16 June 1772
Ten o'clock

I am set down to write my dearest Mr. Rebow, though as you will see by the date, without the least hope of sending it to you tonight, but what with the packing up, and setting out, of the Old Lady for Warley, the going after some little affairs for Mrs. Rebow, which she desires I will send with her stays tomorrow, and the performance of a fixed task, which I have vowed to do every day in a certain waistcoat, I really could no begin a moment sooner, and so as I now rise up Master, and go to bed Dame, I will steal an hour from supper because as why, you know I must spend a good deal of tomorrow in dispatching Mrs. Elizabeth Parr, from, and introducing Mrs. Mary Andrews to Duke Street, by which means I may perhaps be a little strained, and for the good account you sent me of your health, which has raised my spirits most prodigiously, and as Madge says, "made my heart as light as a fly" and I hope as you have at last tried the remedy you had such faith in, with success, that you will take care, and not bring on a return of any of your complaints, by practicing
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what you often preach to me. To be sure I must acknowledge I did think the time most exceeding long till I heard from you, but was very certain you could not help it, as you must have every moment fully employed; thank God your military business is now over for one twelvemonth, and I am vastly glad to hear your people behaved so well, because it must give you great pleasure, especially as there was so many fears, and apprehensions, about them. I was sadly afraid there would be some blinder about the things I sent you last week, for I found they went by two different coaches though I took all the pains I could, that they should go by the same. I am glad they all proved good, and particularly the turbot, for you are to give such an amazing price for it, that even Mrs. Hanington herself is ashamed to mention it, and begs I will enquire at all the fishmongers I meet with, how they were that day, that I may be able to stand her friend a little, for she shall dread to see you; I cannot imagine how the crayfish came not to be sent, for I ordered them, and saw them set down, but I shall go by there tomorrow, and I will then enquire. Well, I must no wish you a goodnight, for I begin to wax somewhat sleepy, and as Fan is now jack of all trades, I must have a little compassion upon her, or I shall not get her up till noon tomorrow.
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Wednesday Evening
I did intend to have got up monstrous early this morning, but did the quite contrary, for from having nobody to rout me, I slept like anything, however I have dispatched all the necessary business at Duke Street (without the least assistance of Mr. Fairbone who made me so this morning about your locks, that I am sure he would only have puzzled the cause) and Betty had left the house perfectly clean, and everything exactly right, except two or three glass, and knife cloths; I have paid all her demands, and gave her what we settled, which seemed to delight her much, and she desired I would give her duty to you, with a thousand thanks for all favors, particularly for bearing so long with her great failing. Pray don't you think it will be right, and proper to send a little message to you, in one of my letters to Madam, about this removal? For it has just come into my head, if I do not, and she hears of it, it may renew her suspicious of our corresponding. Her letter this week is so entirely filled with the Osbornes, Fordyce, and some commission for me to do, that she says nothing more about her going, or our coming, but that, she hopes to see me very soon; she told me last week, that the cook had given her warning, and that she supposed you would get me to seek out for another but by your not mentioning it, I trust it was only a sudden fancy. Mr. Snow kept punctually to his word, and his men finished entirely on Saturday
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night, and I assure you the smell is almost gone already, though we have not been able to admit so much air, as we should otherways [sic] have done this delightful fine weather, because your neighbor the bishop, is making an amazing fine bow window to the park which has occasioned dust enough to smother one. I am much obliged to you for the franks, and Mrs. Pepperwit desires her love, and duty, and all that, and is quite ashamed of being so troublesome but Mr. Fraser desires an alternation in her directions because he shall then get her letters two days sooner, therefore begs you will send her two or three covers to Warley, directed for him at Memsie by Aberdeen, instead of Frasersburgh. She had a letter from the sweet Willy O. the day after you went, who arrived safe and well, at Memsie after a nine days passage, and assures her, he makes such a dispatch with his business, that he shall be back within the time first mentioned, which has put her in a most prodigious fuss and hurry; she talks of staying a fortnight at Warley and then coming to town for a week before she sets off for Colchester, so you will remember to give me my instructions about talking to my father, etc., etc. in proper time. Mr. Staples called upon me yesterday morning; he came to town on Saturday, and looks
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and is just as well as when you saw him last; we had much talk about Fordyce, who he hears will not pay five shillings in the pound of his own debts, but his partners hope to be able to pay everybody their own, of their joint concerns. Mr. Staples says some people will have it he is mad, but most think he is a great R. ----- [line in original] and deserves to be hanged, and as they say it is an ill wind indeed, that blows nobody any good, we joined heartily in a wishing you may reap great good, from this evil, and he desired I would give his compliments to you, and he hoped to hear F. had taken in his good friends at Colchester very handsomely. You cannot think how much pains I have taken for a bedfellow this fortnight and sorry I am to say without any success, for I cannot get a creature to take compassion, but I must defer the reason of my being so distressed till next week, as the man swears he will not wait a moment longer, and in the mean remain with the tenderest [sic] affection
My dearest love,
Ever yours,
Mary Martin
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