Letter from Maria Fitzherbert, London, to Mary Georgiana Dawson-Damer, 1828 April 1 : autograph manuscript signed with initials.

Relating news of the family and the poor health of Mary Anne, Morier and Lady Charlotte; relating news of a possible engagement of Mary [Anne] saying "In my last I must have rais'd yr curiosity with respect to Mary but I have little hopes of the event I announced taking place every thing we could wish for or desire except that odious commodity money of which on the part of the young man is very deficient, the person's name & connections are most desirable in every point of view & the Father & Mother have written such an anxious desire to have her connected with them & have written such kind affectionate letters upon the subject that we are both charm'd & so would you if you knew all - Mary is not able to write to you herself which she had intended doing to tell you these particulars which for the present we beg & implore of you not to mention or give an Idea of to any soul breathing . The young man is E'd Jerningham second son of Lord Stafford very amiable good looking & Gentleman like; his Brother I believe is now at Paris. Therefore for heavens sake dont say anything about it to a human being - There are unfortunately ten younger children their portion of fortune five thousand each which is so very trifling that tho' I shall give Mary at present twenty thousand added to this they could not exist without a further addition. I have written to beg they will endeavour to do something more & if this is not acceded to the match cannot take place however I do not as yet quite despair - fortunately Mary has not seen enough of him to be much attach'd & feels the smallness of his fortune would be a great drawback to their mutual comfort for it really would not enable them to have the common necessaries & comforts of life & if they sh'd have children they would absolutely be beggars;" asking her if she has made a decision about a house;" adding that there was a rumor that "Lady Verulam wrote to Cecil Jenkinson that I had offer'd her fourteen thous'd for her House. Jenkinson told Fred he thought I must be insane. did you ever hear of such an invention; if this is her practice one is not safe in her Society, it has made me quite angry;" adding, in a postscript, that as soon as Mary is well enough to leave they will return to Brighton.