Eliza Fenwick, Penzance, to Mary Hays, 20 [sic] Hatton Garden, Monday [c. 1802] [postmark not readable].1 Penzance Monday Pardon me dear & considerate friend for this length of silence. Many causes have contributed to chill my resolution when I have thought of you & your long known affection, but principally Eliza’s illness has absorbed me, & my unremitting attention to her wants & weakness, uniting with other claims upon my time left me scarcely the moment to think of you. Mr F— has I take for granted related the particulars of her situation he has too I hope informed you that once again I believe she will recover – if he has done these I know in compassion for her sufferings & mine you have pitied rather than blamed my neglect. I ought not perhaps to say Eliza is out of danger for she has frequent changes but I can see that her strength gradually increases. Carlisle2 writes me word that this is the Montpellier of England & that were she in London & money were no object he should order her hither. I have no doubt it is the case for we have many shadowy forms flitting about in the balmy air of this beautiful bay who appear almost vainly striving to maintain their station in this world. My perplexity & distress during the most alarming period of Elizas illness has been in no small degree augmented by the want of a home. My brother avows that he has no sympathy for illness It appears indeed, whether it really does or not, to stand in his way, & every thing that does not coincide with his will to get money is an incumbrance to him. His parsimony, which has astonishingly grown upon him since we were last together, also would render every expence properly incurred for sickness painful to him. Of course more than my narrow means could purchase or perform for the poor girl was not to be had. You know I am not of that domineering spirit that wills every thing to itself. If I cannot influence I cannot try to govern. And so matters pass. – But Eliza mends & better days may be in store for her & me yet. I have thought of you too & very often when night after night waking watchfulness has been my portion. Your affection is too delightful to my heart to be forgotten Here, in banishment from all that can awaken my imagination or gratify my taste, I remember with pride & pleasure the distinguished marks of friendship you designed for me in the dedication you spoke of the last time but one we met. Ah – may if my name cannot honor you, my heart serves you! What shall I say of my situation
that I have on my fathers side a host of relations in this Country some rich & some poor; my Aunt & her daughter live in this town & it is curious enough that Lanno exceedingly resembles this cousin & many others. They are I think the handsomest set of people I have seen. My father & eldest Uncle (who I saw some years ago in London) I well remember to be both in person & face uncommonly handsome & the same characteristicks of fine & bold beauty are to be seen in the whole of them except myself & another Miss Jaco who is however married to a Capn Burgess of the Navy a man of considerable property. We have no society here my
brother studiously avoids such intercourse as tends to visiting on account of
the expence though I never saw any one who enjoys company so much, for at night
he compleatly locks up his cases & his shop together & will talk for
hours yet the desire of getting money makes him subdue that propensity except
as in our case he can Of the country I could talk with
rapture mixed with regret that Eliza’s weakness & my necessary confinement
with the business allow me not to enjoy it. The Bay affords a prospect almost
unequalled for richness & fertility. It forms a sort of half circle with
the three towns of Marazion, Penzance, & Newlyn, lying at short distances
from each other close to the sea, & surrounded with woody grounds – the
whole closed in with a range of fertile hills behind. The celebrated Mount St Michaels Adieu dear Mary. Punish not by your silence my unwilling & unwilled offence. Eliza desires you will accept her love & Lanno (the favorite of half the town) does not forget Mama Hays. Once more adieu tell me every thing you can & write soon to yrs ever & sincerely E Fenwick Direct to me [at] Penzance Address: Miss Hays | 20 Hatton Garden. | London. Postmark: Illegible
1 Fenwick Family Papers, Correspondence, 1798-1855, NY Historical Library; Wedd, Fate of the Fenwicks 11-13; not in Brooks, Correspondence. Fenwick had taken her two children with her to Penzance, where many of her and her husband's relations lived, including John Fenwick's brother, Thomas, in whose shop Fenwick was working under very difficult conditions. 2 Most likely Sir Anthony Carlisle (1768-1840) who appeared nearly 300 times in Godwin's diary, and four times with John Fenwick. 3 Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829), famed scientist and poet and friend of Coleridge, Southey, and many of the Romantics. 4 Mrs. Mary Duckworth (her husband was John Duckworth) was John Fenwick's sister.
|
MARY HAYS: LIFE, WRITINGS, AND CORRESPONDENCE > MARY HAYS CORRESPONDENCE > 1800-1809 > 1802 >