Friday night | Finchley
My dear Sally
As I am quite satisfied that the sight of my crooked hand writing will give you some pleasure, particularly on a Sunday morning[.] I have sat down with a hard steel pen to write a letter to you, tho what I can find to say from this out of the way place to you in a place still further from home, I have to find out. I have made a beginning, and that is a great point gained, now for my supper, that may supply me with a few ideas.
Saturday morning - contrary to my expectations John2 came home last night after I had finished my supper, he is not at all well, [(]tho not very ill) nor has he been in good health for some time past[.] I was quite in hopes that the regular exercise of coming to and fro would have done him good but it does not yet appear that it has, however it is but a short time yet that he tried it. Mary Straker3 has been up this week for a few days & seemed to enjoy herself very much, indeed she generally manages to do that, what a happiness it is to possess such a contented mind both for herself and those around her.
I have just been up stairs to Martha4 to ask her if she would like to fill up the opposite page but she says she is not in the mood and has moreover informed me that it is likely you may be home by the end of next week[.] I had not thought of this when I began my letter or I should have considered it hardly writing. Uncle Boosey5 and Young Thomas6 came up on Thursday to dine with Martha, Mary7 was also expected but her foot disabled her from walking to the Angel so we lost the pleasure of her company[.] Uncle seemed much the same as usual but he gets so stiff and unable as to make it rather an anxious affair to have him out so far from home[;] he returned in a long coach with four fine horses in it that were impatient of the delay and both Martha and I were very glad when he was safe in.
I really am quite enjoying myself here, tho I do not go out much we generally work in the garden or field and the children play about us they enjoy our company very much even tho they do not talk and they all agree to gather very well[.] I begin to think with you that our little baby8 is a very sweet tempered child he looks about him at the trees the cow and pigs with great interest and seeming admiration[.] I hope to get him short coated next week, Mrs Brockelbank9 is coming up on Tuesday evening to stay the rest of the week so with her assistance I think we can make half a dozen pink frocks for him which will set off his complexion that is more like a gypsies child than one of mine. here's a pelting shower in honour of the good St Swithen, we have been hoping and looking for rain very much the country seems to need it, all things will be better for it except the roses which by the by I never luxuriated in so fully before, I have had a large glassfull on the table constantly ever since we came here, here are five or six varieties some excellent for beauty others for sweetness and abundance of all to keep Nourma hall in my mind[.]
William [Barnard] has a cold but otherwise very well. Martha is in good health and spirits and so is the cow the two pigs and all the rabbits we got four and twenty shillings for the calf and now that is gone we are going to make our own butter very little will do for me for all the butter made he<<re>> abouts is very high flavoured[.]
I am reading the memoirs of poor Josephine10 Empress of France11 and am very much interested in them, making allowances for some coloring on the Author's part she appears to have been a women of fine character, and much feeling[.] I can not think how she could care so much for that cold calculating selfish Napoleon.
Sarah [Gray]12 came up last Monday morning and returned home on Tuesday evening, so that the children got their regular schooling for two days. I hope to keep this up if she is able to manage the journey we have the use of an old instrument so that they have a little regular employment[.] I understood from her that Martha was very well. Poor Hannah Boosey13 they so not seem to think is improving or likely to do so for some time it is a tedious illness[.]
We hear that you are all very gay which leads me to conclude that you are all very well pray give my kind love to all and in particular as little Caroline14 says or rather writes give a kic [sic] to Jane15 from me and tell her that I shall not be satisfied to be jybed [sic] out of the assistance she promised me she must come to Finchley and as an excuse I shall put away a frock of baby's that want's mending[.]
Martha desires her love to all and believe me to remain your very affectionate sister
Margaret Barnard
PS I shall direct this to Mrs Livermore because I am not sure of your address.
Address: Mrs Faraday. | Care of Mrs Livermore16 at | Mr. Gadden's17 | Sandgate Road | Folkestone
Postmark: 15 July 1837
GRIMWADE, Arthur G. (1982): London Goldsmiths, 1697-1837: Their Marks and Lives, 2nd edition, London.
JOSEPHINE (1828-9): Memoires of the Empress Josephine, 3 volumes, London.
REID, Christian Leopold (1914): Pedigree of the Family of Ker ... [and] Ker-Reid, Newcastle.
Please cite as “Faraday1018,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on