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Archive Reference / Library Class No.D5605/2/6
TitleLetter, Congreve [Butt, a doctor of sorts] at Martley, to his brother Revd G Butt, Christ Church, Oxford
Date4 Nov 1839
DescriptionNews of family and friends including description of Ewen's oratory in front of a jury; asks after Lovesy's sister; long description of his financial and social situation [as a doctor in a rural neighbourhood]
This document is number 49 in Derbyshire Record Office's "50 Treasures" selection. For more information, click the link below.
Extent1 item
LevelItem
RepositoryDerbyshire Record Office
SenderCongreve Butt
Sender LocationMartley
RecipientRevd G Butt
Recipient LocationChrist Church, Oxford
Archive CreatorRevd George Butt of Chesterfield (c1816-1888), Anglican vicar
DocumentTranscription Letter to the Rev George Butt.doc
Transcript or IndexMartley Nov 4th 1839

My Dear George,

Enclosed in some rough envelopes I have sent you a ham– which I trust will turn out well- and if it will not be unacceptable to you – I have received your two last letters which gave me great satisfaction as I wanted to hear from you having been kept in a long continued state of ignorance as to your state of health and progression in other matters. In fact I have not had any family communication since we met .With the exception of seeing Ewen whom I heard address a jury the other day. He performed his part far better than I could have expected, from the little I heard only at the fag end of the learned counsels speech –and I should not be surprised to see him worming his way to some eminence “nator fit” we all know & the youth possesses perseverance – Speaking of orators – what do you think of the poet Kilpins production? I have not yet read it but I have heard some persons speak of it in high terms – Kilpin says you are very amusing and find him matters for his wit – Did you find matter for “the man in the moon ?”

I heard of Lovery lately from the hearths of Wick - I think the second sister is staying in Oxford – Pray tell me if she is and what you think of her – she took wonderfully with me not so much for her personal appearance as for her good qualities – which were remarkable – I found a strong contrast to some other members of her family . If old Conway Lovery ( Or rather young ) is in Oxford pray tell me & remember me to him as I should like him to come a & spend two or three days at Xmas.

As I am now getting established in the opinions of many of my neighbours - and I am progressing as this thinly populated and poor neighbourhood will admit of - I am making enough to keep myself in pocket money & boot leather & not of any fresh debts – having received perhaps £20 altogether – and If I get the remaining £10in my books paid by Xmas – I think I can strain a point to see an old friend for a day or two – especially as I have been requested to take my friends to some neighbouring families – where I always have a knife & fork & a welcome. – Old Captain S when he sees me always sneaks away like a canine animal in a quandary – leaving my circle of acquaintance almost confined to Mrs Sparkes, Mr Kenton, Eginton,& Archy _

We have a pleasant curate just arrived. He was at East Garlton in the summer months cooking at the curacy – His name is Davis - he is very gentlemanly - keeps two carriages & preaches extempore in a manner not unwitting of a metropolitan pulpit – I have not visited Price recently – I rather think that he has voted me a bore, as he has hinted two or three times on the expense of going to Worcester to see Mr Lechmore, so I trouble him as little as possible – I suppose you know old Sir Winnington is translated to another world – I do not know his son.

It is a great difficulty this to lie by and let my “ wanton zeal mould in roosted sloth” – but I groan & endure & read books of a volumeous size from the library being relieved from my monotony by being visited by about one patient a day – & an occasional bit of cheating at vingt un with some of the fair agricultural nymphs of this vicinity – among whom I am sorry to say that I cannot help maintaining my ancient character for being fond of a bit of “getting upstairs and playing the fiddle”. I say, sorry because all the world expects a medical man to be always wrapt up in an odour of gravity – in fact to assume a humbugging puritanical deportment which it is my misfortune to lack – time, however, which will soon turn me bald, may perchance give me a due share of that other inestimable quality.

In your letter of October 4th – you describe my letter as a non descript one – What will call this ? – Something of the same sort. My hand is quite out – I have written to no one & for no one. I am obliged to take up with the subjects of conversation I meet with, instead of enjoying the company of any rationally educated people – It is therefore marvellous that the product of my brain should be a rambling hodge podge , a pot pourri as the Gauls have it. Besides when I take up my pen in your behalf I have so much to ask you & so much to say that I scarcely know where to begin far less where to end. I thought therefore that your reverence will not measure my feeble epistolary power by your own signature ones – but will be taken into your generous consideration that, however great a jumble & even concentration of ideas – distinct or otherwise there may be in my cranium – yet I am not weekly exercised by the utterance of them in writing of humour ( not that I mean to say you with your own nor anything to the contrary ) as you are. – Nor am I in a classical soil – Genius within this country – men whose talk is of bullocks abound here to the exclusion of all others.

I wish you would lend me your pistols for a short time when you don’t want them – they would afford me a small variety in my retreat & I want to shoot a dog or two which always fly at me - & in kicking of whom I hurt my toe – you shall have them back honor bright.

The day after I sent your box , Perrott sent me a new copy of Coleridge – all three vols which is the one you have - as I may as well keep the other I send you the two. You did not tell me whether all the books were right - I think my “ Bacot on Syphilis” is amongst your books – Please take care of it. Can you tell me how long Henry will be in Paris ? I would like to commission him to get some bougies if I knew his address – Bloxham knows a gentleman in the customs at Dover who would pass anything for him – It is the india rubber bougies & catheters which I mean and which are made so much better in Paris than anywhere else. Plague upon it – I just see by referring to your letter that Henry is in London – when we get the penny postage I’ll write him a letter. Apropos Remember me to Penny – and B.M.

Your very affectionate brother Congreve
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