| Description | My Dear Nancy
The behavour I perceivd in your Brother Yesterday, his non acceptance of the trifles I brough him, & the information you & your Mamma gave me of his insinuations & Conduct, added to what I have otherways heard makes me so very uneasy that at present I am incapable of either eating, drinking, Sleeping or minding any business. & indeed I am quite ill with uneasiness. it seems to me that nothing can satisfy the thirst of my Enemys but a total Distructions of that Love & Concord which I pray God may ever subsist between me & thy Mamma & her Family. I find it is told thy Brother that you & I are laying our Heads together to perswade thy Mamma to give all she has from him unto us which is a most Villinous, Enveyous, & Malicious insinuation. Yet it is such a one that I need take but little Pains to Convince either thee or She of the Falsety of; as I believe you are both well Convinced I never was guilty of any meanesses that tended to perswade either of you to do him the least wrong or injury. nor did I ever in my Life propose any thing to any Body that was inconsistant with his true Interest. & indeed I think it is no less obvious that thou hast as great & as Sincere a regard for His Welfair & Interest as Thou hast for thy own. (at least I am convinced thou hast,) these things cannot but give me a very great Concern as I am fearfull they will prevent my Coming to Lichfield so often as I am desireous of doing while thy poor Mamma lives & as to my Coming on the rent day I am afraid I must decline it, as it will only serve to raise thy Brothers Jealousies & Strengthen his unjust Suspisions. besides my present Cares & anxieties are so great that I have not Spirits to do any thing; but beg my Sincere duty to thy Mamma & as to thy Brother my Love will not be acceptable to him so shall Conclude by Subscribing my Selfe
Thy very affectionate Brother & Friend
& every thing else that is kind
Mattw. Boulton
The Girls & Frank & Kit I forgot Yesterday therefore please to order at Barkers White Gloves for them
These things I believe are talked over at a great House & I believe a Certain Snake [1] who would fain Creep into thy Bosom & then Sting thee, is in some degree at the Bottom of all this. as I believe him to be the intillegencer about L–v–ts not enquireing after my Wife.—I know he is very Subtil therefore do be very Cautious
[Address-label:] To / Miss Nancy Robinson / at Mr Luke Robinsons in / Litchfield / Turn at Coleshill / a Single Sheet
[1] According to Delieb, a man named Shewdell. [The Great Silver Manufactory, p. 19.] |