Roscrea Sep. 27th 1840
My dear John
It was after a ride of upwards of forty miles when I received your kind favour which you will please to receive as an apology for my not writing to you on the following day which was Sunday. If I neglect to write on Sundays I am obliged to defer it to the following Sunday, as I have not sufficient time on week days.
You seem to wonder that I should have come to the hasty conclusion that you were at last caught by sly cupid, but I assure you that the most inattentive reader of your letter1 could not be but led astray by the beautiful description you gave me of Miss Fisher;2 and your humble friend, especially knowing your naturally warm feelings, must have thought that you were really in love. I am sorry that my advice of keeping a tight hold goes for nothing. I am much obliged to you for your kind advice and shall attempt to follow it as far as in my power it lies John, I shall endeavour as well as I can to give you the particulars of my situation, hoping that you will keep it a secret, as you are the third person in the world who knows anything of the matter. As I have often seen the cup dashed from the lips before it could be tasted, I would not wish it were known and as I stand upon rather unfair ground as the fair one is sister to my employer3 and he would not at all sanction it were he to hear it I would instantly get my dirty bit of paper4 which might frustrate my hopes altogether. I have got a promise from her that no matter what may interfere, another shall never enjoy either hand or heart as long as I stay unmarried. But Jack a woman’s promise in such a case as that is I believe very fragile and on that account I fear a separation. On the other hand, it is not a foolish promise of an eighteen year old heifer5 as she is two years my senior6 – a sensible steady girl as far as I can see – but you know John persons in my situation see with partial eyes. In person she is the picture of a comfortable homely woman, has nothing of that comliness of features which you describe in your letter and necessarily <words missing> appreciate notwithstanding she is <words missing> she is not so tall as myself and I <words missing> seldom see a squarer pair than we will make. I am afraid I have got tiresome to you and will take my farewell
Your well wisher till death | William Wright
I hope the Father and Mother are well, mine when I heard, were all well. We must not forget Leighlin my old boy, I hope those who are from it along with you are enjoying good health.
RI MS JT/1/11/3884
LT Transcript Only
your letter: letter missing.
Miss Fisher: not identified.
sister to my employer: Sarah Maria Neale, who may have been the sister of Henry Neale, listed in Slater’s as a baker and grocer in Roscrea.
my dirty bit of paper: his dismissal notice.
heifer: derogatory term for a woman or a girl, likening her to a heifer (a young cow) (OED).
she is two years my senior: According to a gravestone in the Parker Cemetery, Arkansas City, Kansas, Sarah was born in 1815, which would make her at least 3 years older than William, who was born in 1819.
Please cite as “Tyndall0012,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 25 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0012