Roscrea Nov. 29th 1840.
My dear John
Again I have trespassed upon your kindness and once more have to sue for your pardon to forgive me for not writing to you before this, but it solely was owing to my being engaged with my fair lady1 and John you know that no business no matter how pressing would justify me in deserting my post for one minute – and another reason, if I had not a friend like you so ready to forgive me for my negligence I perhaps would be more cautious of risking your friendship. I am still keeping up the steam as well as I can with the mistress and I believe not in vain – if we can believe what women say, and we are apt to believe what we hear in favour of ourselves. Jack, I hope you are not letting the time slip over but have your hook baited although you and I were not always the most successful fishermen. You will get a good take yet and I am sure no one would rejoice more than Bill. I will expect a line from you shortly. Hoping that the Youghal air will have the power of adding to your appetite which by this time, according to your own account, ought to do credit to Billy Henry.
I hope when you last heard from ever-to-be-remembered Lbridge,2 that your Father and Mother were well. You I suppose are aware of the struggle which takes place in Carlow for the representation of the county on tomorrow. I sincerely hope it may end in the return of the Colonel, although I doubt it much.3 To you or me it is very little matter who is in or who is out, but still I would like to see the gentry support their rights and protestantism and long has Carlow been <words missing> of in the hands of the demagogues.4 Write to me soon for I long to hear from my old friend and shipmate of the Red Cot.5
Believe me ever yours | William Wright
RI MS JT/1/11/3887
LT Transcript Only
my fair lady: his fiancée Sarah Maria Neale.
Lbridge: Leighlin Bridge.
of the struggle … I doubt it much: In the County Carlow election the Tory and Protestant Colonel Henry Bruen triumphed over the Radical candidate the Hon. Frederick George Brabazon Ponsonby.
the hands of the demagogues: Carlow County had previously been held by the Liberal John Ashton Yates and the Liberal-Repealer Nicholas Aylward Vigors, whose recent death had caused the by-election. In describing Yate and Vigors as ‘demagogues’, William Wright portrayed them as unprincipled and self-serving popular agitators.
shipmate of the Red Cot: not identified.
Please cite as “Tyndall0025,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0025