From William Wright   Nov. 1st 1840

Roscrea Nov. 1st 1840.

Dear John

I hope you will excuse me for not replying to yours of the –¹ (I am at a loss to know when) before this, but if you were acquainted with what interfered to prevent me these two last Sundays past any excuse would be superfluous. I was left alone with my own Sally,² her brothers being in Dublin and I thought it was my duty to make the best of my time at the expense of neglecting you, but I know John that you will as readily forgive me for it as I now ask you. I am happy to inform you that I am progressing with rapid strides in my lady’s favour, But there is a most impassable barrier between us, that is the consent of her friends and under existing circumstances I cannot see the removal of it, and I am unable to gain the only alternative of running away, as these ‘verilys’³ have such an aversion to it. However, Jack, we must only hope for the best. I expect you are doing something for yourself and if you would allow a novice such as your humble friend to give you a little advice, you should endeavour to tread as lightly yourself as you can possibly do, although you should likewise make the fair lady feel as much as you could. For the state of uncertainty that I possess at present is dearly bought and bear me out in the simple advice I have offered to you, although it is unnecessary I know as you have too much good sense to implicate yourself in as hazardous a situation as I have. For if her brothers once knew of our intimacy I would on the instant loose my employment⁴ and it is not for that I would give myself one moments thought, but I fear if I was separated, her friends would influence her to forget me and then would all be lost indeed to Billy – all that would be worth possessing. I hope you may never be placed in the like predicament. I expect you enjoy good health and spirits and the remnant of Old Leighlin who are with you in Youghal. By the bye I have something to say to you about Joe⁵ – a few days preceding the receipt of your first letter from Youghal I had a line from Joe requesting a lone of £1. At the time it was not in my power to comply with his request in full. But I did send 10 shillings, all that I could then spare, and he never acknowledged the receipt of it. Now it is not for money that I care, as I never expected even at the time that it would be returned But that I thought common decency would entitle me to an acknowledgment of it – And another thing, a few weeks before that I received a rather impertinent epistle from him, requiring an explanation of my not acquainting him of my arrival in Carlow at the time that I had the pleasure of seeing you there. That letter I did not answer, as I did not feel called upon to give him an account of my conduct upon that or any other occasion. However I do not care one jack straw for the whole transaction, I would not like that you would let him know that you know any thing of the matter.

I will now take my leave of you and I will expect that you will not take pattern after me⁶ in delaying to write. If your own statement be true, you have no excuse for a delay, for when a young woman is not in the case every other excuse is null and void.

Fare thee well Jack and may you always be as happy as Bill would wish you to be

Yours truly | William Wright.

<text missing> a longer epistle <several words missing> for the present by my informing you that I am getting on pretty well with my business, but still there is the doubt continually present that we may be discovered and that is instant separation and goodness knows what may follow. About Joe I will have something more to say to you the next time which you may expect shortly

Adieu | I am yours truly | W. Wright⁷

RI MS JT/1/11/3885

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