Cornelia J. Randolph to Virginia J. Randolph Trist

I have just heard dear Virginia that Mrs Faulcon (Louisiana Cocke) was going to Albemarle and that she would take letters for us; I am very much tired already with writing I am terribly sleepy but cannot lose so good an opportunity. I would write to Mary but Mary Cary intends to do so, tell her I will write the next time to her. We have not done much this week but at last have got fairly rid of the wedding company & will begin p work to morrow industriously, monday. as aunt Carr cannot entertain she only invited them to tea & Mary & myself determining everything should be in style went out & prepared a feast with our own hands which did much credit to our us as cooks I assure you, the cake & creams were excellent, preserves, compotes &c were as good; we then set out the table very tastefully and our company were much delighted (or seemed to be) with our walking supper; after it, we went into the gardens where the girls & young men, John Cocke at the head of them pelted each other with green fruit untill they were tired, while I stood in all the dignity of a new acquaintance who could not be taken liberties with, in safety, while the fruit flew round my head never missing its aim & never touching me, while the girls screamed & the young men shouted & there was a real right down romp; so much for Norfolk manners. The whole party are going to Charlottesville on their way to over the mountains some where. Louisiana is a sweet girl I think Miss Eyre whom John Cocke is trying to make up his mind to fall in love with is ugly & formal & precise (she was not in the romp) but sings delightfully, her voice singing “It fell upon a day” rings through my ears now, I was quite rapt when I heard it; she also draws prettily & has the most “accomplished extremities” I know. John Cocke to my infinite surprise I find excessively agreable, Mr Otway Barande, the uncle of the young Cockes is much like Mr Elliot in person but tiresome to the last degree, Mr Eyre I can say nothing of, except that every body laughs at his ugliness some saying his face looks as if it was rat eaten, & some that his nose was like a saddle, others that it was like a big toe & many such smart speechs; and that he still keeps the most l elegant gig in the country. Mrs Cocke from all accounts is the rudest woman that ever lived she seems to have taken a dislike to aunt C. because (as I suspect) she was afraid her brother was too attentive to her, but taceI had written so far when a gentlemen came in who promises to take my letter to Bremo so adieu my beloved write to me & tell me every thing your own sister kiss my little darling for me.

The girls send their love to you.

RC (NcU: NPT); addressed: “To Mrs N. P. Trist Tufton near Charlottesville Mrs Dr Faulcon will oblige Miss Randolph by sending these letters to the office.”

tace is Latin, meaning “Be Silent!” (OED).

Date Range
Date
June 24, 1827
Collection
Repository