child　and　I　can
safeley　say　My　Self　he　wonte　hurt　you　as　She　Cannot　Sleep　in　the
Room　With　out　him　as　he　allWay　Sleep　in　the　Same　Room　as　She　Dose。
your　Aunt　is　agreeable　to　Git　in　What　Coles　and　Wood　you　Wish　for　I
am　know　happy　to　say　your　Aunt　is　in　as　Good　health　as　ever　She　Was
and　She　is　happy　to　hear　you　are　Both　Well　your　Aunt　Wishes　for
Ancer　By　Return　of　Post。〃


The　nieces　replied　that　their　aunt　must　choose　between　the　dog　and
them；　and　Mrs。　Newton　sends　a　second　letter　which　brings　her
development　to　a　climax。　　It　runs：…


〃DEAR　MISS　；　I　have　Receve　your　Letter　and　i　Whent　up　to　your　Aunt
as　you　Wish　me　and　i　Try　to　Perveal　With　her　about　the　Dog　But　she
Wold　not　Put　the　Dog　away　nor　it　alow　him　to　Be　Tied　up　But　She
Still　Wishes　you　to　Come　as　Shee　says　the　Dog　Shall　not　interrup　you
for　She　Donte　alow　the　Dog　nor　it　the　Cats　to　Go　in　the　Parlour
never　sence　She　has　had　it　Donup　ferfere　of　Spoiling　the　Paint　your
Aunt　think　it　vary　Strange　you　Should　Be　so　vary　Much　afraid　of　a
Dog　and　She　says　you　Cant　Go　out　in　London　But　What　you　are　up　a
gance　one　and　She　says　She　Wonte　Trust　the　Dog　in　know　one　hands　But
her　Owne　for　She　is　afraid　theay　Will　not　fill　is　Belley　as　he　Lives
upon　Rost　Beeff　and　Rost　and　Boil　Moutten　Wich　he　Eats　More　then　the
Servantes　in　the　House　there　is　not　aney　One　Wold　Beable　to　Give
Sattefacktion　upon　that　account　Harry　offerd　to　Take　the　Dog　But　She
Wood　not　Trust　him　in　our　hands　so　I　Cold　not　Do　aney　thing　With　her
your　Aunt　youse　to　Tell　Me　When　we　was　at　your　House　in　London　She
Did　not　know　how　to　make　you　amens　and　i　Told　her　know　it　was　the
Time　to　Do　it　But　i　Considder　She　sets　the　Dog　Before　you　your　Aunt
keep　know　Beer　know　Sprits　know　Wines　in　the　House　of　aney　Sort
Oneley　a　Little　Barl　of　Wine　I　made　her　in　the　Summer　the　Workmen
and　servantes　are　a　Blige　to　Drink　wauter　Morning　Noon　and　Night
your　Aunt　the　Same　She　Donte　Low　her　Self　aney　Tee　nor　Coffee　But　is
Loocking　Wonderful　Well

〃I　Still　Remane　your　Humble　Servant　Mrs　Newton

〃I　am　vary　sorry　to　think　the　Dog　Perventes　your　Comeing

〃I　am　Glad　to　hear　you　are　Both　Well　and　we　are　the　same。〃


The　nieces　remained　firm；　and　from　the　following　letter　it　is　plain
the　aunt　gave　way。　　The　dog　motive　is　repeated　pianissimo；　and　is
not　returned　tonot　at　least　by　Mrs。　Newton。


〃DEAR　Miss　；　I　Receve　your　Letter　on　Thursday　i　Whent　to　your　Aunt
and　i　see　her　and　She　is　a　Greable　to　everry　thing　i　asked　her　and
seme　so　vary　Much　Please　to　see　you　Both　Next　Tuseday　and　she　has
sent　for　the　Faggots　to　Day　and　she　Will　Send　for　the　Coles　to
Morrow　and　i　will　Go　up　there　to　Morrow　Morning　and　Make　the　Fiers
and　Tend　to　the　Beds　and　sleep　in　it　Till　you　Come　Down　your　Aunt
sends　her　Love　to　you　Both　and　she　is　Quite　well　your　Aunt　Wishes
you　wold　Write　againe　Before　you　Come　as　she　ma　Expeckye　and　the　Dog
is　not　to　Gointo　the　Parlor　a　Tall

〃your　Aunt　kind　Love　to　you　Both　&　hopes　you　Wonte　Fail　in　Coming
according　to　Prommis

MRS　NEWTON。〃


From　a　later　letter　it　appears　that　the　nieces　did　not　pay　their
visit　after　all；　and　what　is　worse　a　letter　had　miscarried；　and　the
aunt　sat　up　expecting　them　from　seven　till　twelve　at　night；　and
Harry　had　paid　for　〃Faggots　and　Coles　quarter　of　Hund。　　Faggots　Half
tun　of　Coles　1l。　1s。　3d。〃　　Shortly　afterwards；　however；　〃She〃　again
talks　of　coming　up　to　London　herself　and　writes　through　her　servant
…


〃My　Dear　girls　i　Receve　your　kind　letter　&　I　am　happy　to　hear　you　ar
both　Well　and　I　Was　in　hopes　of　seeing　of　you　Both　Down　at　My　House
this　spring　to　stay　a　Wile　I　am　Quite　well　my　self　in　Helth　But　vary
Low　Spireted　I　am　vary　sorry　to　hear　the　Misforting　of　Poor　charles
&　how　he　cum　to　flie　in　the　Fier　I　cannot　think。　　I　should　like　to
know　if　he　is　dead　or　a　Live；　and　I　shall　come　to　London　in　August　&
stay　three　or　four　daies　if　it　is　agreable　to　you。　　Mrs。　Newton　has
lost　her　mother　in　Law　4　day　March　&　I　hope　you　send　me　word　Wather
charles　is　Dead　or　a　Live　as　soon　as　possible；　and　will　you　send　me
word　what　Little　Betty　is　for　I　cannot　make　her　out。〃


The　next　letter　is　a　new　handwriting；　and　tells　the　nieces　of　their
aunt's　death　in　the　the　following　terms：　　…


〃DEAR　Miss　；　It　is　my　most　painful　duty　to　inform　you　that　your
dear　aunt　expired　this　morning　comparatively　easy　as　Hannah　informs
me　and　in　so　doing　restored　her　soul　to　the　custody　of　him　whom　she
considered　to　be　alone　worthy　of　its　care。

〃The　doctor　had　visited　her　about　five　minutes　previously　and　had
applied　a　blister。

〃You　and　your　sister　will　I　am　sure　excuse　further　details　at
present　and　believe　me　with　kindest　remembrances　to　remain

〃Yours　truly；　&c。〃


After　a　few　days　a　lawyer's　letter　informs　the　nieces　that　their
aunt　had　left　them　the　bulk　of　her　not　very　considerable　property；
but　had　charged　them　with　an　annuity　of　1　pound　a　week　to　be　paid　to
Harry　and　Mrs。　Newton　so　long　as　the　dog　lived。

The　only　other　letters　by　Mrs。　Newton　are　written　on　paper　of　a
different　and　more　modern　size；　they　leave　an　impression　of　having
been　written　a　good　many　years　later。　　I　take　them　as　they　come。
The　first　is　very　short：…


〃DEAR　Miss　；　i　write　to　say　i　cannot　possiblely　come　on　Wednesday
as　we　have　killed　a　pig。　　your's　truely；

〃ELIZABETH　NEWTON。〃


The　second　runs：…


〃DEAR　Miss　；　i　hope　you　are　both　quite　well　in　health　&　your　Leg
much　better　i　am　happy　to　say　i　am　getting　quite　well　again　i　hope
Amandy　has　reached　you　safe　by　this　time　i　sent　a　small　parcle　by
Amandy；　there　was　half　a　dozen　Pats　of　butter　&　the　Cakes　was　very
homely　and　not　so　light　as　i　could　wish　i　hope　by　this　time　Sarah
Ann　has　promised　she　will　stay　untill　next　monday　as　i　think　a　few
daies　longer　will　not　make　much　diferance　and　as　her　young　man　has
been　very　considerate　to　wait　so　long　as　he　has　i　think　he　would　for
a　few　days　Longer　dear　Miss　　I　wash　for　William　and　i　have　not　got
his　clothes　yet　as　it　has　been　delayed　by　the　carrier　&　i　cannot
possiblely　get　it　done　before　Sunday　and　i　do　not　Like　traviling　on
a　Sunday　but　to　oblige　you　i　would　come　but　to　come　sooner　i　cannot
possiblely　but　i　hope　Sarah　Ann　will　be　prevailed　on　once　more　as
She　has　so　many　times　i　feel　sure　if　she　tells　her　young　man　he　will
have　patient　for　he　is　a　very　kind　young　man

〃i　remain　your　sincerely

〃ELIZABETH　NEWTON。〃


The　last　letter　in　my　collection　seems　written　almost　within
measurable　distance　of　the　Christmas…card　era。　　The　sheet　is　headed
by　a　beautifully　embossed　device　of　some　holly　in　red　and　green；
wishing　the　recipient　of　the　letter　a　merry　Xmas　and　a　happy　new
year；　while　the　border　is　crimped　and　edged　with　blue。　　I　know　not
what　it　is；　but　there　is　something　in　the　writer's　highly　finished
style　that　reminds　me　of　Mendelssohn。　　It　would　almost　do　for　the
words　of　one　of　his　celebrated　〃Lieder　ohne　Worte〃：


〃DEAR　MISS　MARIA；I　hasten　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　of　your　kind
note　with　the　inclosure　for　which　I　return　my　best　thanks。　　I　need
scarcely　say　how　glad　I　was　to　know　that　the　volumes　secured　your
approval；　and　that　the　announcement　of　the　improvement　in　the
condition　of　your　Sister's　legs　afforded　me　infinite　pleasure。　　The
gratifying　news　encouraged　me　in　the　hope　that　now　the　nature　of　the
disorder　is　comprehended　her　legs　willnotwithstanding　the　process
may　be　gradualultimately　get　quite　well。　　The　pretty　Robin
Redbreast　which　lay　ensconced　in　your　epistle；　conveyed　to　me；　in
terms　more　eloquent　than　words；　how　much　you　desired　me　those
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