Bridget Hawkins (Roper-Curzon) to Martha Jefferson (Randolph)
Once more my dear Jefferson I resume my pen to converse with you. I should have wrote to demand from what cause your silence proceeded, had I had an instant that I could dedicate to friendship, but impossible; for this month past I have been in a continual bustle, we enter into all the amusements of the gay metropolis, are forever in a crowd of an evening, making & returning visits, of a morning studying our dress (instead of the harpsicord & for the abbé) &etc: judge then my Dr girl, if I can find much time for writing, tho’ believe me; I would rather pass it with my Dr Jef, than, (as I am obliged), with ten thousand people totally indifferent to me, but apropos, I am making you apologies when I require some on the contrary from you. however, I am in a good humor for scribbling, will therefore continue my epistle until dinner-time, & then Jef Adieu pour long temps. You love description, I will attempt one of a brilliant assembly I was at, il y a deux jours, I followed my chaperone into the brilliant apartments of Mrs Stephenson, they were crowded with well dressed beaux & belles, the light, the company. the variety of agreeable objects, all seemingly pleased with themselves & those about them, cannot fail to put ones spirits into an agreeable flutter, I had excellent partners, (for we changed every two dances), was very much admired, (that you cannot wonder at, as there were many people of taste there), vastly pleased with my dress, which was really elegant & came home at five ’clock in very good humour, with my own sweet person, but in a very bad one with my poor maid, who as I was very tired, appeared slower in her motions than usual. I have been reading over the descriptive parts of my letter & find them abominably written, & I often wish for your imagination which has such a commodius faculty of embellishing the bright side of a [. . .] prospect, but however, I must say (& I should beg you to agree with me was my letter to ), that I am in the dullest humour that ever was. however as equal spirits & temper are entirely out of fashion I’ll [. . .] console myself, especially as I hope my friend will pardon me. I forgot to tell you I stood next to Beikers all the evening, she look’d very handsome & was universally admired. A letter—or rather six or seven I have perused, your ladyships half a page in answer to three letters, one of which was eight pages, as I detest sameness however, I shall say nothing more on the subject, but for the future write short ones & receive long answers. I am much obliged by your kind wishes for my future welfare, I am to be married about the 20th of next month, am very busy in the preparatifs; the carriage is charming dark blue with gold spots & [. . .] cloth blue with yellow lace to suit the liveries; Diamonds, an immense large star for the hand ring, necklace & earrings are likewise diamonds & my watch, bracelets &etc are of pearls, one bracelet my mothers picture, the other my fathers. & Mr Carson’s picture as a fausse montre. All I can tell you concerning him is, that he is of an excellent family, his father is brother to Lord Teynham, whose title & estate Mr Carson in all probability will have his name originally was Roper, he has lately changed it for an estate; he would be a Baronet, were he not a Catholick—but this will luckily not prevent his being Lord Teynham, should the present heir kick the bucket. Mr C. is remarkably1 sensible & handsome, very tall & thin & has a remarkable quanity of hair, do you remember my resolutions. I beg you will write to la Fonce immediately & tell me the title of les soeurs d’ornand in which is Euphemia. Adieu, I am very sorry to hear of Polly’s illness, I will write to her next post. My kind love to all my friends, Bellecour la Charriere, Dash shall hear from me very soon. Tell Mde Crofton how greived I was to hear of her illness, Beikers told me of it at the ball. If you love me Jef, your next will be at least 8 pages & all in French.
Ask why Mde de St does not answer my letter, I wrote her an immense one an objet a mon marriage, tell her as she has wrote to Beikers, I think she might likewise condescend to write to me.