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Sackville Street Nov[em]b[er] the 20 1805
Sir,
In the manner you mention my daughter
refusing to remain under my care, I think it owing to
myself, to prove to you by the inclosed, how ill she
has behaved & how much patiance I have
shown, till she has put me unter the necesity of
parting with her, but I never heard her once men-
tioning a desire, to leave me, therefore she must have
a motive for writing to you such a story, as she is
well informed it is not left to her choice her coming to
me again. When I parted with her last Sunday, I told
her, that I feared she had at last through her calm
malicious conduct, in trying to offend me in every
thing she could forced me to part with her forever
& that nothing should induce me, to take her with
me to India. I had before told her, that if you
consented to make the necessary advance for
her Equipment, I should place her out, till to
the time of our departing, as I could not bear
any longer the vexation, & torment she caused
me, but having ladly seen more of her disposition
as I ever have had an opportunity I am convinced
she will always be what she is now, & in that
case God forbid she should ever be with me
again. It was not my intention to inform
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you, or Mrs Mundy, of the particulars of my
Complaints against her (& which I now can
only do partly) but by a most insolent letter
she wrote to me, two days after she left me,
she has obliged me to do so. I shall pay
Mrs Jaffers, for the time she has remained
with her, & inform her, she has nothing further
to expect from me. The best thing she can
do, is to return to her proffession, & you can
not do a kinder act to her, then desiring her
to return to Bath, as Mrs Perceval has given
her so good a character she cannot refuse
of taking her again. I am extremely sorry
for the trouble my corespontence must
give you. My health is so bad, that I have
not been able to leave my Room this
12 days.
I have the honor to be
Sir
your most Obedient S[ervan]t
M Williams
[page 3]
Dear Mary,
I will once more trust to your promise, &
hope that I shall not again be deceived, as it would
make me truly unhappy, if you oblige me
by your bad conduct in almost every
respect, to leave you behind me when I am going
to India, but if your behaviour continues the same
as I have seen it this 3 weeks, then indeed there
will be no hope that you can be the Compagnon
of your Mother, as you would only make her
miserable, & she could not serve you by taking
you with her to India.
Sept the 1 1805
As you do not care how much you
worry your mother, & do not chuse to exert the
few means you have to make yourself usefull, which
you would be obliged to do, for getting your bread if you
was not with me, I shall deal with you according to your
deserving. If you will east you will work, or your diner
wil be bread, & water, & if you do your work so bad
as to undoe it as you are obliged so after to do, then
you shall not have your diner till your work is done properly
I give you my word, that I will be as severe, as your
carelessness, & wickedness deserves it. You are 18 years
old, & God knows, that I have given you no task
what a child of 10 years could not easily accomblish.
My words, my angre, has had no effect, & if all this can
not make you seriously consiter
the consequences you will bring on you, by your bad
behaviour, & vexations you cause me, then you will
force me to the painfull necesity, to part with you
forever, & then you will feel the loss of your Mother
who you know would be an affectionate one, had
you but a mind to deserve her.
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Turnham Green August the 15 1805
Mary
I desire you will reflect upon what you are
going to read. If you do not give me a true account
for what your money is gone, I shall inform your Guardian
that your conduct, is the same as before you went to
Bath, & that I decline, to have anything further to
do with you, as I will not suffer you to run in dept
nor shall you trifle your allowance away & then
have no money, for necessary expences as washing
shoes, &c &c. You can not by artfulness of which
you hae a great deal, persuate me of what you
please. I parfectly see that you are as Idle, careless
& sulky as you used to be, & with sorrow I must
add, that I think you will ever remain. I should not
perform my duty as a Mother, did I suffer you
to go on as you do, & as to Lying (I must call the
word plain,) I abhore it. I would rather pardon
ten faults, then one falshoud, the last I fear is
fixed in your nature, in that case you must never
expect to be regarted by your Mother.
She gave me the account, & in a most shamefull
manner had she spend the money, but as she told me
at last the truth, I forgave her. I had send her a
two pound note for her journey from Bath to Turn-
ham Green, Mrs Mundy had given her from you
a ten pounds, & more than half of that money
she had spend in perfumes, Rouge, Punch, Citer [cider]
& all sort of cakes, & that was done directly after all the good
advises she had been receiving at Mrs Mundy & Bowdler, & to
hide her extravagance she told me story after story till I threatend her
to write to you. |