 Section 13 of Love Letters of Dorothea Osborne. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in a public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Breathe. The Love Letters of Dorothea Osborne. Section 13. Letter 61. I promised in my last to write again before I went out of town, and now I'll be good as my word. They are all gone this morning, and have left me much more at liberty than I have been of late. Therefore, I believe this will be a long letter, perhaps too long, at least if my letters are as little entertaining as my company is. I was carried yesterday abroad to a dinner that was designed for Merth, but it seems one ill-human person in the company is enough to put all the rest out of tune. For I never saw people perform what they intended was, and could not forbear telling themselves. But to excuse themselves and silence my reproaches, they all agreed to say that I spoiled their jollity by wearing the most unreasonable looks that could be put on for such an occasion. I told them I knew no remedy, but leaving me behind next time, and could have told them that my looks were suitable to my fortune, though not to a feast. Fee, I have gotten to my complaining humour that tires myself as well as everybody else, and which, as you observe, helps not at all. Would it would leave me, and then I could believe I shall not always have occasion for it. But that's in nobody's power, and my Lady Talmush, that says she can do whatsoever she will, cannot believe whatsoever she pleases. It's not unpleasant, me thinks, to hear her talk, how at such a time she was sick, and the physicians told her that she would have the smallpox, and showed her where they were coming out upon her. But she bethought herself that it was not at all convenient for her to have them at that time, some business she had that required her going abroad, and so she resolved that she would not be sick, nor was not. Twenty such stories as these, she tells, and then falls into discoveries of strengths of reason and the power of philosophy, till she confounds herself in all that hear her. You have no such ladies in Ireland? Oh, me, but I heard today, your cousin Hammond is going thither to be in Ludlow's place. Is it true? You tell me nothing what is done there. That is no matter. The less one knows of state affairs, I find it is the better. My poor Lady Vavasor is carried to the tower, and her great belly could not excuse her, because she was acquainted by somebody, that there was a plot against the protector, and did not discover it. She has told now all that was told her, but vows she will never say from whence she had it. We shall see whether her resolutions are as unalterable as those of my Lady Talmash. I wonder how she behaved herself when she was married. I never saw anyone yet that did not look simply and out of countenance, nor even knew a wedding well designed, but one, and that was of two persons where time enough I confessed to contrive it, and nobody to please in but themselves. He came down into the country where she was upon a visit, and one morning married her. As soon as they came out of the church, they took coach and came for the town, dined at an inn by the way, and at night came into lodgings that were provided for them where nobody knew them, where they passed for married people of seven years standing. The truth is, I could not endure to be Mrs. Bride in a public wedding to be made the happiest person on earth. Do not take it ill, for I would endure it if I could rather than fail, but in earnest I do not think it were possible for me. You cannot apprehend the formalities of a treaty more than I do, not so much the success on it. Yet, in earnest, your father will not find my brother Peyton wanting in civility, though he is not a man of much compliment, unless it be in his letters to me. Nor an unreasonable person in anything, so he will allow him out of his kindness to his wife to set a higher value upon her sister than she deserves. I know not how he may be prejudiced as to the business, but he is not deaf to reason when to his civility delivered and is as easily gained with compliance and good usage as anybody I know, but by no other way. When he is roughly dealt with, he is, like me, ten times the worst for it. I make it a case of conscience to discover my faults to you as fast as I know them, that you may consider what you have to do. My aunt told me, no longer gone than yesterday, that I was the most willful woman that ever she knew and had an obstinacy of spirit nothing could overcome. Take heed, you see, I give you fair warning. I have missed a letter this Monday. What is the reason? By the next I shall be gone into Kent and my other journey is laid aside, which I am not displeased at because it would have broken our intercourse very much. Here are some verses of Cowleys. Tell me how you like them. It's just only a piece taken out of a new thing of his. The whole is very long and is a description of or rather a paraphrase upon this friendship of David and Jonathan. Tis, I think, the best I have seen of his and I like the subject because Tis, that would be perfect in. I do. Just reverse, Dorothy Osborne. Letter 62, June the 26th, 1654. I told you in my last that my Suffolk journey was laid aside and that into Kent hastened. I am beginning it today and I have chosen to go as far as graves and by water, though it be very gloomy weather. If I drown, by the way, this will be my last letter and, like a will, I bequeath all my kindness to you in it. With a charge, never to bestow it all upon another mistress, lest my ghost rise again and haunt you. I am in such a haste that I can say little else to you now. When you are come over, we'll think where to meet. For at this distance I can design nothing. Only I should be as little pleased with the constraint of my brother's house as you. Pray let me know whether your man leaves you and how you stand inclined to him I offer you. Indeed, I like him extremely and he is commanded to me by people that know him very well and are able to judge for a most excellent servant and faithful as possible. I'll keep him unengaged till I hear from you. I do. My next shall make amends for the short one. P.S., I received your last of June 22nd since I sealed up my letter and I does not but make an excuse for another short one. After you have cheated me so, for those you have received already. Indeed, I could not help it, nor can I now, but if that will satisfy, I can assure you I shall make a much better wife than I do a husband if I ever am one. Pardon, my shaker, au motant. Adieu mon ami. Je vous souhaite à ce qu'il vous désire. V.O. Letter 63. July the 4th, 1654. Because you find fault with my other letters, this is like to be shorter than they. I did not intend it so though, I can assure you. But last night, my brother told me he did not send his till 10 o'clock this morning and now he calls for mine at 7, before him up and I can only be allowed time to tell you that I am in Kent and in a house so strangely crowded with company that I am weary as a dog already. Though I have been here but three or four days that all their must has not mended my humour that I am here the same I was in other places that I hope merely because you bid me and lose that hope as often as I consider anything but yours. Would I were easy of belief? They say one is so to all that one desires. I do not find it. Though I am told I was so extremely when I believed you loved me that I would not find and you have only power to make me think it. But I am called upon. How faint would I say more. It is all but the saying with more circumstance than I am. Your faithful friend and servant, directed for your master. That's a 64. I see you can chid when you please and with authority but I deserve it I confess and all I can say for myself is that my fault preceded from a very good principle in me. I am apt to speak what I think and to you have so accustomed myself to discover all my heart that I do not believe it will ever be the power to conceal a thought from you. Therefore I am afraid you must resolve to be vexed with all my senseless apprehensions as my brother Peyton is with some of his wives. Who is thought a very good woman but the most troublesome one in a coach that ever was we dare not let our tongues lie more on one side of our mouths than the other for fear of overturning it. You are satisfied I hope at this that I escaped drowning however there's not a miss that my will made you know now how to dispose of all my wealth whensoever I die but I am troubled much you should make so ill a journey to so little purpose indeed I read by the first post after my arrival here and cannot imagine how you came to miss of my letters. Is your father returned yet to think of coming over immediately? How welcome you will be but alas I cannot talk on at the rate that you do I am sensible that such an absence is misfortune enough but I dare not promise myself that it will conclude ours it is more my belief that you yourself speak it rather to encourage me into your wishes than your hopes my humour is so ill at present that I dare say no more or less you chide me again I find myself fit for nothing but to converse with a lady below that is fallen out with all the world because her husband and she cannot agree tis the pleasantest thing that can be to hear us discourse she takes great pain to dissuade me from ever marrying and says I am the various fool that ever lived if I do not take her counsel now we do not absolutely agree in that point but I promise her never to marry unless I can find a husband as I describe to her and she believes is never to be found so that upon a matter we differ very little when so ever she is accused of maintaining opinions very destructive of society and absolutely prejudicial to all the young people of both sexes that live in the house she calls out me to be her second and by it has lost me the favour of all our young gallants who have got a custom of expressing anything that is nowhere but in fiction by the name of Mr. Oh's husband for my life I cannot beat into their heads a passion that must be subject to no decay an even perfect kindness that must last perpetually without the least intermission they laugh to hear me say that one unkind word would destroy all the satisfaction of my life and that I should expect our kindness should increase every day if it were possible but never lessen all this is perfect nonsense in the opinion but I should not doubt the convincing them if I could hope to be so happy as to be yours faithful friend and servant Dorothy Osborne letter 65 how long this letter will be I cannot tell you shall have all the time that is allowed me but upon condition that you shall not examine the sense on too strictly for you must know I want sleep extremely the sun was up an hour before I went to bed today and this is not the first time I have done this since I came hither to not be for your advantage that I should stay here long for in earnest I shall be good for nothing if I do we go abroad all day and play all night and say our prayers when we have time well in sober earnest now I would not live thus a 12 months to gain all that the king has lost unless it were to give it him again just a miracle to me how my brother endures it this is contrary to his humor as darkness is to light and only shows the power he lets his wife have over him will you be so good nature he has certainly as great a kindness for her as can be and to say truth not without reason but all the people that ever I saw I do not like his carriage toward her he is perpetually wrangling and finding faults and to a person that did not know him would appear the worst husband in the most imperious in the world he is so among his children too though he loves them passionately he has one son and is the finest boy that ever you saw and has a noble spirit but yet stands in that awe of his father that one word from him is as much as 20 whippings you must give me leave to entertain you thus with discourses of the family for I can tell you nothing else from hence yet now I remember I have another story for you you little think I have been with Lily and in earnest I was the day before I came out of town and what do you think I went for not to know when you would come home I can assure you nor for any other occasion of my own but with a cousin of mine that had long designed to make herself sport with him and did not miss of her aim I confess I always thought him an imposter but I could never have imagined him so simple a one as we found him in my life I never heard so ridiculous a discourse as he made us and no old woman who passes for a witch could have been more puzzled to seek what to say to reasonable people than he was he asked us more questions than we did him and caught at everything we said without discerning that we abused him and said things purposely to confound him which we did so perfectly that we made him contradict himself the strangest it ever you saw ever since this adventure I have had so great a belief in all things of this nature that I could not forbear laying a peas cot with nine peas in it under my door yesterday and was informed by it that my husband's name should be Thomas how do you like that but what Thomas I cannot imagine the servants I have got since I came hither I know none of that name here is a new song I do not send it to you but to your sister the tune is not worth the sending so far if she pleases to put any to it I'm sure it will be a better than it has here I do your faithful friend and servant Dorothy hospital end of section 13 recording by Breathe Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia section 14 of Love Letters of Dorothy Osborne this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Rhonda Fetterman the Love Letters of Dorothy Osborne section 14 Letter 66 July 20th 1654 I am very sorry I spoke too late for I am confident this was an excellent servant he was in the same house where I lay and I had taken a great fancy to him upon what was told me of him and what I saw the poor fellow too was so pleased that I undertook to inquire at a place for him that though mine was as I told him uncertain yet upon the bear hopes on it he refused two or three good conditions but I shall set him now at Liberty and not think at all the worse for him for his good nature sure you go a little too far in your condemnation on it I know it may be abused as the best things are most subject to be but in itself is so absolutely necessary that where it is wanting nothing can recompense the miss on it the most contemptible person in the world if he has that cannot be justly hated and the most considerable without it cannot deserve to be loved would to God I had all that good nature you complain you have too much of I could find ways enough to dispose on it amongst myself and my friends but is well where it is and I should sooner wish you more on it than less I wonder with what confidence you can complain of my short letters that are so guilty yourself in the same kind I have not seen a letter this month which has been above half a sheet never trust me if I write more than you that live in a desolated country where you might finish a romance of ten tomes before anybody interrupted you I that live in a house the most filled of any since the arc and where I can assure you one has hardly time for the most necessary occasions well there was never any one thing so much desired and apprehended at the same time as your return is by me it will certainly I think conclude me a very happy or a most unfortunate person sometimes me thinks I would feign know my doom whatever it be and at others I dread it so extremely that I am confident the five portacles and the three plotters which were the other day condemned by the High Court of Justice had not half my fears upon them I leave you I leave you to judge the constraint I live in what alarms my thoughts give me and yet how unconcerned this company requires I should be they will have me at my part in a play the lost lady it is and I am she pray God it be not an ill omen I shall lose my eyes anew this letter if I make it longer farewell I am your faithful friend and servant Dorothy Osborne Letter 67 I wonder you did not come before your last letter to as dated the 24th of August but I received it not till the first of September would to God your journey were over every little storm of wind frights me so that I pass here for the greatest coward that was ever born though in earnest I think I am as little so as most women yet I may be deceived too for now I remember me you have often told me I was one and sure you know what kind of heart mine is better than anybody else I am glad you were pleased with that description I made of you of my humor for though you had disliked it I am afraid to has passed my power to help you need not make excuses neither for yours no other would please me half so well that gaiety which you say is only esteemed would be insupportable to me and I can as little endure a tongue that's always in motion as I could the click of a mill of all the company this place is stored with there is but two persons whose conversation is at all easy one is my eldest niece who sure was sent into this world to show to as possible for a woman to be silent the other a gentleman whose mistress died just when they should have married and though to as many years since one may read it in his face still his humor was very good I believe before that accident for he will yet say things pleasant enough but his so seldom that he speaks at all and when he does his with so sober a look that one may see he is not moved at all himself when he diverts the company most you will not be jealous though I say I like him very much if you were not secure in me you might be so in him he would expect his mistress should rise again to reproach his inconstancy if he made court to anything but her memory me thinks we three that is my niece and he and I do become this house the worst that can be unless I should take into the number my brother Peyton himself to for to say truth his for another sort of melancholy is not less than ours imagine we did this last week when to our constant company there was added a colonel in his lady a son of his and two daughters a maid of honor to the queen of Bohemia and another colonel or a major I know not which besides all the tongue they brought with them the men the greatest drinkers that ever I saw which did not at all agree with my brother who would not be drawn to it to save a kingdom if it lay at stake and no other way to redeem it but in earnest there was one more to be pitied besides us and that was colonel Thornhill's wife as pretty a young woman as I have seen she is Sir John Greenville's sister and has all his good nature with a great deal of beauty and modesty and wit enough this innocent creature is sacrificed to the various beast that ever was the first day she came hither intended it seems to have come with her but by the way called in to see an old acquaintance and bid her go on he would overtake her but did not come till next night and then so drunk he was led immediately to bed with her she was to follow him when she had sucked I blessed myself at her patience as you may do that I could find anything to fill up this paper with all I do your faithful friend and servant Dorothy Asmoren Letter 68 I did so promise myself a letter on Friday that I am very angry I had it not though I know you are not to come to town when it should have been rid but did you not tell me you should not stay above a day or two what is it that has kept you longer I am pleased though that you are out of the power of so uncertain things as the winds and the sea which I had for myself but did extremely apprehend for you you will find a packet of letters to read and maybe have met with them already if you have you are so tired that it's but reasonable I should spare you in this for to say truth I have not time to make this longer besides that if I had my pen is so very good that it writes an invisible hand I think I am sure I cannot read it myself if your eyes are better you will find that I intended to assure you I am your faithful friend and servant Dorothy Asmoren Letter 69 I am but newly waked out of an unquiet sleep and I find it so late that if I write at all it must be now some company that was here last night kept us up till three o'clock and then we lay three in a bed which was all the same to me as if we had not gone to bed at all since dinner they are all gone and our company with them part of the way and with much ado I got to be excused that I might recover a little sleep but I am so moped yet that sure this letter will be nonsense I would feign tell you though that your father is mistaken and that you are not if you believe that I have all the kindness and tenderness for you my heart is capable of let me assure you whatever your father thinks that had you twenty thousand pounds a year I could love you no more than I do and should be far from showing it so much lest it should look like a desire of your fortune which as to myself I value as little as anybody in the world and in this age of changes but certainly I know what an estate is I have seen my father's reduced better than twenty thousand pounds to not four hundred pounds a year and I thank God I never felt the change in anything that I thought necessary I never wanted nor am confident I never shall but yet I would not be thought so inconsiderate a person is not to remember that it is expected from all people that have sense that they should act with reason that to all persons some proportion of fortune is necessary according to their several qualities so it is not required that one should tie oneself to just so much and something is left for one's inclination and the difference in the persons to make yet still within such a compass and such as lay more upon these considerations than they will bear shall infallibly be condemned by all sober persons if any accident out of my power should bring me to necessity though never so great I should not doubt with God's but to bear it as well as anybody and I should never be ashamed on it if he pleased to send it me but if by my own folly I had put it upon myself the case would be extremely altered if ever this comes to a treaty I shall declare that in my own choice I prefer you much before any other person in the world and all that this inclination in me in the judgment of any persons of honour discretion will bear I shall desire may be laid upon it to the uttermost of what they can allow and if your father pleased to make up the rest I know nothing that is like to hinder me from being yours but if your father out of humour shall refuse to treat with such friends as I have let them be what they will it must end here for though I was content for your sake to lose them and all the respect they had for me yet now I have done that I'll never let them see that I have so little interest in you and yours as not to prevail that my brother may be admitted to treat for me sure when a thing of course and so much reason as that unless I did disclose to all the world he were my enemy it must be expected when so ever I dispose of myself he should be made no stranger to it when that shall be refused me I may be justly reproached that I deceived myself when I expected to be at all valued in a family that I am a stranger to or that I should be considered with any respect because I had a kindness for you that made me not value my own interests I doubt much whether all this be sense or not I find my head so heavy but that which I would say is in short this if I did say once that my brother should have nothing to do in it it was when his carriage towards me gave me such an occasion as could justify the keeping that distance with him but now it would look extremely unhandsome in me and sure I hope your father would not require it of me if he does I must conclude he has no value for me and sure I never disobliged him to my knowledge and should with all the willingness imaginable serve him if it lay in my power good God what an unhappy person am I all the world is so almost just now they are telling me of a gentleman near us that is the most wretched creature made by the loss of a wife that he passionately loved that can be if your father would but in some measure satisfy my friends that I might but do it in any justifiable manner you should dispose me as you pleased carry me wither you would all the places of the world would be alike to me where you were and I should not despair of carrying myself so towards him as might deserve a better opinion from him I am your faithful friend and servant the as-born letter 70 my doubts and fears were not at all increased by that which gives you so many nor did I apprehend that your father might not have been prevailed with to have allowed my brother's being seen in the treaty for as to the thing itself whether he appears in it or not will be the same he can not but conclude my brother Peyton would not do anything in it without the other's consent I tend to share in your father's kindness as having nothing in me to merit it but as much a stranger as I am to him I should have taken it very ill if I had desired it of him and he had refused it me I do not believe my brother has said anything to his prejudice unless it were in his persuasions to me and there it did not injure him at all if he takes it ill that my brother appears so very averse to the match that he was the same and nothing less than my kindness for you could have made me take so patiently as I did his saying to some that knew me at York that he was forced to bring you thither and afterwards to send you over lest you should have married me this was not much to my advantage nor hardly civil I think to any woman yet I never so much as took the least notice on it nor had not now but for this occasion yet sure it concerns me to be at least as nice as he in point of honour I think it is best for me to end here lest my anger should make me lose that respect I would always have for your father and for not a miss I think that I devoted it all towards you for being so idle as to run out of your bed to catch such a cold if you come hither you must expect to be chidden so much that you will wish you had stayed until we came up when perhaps I might have almost forgot half my quarrel to you at this present I can assure you I am pleased with nobody but your sister and her I love extremely and will call her pretty say what you will I know she must be so though I never saw more of her than what her letters show she shall have two spots carriage dogs if she please for I had just such another friend or anything else that is in the power of your faithful friend and servant Dorothy Osborn letter 71 Monday, October the 2nd 1654 after a long debate with myself how to satisfy you and remove that rock as you call it which in your apprehensions is of so great danger I am at last resolved to let you see that I value your feelings for me at as high a rate as you yourself can set it and that you cannot have more of tenderness for me and my interest than I shall ever have for yours the particulars how I intend to make this good you shall know when I see you which since I find them here more irresolute in point of time though not as to the journey itself then I hope they would have been not withstanding your quarrel to me and the apprehension you would make me believe you had that I do not care to see you pray come hither and try whether you shall be welcome or not in sober earnest now I must speak with you and to that end if your occasions will serve come down to Canterbury send someone when you are there and you shall have further directions you must be contented not to stay here above two or three hours I shall tell you my reason when you come inform yourself of all that your father will do on this occasion that you may tell it me only therefore let it be plainly and sincerely what he intends and all I will not hinder your coming away so much as the making this letter a little longer my take away from your time in reading it it is enough to tell you I am ever your faithful friend and servant Dorothy Osborne end of section 14 recording by Rhonda Fetterman section 15 of Love Letters of Dorothy Osborne this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the Love Letters of Dorothy Osborne section 15 letter 72 you all like to have an excellent housewife of me I am a bad still and slept so soundly nothing but your letter could have waked me you shall hear from me as soon as we have dined farewell can you endure that word no out upon it I'll see you annan letter 73 fire upon it I shall grow too good now I am taking care to know how your worship slept tonight better I hope than you did the last send me word how you do and don't put me off with a bit of a note now you could write me a fine long letter when I did not deserve it half so well letter 74 you are mistaken if you think I am in debt for both these days Saturday I confess was devoted to my lady but yesterday though I risked with good intentions of going to church my cold would not suffer me but kept me prisoner all the day I went to your lodging to tell you that visiting the sick was part of the work of the day but you were gone and so I went to bed again while your letter found me this morning but now I will rise and dispatch some visits that I owe that tomorrow may be entirely yours letter 75 I find my conscience a little troubled till I have asked your pardon for my ill humor last night will you forgive it me in earnest I could not help it but I met with a cure for it my brother kept me up to hear his learned lecture till after two o'clock and I spent all my ill humor upon him and yet we parted very quietly and looked as if a little good fortune might make us good friends but your special friend my elder brother I have a story to tell you of him will my cousin have come think you send me word it may be it was a compliment if I can see you this morning I will but I dare not promise it letter 76 so this is to tell you that you will be expected tomorrow morning about nine o'clock at a lodging over against the place where chairing cross stood and two doors above ye go tavern if with these directions you can find it out you will there find one that is very much your servant Dorothy Osborne letter 77 now I have got the trick of breaking my word I shall do it every day I must go to Ruhampton today but it's all one you do not care much for seeing me well my master remember last night you swaggered like a young lord I'll make your stomach come down rise quickly you had better and come hither that I may give you a lesson this morning before I go letter 78 I have slept as little as you and may be allowed to talk as unreasonably yet I find I'm not quite senseless I have a heart still I have a heart still I have a heart I have a heart I have a heart I have a heart I have a heart I have a heart I have a heart I have a heart still that cannot resolve to refuse you anything within its power to grant but lord when shall I see you people will think me mad if I go abroad this morning after having seen me in the condition I was in last night and they will think it's strange to see you here could you not stay till they are all gone to Ruhampton and they go this morning I do but ask though do what you please only believe you do a great injustice if you think me false I never resolved to give you an eternal farewell but I resolved at the same time to part with all the comfort of my life and whether I told it you or not I shall die yours tell me what you will have me do letter 80 here comes the note again to tell you I cannot call on you tonight I cannot help it and you must take it as patiently as you can but I am engaged tonight at the three rings to sap and play poor man I am sorry for you in earnest I shall be quite spoiled I see no remedy think whether it were not best to leave me and begin a new adventure End of section 15 Recording by Ezoa in Belgium in May 2009 Section 16 of Love Letters of Dorothy Osbourne this is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Ruth Golding The Love Letters of Dorothy Osbourne Section 16 81 The Hague October 31st 1670 My dearest heart I received yours from Yarmouth and was very glad you made so happy a passage it is a comfortable thing when one is on this side to know that such a thing can be done in spite of contrary winds I have a letter from P who says in character that you may take it from him that the Duke of Buckingham has begun a negotiation there but what success in England he may have he knows not that it were to be wished our politicians at home would consider well that there is no trust to be put in alliances with ambitious kings especially such as make it their fundamental maxim to be base these are bold words but they are his own besides this there is nothing but that the French king grows very thrifty that all his buildings except fortifications are ceased and that his payments are not so regular as they used to be the people here are of another mind they will not spare their money but are resolved at least the states of Holland if the rest will consent to raise fourteen regiments of foot and six of horse that all the companies both old and new shall be of a hundred and twenty men that used to be of fifty forty-five nothing is talked of but these new levees and the young men are much pleased Downton says they have strong suspicions here you will come back no more and that they shall be left in the lurch that something is striking up with France and that you are sent away because you are too well inclined to these countries and my cousin Temple he says told him that a nephew of Sir Robert Longs who has lately come to you trecht told my cousin Temple three weeks since you were not to stay long here because you were too great a friend to these people and that he had it from Mr. Williamson who knew very well what he said my cousin Temple says he told it to Major Scott as soon as he heard it and so it is like you knew it before but there is such a want of something to say that I catched everything I am my best dears most affectionate D.T. 82 Sir, I deferred writing to you till I could tell you that I had received all my fine things which I have just now done but I thought never to have done giving you thanks for them they have made me so very happy in my new clothes and everybody that comes does admire them above all things but yet not so much as I think they deserve and now if Papa was near I should think myself a perfect Pope though I hope I should not be burned as there was one at Nell Gwynne's door the fifth of November who was set in a great chair with a red nose half a yard long with some hundreds of boys throwing squibs at it Mr. Gore and I agree mighty well and he makes me believe I shall come to something at last that is if he stays which I don't doubt but he will because all the fine ladies will petition for him we are got rid of the workmen now and our house is ready to entertain you come when you please and you will meet nobody more glad to see you than your most obedient and dutiful daughter the temple 83 to Sir John Osbourne thanking him for his consolation on the death of her son Sheen May the 6th 1689 Dear nephew I give you many thanks for your kind letter and the sense you have of my affliction which truly is very great but since it is laid upon me by the hand of an almighty and gracious God that always proportions his punishments to the support he gives with them I may hope to bear it as a Christian ought to do and more especially one that is conscious to herself of having many ways deserved it the strange revolution we have seen might well have taught me what this world is yet it seems it was necessary that I should have a near example of the uncertainty of all human blessings that so having no tie to the world I may the better prepare myself to leave it and that this correction may suffice to teach me my duty must be the prayer for affectionate aunt and humble servant D. Temple End of section 16 and end of the Love Letters of Dorothy Osbourne