BIB_ID
439830
Accession number
MA 14348.5
Creator
Smith, Madeleine, 1835-1928, sender.
Display Date
Glasgow, Scotland, 16 October 1855.
Credit line
Bequest of Gordon N. Ray, 1987.
Description
1 item (12 pages) ; 13.0 x 21.4 cm
Notes
Inscribed and initialed in red ink in a hand believed to be that of Peter Taylor Young, Procurator Fiscal of the Sheriff Court Glasgow, at the head of first page: G. 216/1. P.T.Y. Fifth page: G. 216/2 P.T.Y. Ninth page: G 216/3. P.T.Y. Envelope is marked: G 216/4: P.T.Y.
Inscribed in ink in an unknown hand at bottom of fourth, eighth, and twelfth pages: "Lodges, JM, BML." These are the signatures of Glasgow sheriff-officer John Murray and his assistant Bernard M'Lauchlin. The word "Lodges" signals where the letter was found. Envelope bears the same markings.
Cross-writing on pages 9-12 and 17-20.
Dated "Thursday night" and "Friday morning".
With postmarks; address panel: Emile L'Angelier Esq. / 10 Bothwell Street.
Date from postmark.
Inscribed in ink in an unknown hand at bottom of fourth, eighth, and twelfth pages: "Lodges, JM, BML." These are the signatures of Glasgow sheriff-officer John Murray and his assistant Bernard M'Lauchlin. The word "Lodges" signals where the letter was found. Envelope bears the same markings.
Cross-writing on pages 9-12 and 17-20.
Dated "Thursday night" and "Friday morning".
With postmarks; address panel: Emile L'Angelier Esq. / 10 Bothwell Street.
Date from postmark.
Provenance
Bequest of Gordon N. Ray, 1987.
Summary
Noting that she had just posted a letter to him when she received his in the morning; expressing relief because his letter "did not seem unkind" although "nothing from you could be unkind"; sharing that the wish of her heart is to see him; wondering when this will be possible and noting that her family will not be in Town until the end of November, though this is almost irrelevant since her father will not allow her to go out by herself; stating that her father does not like him, and that his reasons have to do with "riches"; feeling that she cannot go through with her promise to tell her father that they are to be married; stating that she will never be happy because of this; writing that "my happy days are over" and "I am unworthy of you"; observing that her father has made two hearts unhappy; though she promised her father to stop the correspondence, she has decided to break this promise; writing about how she does not care for her friends, and stating that she has no true friend on this earth; wondering how his friend, Miss P, is doing, and hoping that she provides a comfort to him; wishing that she had a friend like Miss P, but for now, she grieves alone; describing sitting up in her chamber at night reflecting on the unhappiness she has caused him; praying for his forgiveness; hoping that whomever he does take as a wife proves to be "worthy" of him; saying that she understands that he can never trust her again; making a plan to see him, though she cannot meet on Sunday beacuse her father is taking her to Perthshire with him; hoping to hear from him soon, and hoping that Miss P understands that "it has not been my fault"; hoping God will bless him and make him more happy than she is. Letter continues on "Friday morning": Writing that she could not send her previous letter without including another line to say that her mother has gone to Glasgow, and she now has time alone to meditate on her "wretched situation"; feeling unsure of how she can "mend the misery" that she feels is her fault; asking him to send her a lock of his hair so she can remember him and feel connected to him; reiterating that she is unworthy of him and loves him now more than ever; berating herself and imagining that he has a poor opinion of her; expressing despair at the knowledge that she will never get her father's consent to marry him; promising that she will never let her father or anyone else dull her affections.
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