The Thrales of Streatham Park, II. The "Family book": (i) 1764-1772
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Citation Hyde, Mary. 1976. The Thrales of Streatham Park, II. The "Family book": (i) 1764-1772. Harvard Library Bulletin XXIV (2), April 1976: 145-179.
Citable link https://nrs.harvard.edu/URN-3:HUL.INSTREPOS:37364380
Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA IL TI-IE~ FA.-l-1/LY UO(Jl( 1 (i) r764~1772 }lester .lfaria 1'hrale born on the 17: Sepf- 1764 at her F ather~sHouse, S out hu 1ark .
1"'bisis- to ser·i)e /JS a .1.lfe~norandum of ber ( 1 orpore.1l& J.fentnl Po""J)ers at t/Je Age of t~~o Years~ to ,w!: 1 She i.~.1rri·v\l tbis 17: Sept: 1766. Sb(;' ran •~:alk & run alone up & dorr;.Nlall s1nootb Places tbo' pretty stt::i!p,e,"" tbr/ the Hact.1strh1/4· is still l 1ept on it is -no lon.~er of [Jse. She is per f ectl.Y healt/Jy, of a lax Con stitu.tion & is .rfr(Jng enou_~·hto carry a _/H rJlrnd,/puppy two Al nntl.1s old quite aero.~·-~the l ...a... ti_:n at StreatbiVn~ ah'o to carry a Hori,.;.~J sucb as are used on bou,Jing Greens
up tlJe .-llount to the Tubs. She is neither -rernarkablv• big<. nor tall, being _just34 Inches b1gh, but eminently pretty. She can spei1k n;ost Tl)'ords & speak them pl(1in enougb too, but is no great Talker: She repeats tbe Pater "]\Taster, tbe three Cl.?ristia-nVirtues & the Signs of the Zodiac in i-r--att/s Verses; She like,-u,,isekno"i.rs t/Jeu1 O'Jlthe Globe perfectly ·well. S'be can tell all her J... etters weat & :rma/l & spell lit- tle J,T,Tords as n,o~ff, Dog, c./l/, ('at &c. She kno•U.\~ber 'r}l-U(;'FiJJ;Ures & the fi1nplest Con1hi11atio'JJJof .,e-"ma.~]<: 4")34; 6~ S, 6R; hut none be- yond a hundred: She kno,u)S all the heathen l)eities b"'/tbeir Attributes • & co1n1ts.10 ru:ithout missing one. Signed -11: l.: Thrale. Sponsors to H:· Ai: T. ,-1,ft,L'-"J'al-ushury, )t.-{!"' 1"\1 esbitt & Sir Jobn l_...tid e.
A.ll three of Hester i\-laria's godparents \Vere closely related to her: her grandn1othcr, .iVlrs.Sainsbury, after \vhon1 she \i~as n~uned; her aunt,, J\.Jrs..... i\rnold Nesbitt (Susanna Thralc) the youngest of her father's three sisters; and her first cousini five-year-old Sir John Lade~
1 1'hc text uf the FcnniI~yBook i~ p•·jntt:d here 1n full, in iriilir type c:?oi;,:;,:..:ptfo:r
p:assages: under5cored in the originnl 1 ,vhic.-h .t.re set i1~rom::ul. \Vot'ds 1rts.i:::rtt::dab-r.n•c or belov.' the line a re end o5e d in sb shes: /th us/. \Vor ds cros.sed out arc end o se d in poinr,e 145 Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) H ariwrd Library Rulletin son of her fa th er· s favori tc sister., ~.l\nn,\v ho had been a w icl o \V since 17 59. .!..:\.fter four vears of marriage- her hu~hand had died from the results of a hunting accident~ a fc\V n1onrhs before h1~heir, Sir John~ had been born. I-lester i\-1aria ~rhralc's christening took place on !4 Scptcn1ber 1 764 at the Church of St. Saviour\; in South\vark (no,v Southw=-ark (~athedral) James .Evans. the rector, offic:iatcd~ Frances Thrale u,as born on the of Sepi! 1765. at Southwark, appeared strong at first~ b·ut died on the tenth Day of the watery Gripes - l had 'fl(N{.,'erhad a Day's H ea.Ithduring the u-hole Gesta- tion - t /Je I .,abOlJf uw s h ov) ei-·crparticular I y short and easy. - Sp on- sors ..-\4:~~Salusbu-ry ./\,1= 1 Plu1nbe & JJ.!'?-vT eshitt. Frances Thrale \Vas baptized by Jan1cs Eviuts at St. Saviour's on 3 October 1 i65 The pattern of closely related sponsors continued: her first godmother ...vas again her grandn1other, i\-lrs. Salusbury,, and her scc..:ondgodn1othcr, her aunt, after \vh~>n1:she was nan1ed, li"'ranccs 1"'hralc Phunbc, the \vife of Sa1nucl Plun1be, a sugar refiner and a C:ity .L.\.ld crtn 2 n. Frances' godfather was Arnold ;\fcsbitt, the other living brother- .in.. law of ~fhr~le. :\e~h1rt came fron1 a good Irish fa111ily,and ,vas no\v a prorninenr merchant in London. He ,vas I\-le1nher of Parlia- 1nen t for Crick la 3 Infantile diarrhea prcsurnahly c::n1sed IJy an jnfection. i N c.... bi tt ...v as a h:o a pa rt O\.vner of ships that plied to th~ \.Vest Indies. In 1 774 vVillfom Hickey, the diarist, was to vjsit hi~ offi<;e in Bishopsgate Street to arrange passage to Janrnic a on his J.\7 e-w S ho 1 e hani; see Jf e1no1rs of iv illiam Hickey~ ed. by A1fred Spenser, 4 vols. (London: Hurst and Blackett, 1913-[ 1915J ), I, 332. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thrales of 5treatham Park 147 l\T est Street.~ IVIrsrThr ale \.Vas qui ctl y ,\1 aiting for her second child t(l be l1(Jrn, ::3.ndJ (lhnson had been asked t() visit. f le \Vas suuggling to finish his edition of Shakespeare, but said he hoped to come by the end of .A.ugust~ Ile did come to Brighton - and \\--asenraged to find that: his hosts had departed ¥-=-ithourlcrting hin1 kno,v. They had 1cft suddenly hccausc \vord reached them rh:1t Alexander Hun1e, one of the n1en1bcrs of Parliarne:nt for South\vark1 h:u1 On i 8 Au gus-t c7 5 5 Ralph Thra le purchased thjs ~'cnpyhold' i property in the old pr1.rt of B.righton from one John Ho,vdl. ...i\.U copyho]d property ,;.:i;.'"asgoverned b~.r- th~ a.ndcnt •ru~tO[l1arv ]a\vs of the ;'\-Ia nor'~ in which it vt"as situated -- in thjs case the J\·1i:l.tl( }r n f Br igh thel [1l~tc1n t:: - ~nd ::i.dn:frn ist-c::red 1>)-' th~ l i lca l .\·1;.1 n ori a1 Court. If a '.:'opyholdcr whhcd to devise his copyho]d property by \\;--ill, he was ooligcd to appear jn the A1~n< J rial Cu urt ~nd, in eff ~ct, n1a kc: a f or111::1:I d~c: hr a.tion of l i is in tt:-n- ti0n. Thls ,.vas c:alled ''surrender to che use of the \~/ill.'~ Failure (O carry out this procedure would rc~nlt in the propc: rty de~c~nding, on his d eat~ to the heir ac- cording to, th c c ust:01n of the i\1 n0 r. ln the !\:Ian or of R right helm.stone the c usto1n in this. respect \Vas. exceptinn:1L descent was tn the youngest son or~ foiling so-ns, to the younges.r daughtt:r. Henry Thralc inherited this ptoperty on his fathe:r\i de~th ::i.nd duly surrend~red it to the U-",ie of his will (Court Rolls~ :26 August r 760). Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) I-Iariwrd Library B ulleti11 of Par]ian1ent for Soutl1,vark, an office he ,vas to hold through various L.• elections until 1781. I-lenry Salushury J"'hrale'IVas- born tbe Ir: F eh:1 1767. strong & li-ve- ly at Sout/yi..rark - his Sponrnrs are ..-lt~ z···l erhitt., Jtr Plu1nbe and _j4~.s Salufbury he appears liJ.1ely to live tbanAs God. The Thralcst hopes for an heir \Vere now realized+ 1~heboy ,vas narncd nftcr his father, and called Harrv.,,. He Vlas christened, like his t\vO sisters., at St. Saviour~s.,South\vark, the ccr-ctnony taking place on 3 !\-larch 1767., Jnn1es Evans again officiating. J\.'Irs+Salushur~v \vas a godn1othcr for the third time; and die godfathers '-Vere Thrale\ t\vo brorhcrs-in-la\v, .i.4..rnoldl\!esbitt (a sponsor for Frances t\vo years before) and Alderman San1ucl Plut11bc ('-vhose ,vife was one of Que ency' s godn1othcrs) + Hester ,llaria Thrale l~ondon / 1 7: lUarch 1767 ./ Six 1lfonths have now elapsed .fiinceI wrote dO'll)'ll an Ace! of v..,1hat She could do; the follo'Vr:ingis for a Record of tbe cnn{lzin,e;l111prO"'v 1e- 1nents,,nade in tbis last half Year, .. Her Person bas ho,JJe1oer undergone no rui:iibleChange. Sbe C(l'llnot read at all~but knO'U)S the c~ontpass as perfectly as any J1ariner upon the Seas; is rnifttelS of the Solar Sys- tem can trace tbe Orbits & tell the {(Tbit-rary,"tf arks of the planets as readily as Dr Bradley.(j The Comets She l•nffuJr at Sight 11..1)henrep- resented upon Paper, & all the chief Constell(ltions on the Celestfr1l Globe. the Signs of the Zodiack She is thorouJJ;hlyacquainted u:itb1 as also the differente be~JJeen tbe Ecliptick cnld Equator. ~\'hehas too by the help of the dissected J-laps acquired ro nice a kno(T~.vledgeof Geography as to be 11vellable to describe not only the four Quarte-rs (Jf the IVorld~ hut al-most.nay I do think every l'latinn nn the 1~er- restrial Globe, & all tbe principal lslandJ in all parts of the ll 1 orld: these•··~v)ith the most remarkable Seas, Gutf s, Streight~ &c. Sbe has so full nn Acq,uaintance 7.vith, that Sbe discm..!ersthem coloured, or pencile-d, separate or to,gether in any Scale small or great't A1ap nr Globe. - She can repeat likf!f'~isetl,,e 1'lames ot all the C,apital C1ities in Europe besides those o( Persiaand India - Cbina l mean: also tbe 3 Xtian Virtues in l!.nglis-h,t/Je 4 Cardi1h1lones in !Jati-n,the 1.~1 Page t J:-:i.mes R rn d lcy { 1 69 3-1 761 ) : _Astronomer Royal. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The 1~hralesof Streat ham Prtrk 149 of Lilly's Grarmnar 7 to the hottorn, the se1)en l)ays of the l-l7 eek, tbe 1.2 Alonths of the Year, the t-u~osof the J\Jultiplication 1·.1blc-:tbe four points of the Compass the four Quarters of tbe Tfrorid, 'I'he Pater ·t-,,loster, the l'--liceneCreed & the Decalogue; the Responses of" the (,burch Ca.techisrn to the End of the Duty to our !'i-leighhour-: & the "lv"amesof tbe richest u~is-est,& 1neekest .J.Jan&c. She has 11/soin these la.stsix },Jontbs JeMned to distinguish Colours, & to na111ethen1: 1 as also to tell a little Story •uitb some Grace &-Empba.sis-1 ar tbe Story of the Fall of ~-llan,of Perseu:r & ...1ndro111eda of tbe /udgment of Paris & tv)n or three more+ 1·hese are certainly u,11to1n1no11 perf or- n1a.nces8 of a Baby 2 Years & 6 .A1ont/.)sonly; hut they ore rnost strict- !y true. She cannot h o~i)err)erre ad at all. In ~\.-lay,though it i~ not n1enti(lned in J\:Irs. "fhralc's journal, Queen e y \Vas in<}C.: u lare • l'L illy 1s G .ram mar~' or the Eton Lad n Gram m.J.r. The original compilation ,va:s m~de b).- \Vilba1n Lilr { 1468?-152 2 ), fir~t high mJstcr of St. Paul's S(..'.hool. The: book ,vent d1rot1gb 1nany t:ditlOfl!:-iand jn 175~ \\"as appropriated hy Eton College. From Shakespeare, tluough Jo hns.o [l~ to I ~a111b, there are references to this Gramn1ar. "'~f hey were, and Q Ue"eneyts ccon11)lislu l 1cnts J t n~.ro and ::1 hi] f 1n-J.y su ikc the modern re-ader ,1s not only unco1111non b lJ t ::1stou nding~ for ad ult c x p e c t:J.tions of chi I dren are much less today than in the eighteenth centur~r. l>arlier an(l farer cx:aruplcs of t'\}ual precocity are, hov.--evcr, not h3.rd to find, John Eve1yn's eldest sont Ridrnrd ( 165z-1657), at two and a lialf had Lac.in and F rc.:nc.:h~t l,is cornn1and. James 1\-fill's dtlt'.st ~on, John Stu~rt ( J 806-1873), ,va~ learning (~reek ~r three. Similarities include d1e fa.ct th:1r: the child i~ the eldest ( and in th esc cas:es the el d c..:st of ~eveul chjldren) that :J knov.:in g parent js the ever-present tu cor, d evot- ing an inordinate au1ount of tirne to the chiJd,.~ in~truction and recitation. The basic necessily i:i a re1narkabk 1ncn~[Jry- tor.al antl acc::uran;:rcca11. Like.: the;: others., Queeney had an cxtraurdjnary J1H..•:1uury.Richar Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) H ar1}ttrd T.,ihrnry Bulletin th c skin \Vi th material fr on1 another h u111ancase) . Y\ljth this mer hod on c out of every fifty persons trc ate d died, and all those inocu 1ated \vere capable of spreading the disease. Sutton claimed that he could reduce the danger by preparing the patient \"Vitha '\Veck or t\VO of purging (v1thich process \vas ntithcr very dangerous nor very help- ful) T i\fter this he u~ed the live smallpox inoculation as before, but with his ''secret ren1edy,, ( antin1ony, nlercury, and calon1cl) . Sut- ton~s results \Vere sufficiendy effective to \vin official n1edical approval lll l 745 + Not until 17961 ho\vever~ was a. dependable n1cthod of smallpox in ocu latio n discovered~ rha t of F.d\\.--ar d Jenner'.' \V ho used the vaccinia lymph ( co,v-pox) + His research originated ,vith a.n obscn-~ation rc- 1nc1nbcrcd fro1n his boyhood, that dairy 111aids,:rho had had co\v-pox never had sn1allpox. By the tin1e Daniel Sutton visited Queeney~ he nor onlv had a . ' .. ce 1e hra ted reputation, but h c also po ssesscd a sul )Stantia l f cff tun c. 17.+Sept.' 1767. A little blue Cover Book n~ill no•'1Jbest she-'1-,the further Acquiritions of Herter 1U: Thrale who has this Day co1npleted the second [i.e., third 1 and bebrunthe third Ii.e., fourth] Year of Her }_.:ifeby repeating ail the Responses in that book b_iylleart - this 17: Sept.. 1767. at Brighthelrnston Iel. She is yet a 1niserablepoor Speller, & can scarce Read a 11l-1ord. The Thralcs \Vere in Brighton again. He enjoyed hunting on the Sussex Do\vns, and she \\ras convinced that the brisk sea air and cold sea hathing did ,vondcrs for heal th. Beyond this, Brighton offcred pleasing gaiety - nigluly a.sse1nb]iesand agreeahle society .... fhey de- cided ro have sornething better than Ralph Thrale's cottagt, for they hoped to spend a f e,v months at the sca~idc every year+ They act1uircd an additional property, a substantial house~ aL"oon \\Test Street. It \-vas of light-color c d stone, three storeys high, \vith t\v o hay \Vindo \VS on both the ground and first floors, a very· pleasing hou~e. \Vas bv Charles ,vho been The rran~action handled +· Sc:rase~ had Ralph Thrale's la\vycr1 a family friend ,vhom Thrale had kno\vn all his life, and \vhom Nlrsr Thralc had come to like very much. He ,vas a singlt' n1an., exactly Johnson~s age, fifty-eight. Brighton~ ,vas ,vhcre In r 77 9 Scra,~e was to build a two-storey red brick !touse on the Steine. In l 8, 9 ,:he Royal York H Gtd w a.~ built 011 the site ( now 1n1u-. ici p..:i.l offi cc-s·i • Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thrales of Streatham Park he no,v resided, and the Thrales felt cornfortahle kn<>,vingthat Scrase \.Vasthere~ lo-nking a f tcr their intercsts/ 0 Earlv... in 1768 Parlia1nent \Vas \Vith demonstrations and riots in London 1 and South\vark as \vell, he- cause John Y\lilkcs ,vas catnpaigning for a i\-lidd1csexscac 1'his po- Iiti cal firebrand ,vas against the King~ the P rin1e ~\.-Iinister, and the cstabljshnicnt - his platf ortn: radical re{ orrns and cnf r:1ncl1ise11tent t)f the lo,vct orders. Four years earlier "\-\?"ilkcshad been ace.used oi se~ ditious libtl by both Houses of Parlia1nent, and he avoided trial by fleeing to France, an outla,v. ~o,v he \Vns back in London, and his ,i:" patriots• " \vere S\var1n1ng+ 1n • t h c streets, crying. ' ' \\Tr....1 lk cs an d Lr1 b crty. r •· ' T hral e ,v as a steadfast c onse rva ti vc, against \-\7ilk cs1 his po 1ici cs~ and his 'ipatriors.u H~ fought steady~ vigorous~ forthright can1paign, and his-,, ..ife and John~on "\Vereby his side. She \Vas again handicapped h)T pregnancy 1 a baby due in April, but despite her queasy condition, nerves, and exhaustion, she carried on to the end. "\-:V·hcn-che polling time came, on 2 3 J\.Jarch.,she expected the ,vorst - an Anna Alaria 1'hrale so named after my Dear Aunt & Friend the first lflifc of Sir 1.,ho.3 Salusbury 111y Uncle - u.·asborn at StreatbaJ"n1 :!t April 1768. Sponsors - 1\1.'"sSalusbury 1 AtJ.riSmith & J1." Crutche- ley [sic]. /a s111allChild./ The chojce of Anna 1\.·Iaria as a name for the babv.... was an unfortu- natc move, as far as the Salushnry relationship ,vas concerned, Sir 111 The Thrales should not have: felt con~fonaLlc, for something had gone ~.vrong. 1 The new 1u-uperty was. aJso a. 'L copy hold. ) See no[('. 5, page 1 4 7. Char Jes Scn1.st duly appenn:d in the ~-1anoria1 Court to receive title tn i[) (lli 1-}u·alc\: hch:.1lf~ fr:-om the previous hold er i one Jo~i-a h Dornf or d {OJurt Roll:s. I 5 Octo her I 76 l-1o'i.\· - ever, Scr~:se did not carry out the proc.edurc of surrendering the property to the use of Thrale ~s ~Tj 11, \\! hj ch ~i ~1s to re~u] t in the pro pert)· d escen ding. on le\ death, not in nccord~nce \Vith his "'ill but in accor Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) I j 2 Har·twrd Librarv... Bulletin Thon1as had 110\Vbeen happily 111arriedto the ,vido,l'" King for al- n1ost four years. Ther had had no children (nor did thev ever have) L "I' .. .,,: There ,vas ~till hope that He~ter ~rhral e n1ight inherit fro1n h~r uncle, and a daughter nanie 1 '~had once prof ess\l a Friend:;hip ~ for her niece ( Thraliana, p. 37), n1ight have been a Jiplon1atic gesture. But the nan1c of Sarah \Vas nc vtr co nsi other tin,c~"' (J~ettetY ~o-~)- + His desire to have a Thralc dauehtcr,_. nan1ed ~lf rcr hi~ \Vi f e '-Vas s0111c\\-..ha t unrcasona blc~ as the Thralcs had never k no,l'"Il I\·Irs. Johnsont and '"'"=-hatthev .,,.. might.... have heard about ~,1~ettvn,. fron1 Garrick and others could not have stirred their en- thusiasn1. Johnson~ ho\vevcr, \Vas persistent in his rcqucstT i\..nna 1\--Iaria\Vas the first Thrale child to be christened in the country... Her service ,vas held at St. Leonard's, close to Streath:un Park~ the rector, Ja1ncs Tattersall, offici~ting. i\-lrs. Salusbnry \vas again a godn1otl1er~and tl1c otller \Vas Thralc's aunt i\nnc, the \viuo\v of Richard Sn1ith, \vho had co1ne \\---ithher nephe,v on his courting visit to Officy P]ace nearly six years ago. Jeren1i:1h Crurc:hley \·v;is .A.nna~s-godfathcrr This voun{r n1an in his t\vcntics \vas soon to he a constant visitor to Strcathan1 and to the South \vark house~ ?\lrsr Thrale may just have conic to kno\v hin1, for she 111isspcllshis nn111c on this occasion~ and does nor 11 Jere mfah Crute hie y u fa supposed by those that knev..-hls I'\-·lother & her Con- ncctinn s, to he :\·1' Th ralc's n;:i.niral Son, & in u1any Things he rcsc1nbks hin1,. but not j n Peno n; as he is. both u g-lv & :Jukw.i rd, ~1 r T hr::1.lecertJ.inl v believed he ,vas L. r r his Son, & once told me as ffL uc h . . ." ( T hr aii.--tna, P· 497). Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) . .J -~"' . .-_':- I . . . . ., :!-". \ I i II" •• .t" Lu cati()11. of ari gin.alunkno -v...w Pr A'JT I H.1£..~T.ER S... .!\.L U Sil UR"\" TH R l\.l ..E 111£ SALL'SDt :RY MlNL.'\TVHE Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) Reproduced by permissionof the Earl of Shelburne PLA'J'J-:, II HESTER .MARlA..COTTO~ SALUSlll.:RV~ JOHN S.ALlJSBL 1RY, ...~ND "BF.lJ_,Ei' RY zo1i·1i·~u..,-y Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) Reproduced by perntis:i. ·frn1 of CrJurage Limited Pu..T.£ III RAT.. PH TI-fRALE BY 1-iUDSON Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) Four 0 ...1ks Fann PLA'fE IV HENRY TI-IRALE n Y R lt~Y.:'ITOLDS Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) \ . . . \ ..... . \ ...•~ . . r ./" " • ... .--· . .._. I I • .. 1 .... Photograph by Co:mln-in.nStudio PT.AT~ \T ROD\TEL HALL Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) ...- Photograph a11dpemlissiO'll by Da-'v·idH a1nbro PL-\TE \TJ EAST HYDE Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) .. -.. ---- ~11., , / . ,.. - /( /", i Location of original painting unknown Pr.Am \ 7Il QU.EENEY AT 20 1\10NTHS WITH "BF.LLF.n BY ZOFFANY Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) J. -. .., ...... 1.- •· •...... , ...... r r , .- •• •• 1, 1, , r_. , --hi. _._",I,_ ••• • T ,- (I- • • • _. • • • • • •• • --., • -, I: , • • I• • - • • ...... - ...... - ...... •• ...... -- ... ..--- I, I I • I , I , II , •, , ._ I • \. P •• • P. .- . •• 1 • • I • ....I I I' I• • ,• • • , ,, , • _. "'I ,, ., 'I...... ' • • I "-I• , r J. l Reproduced by penni.rsion of Courage Li,ni t ed PL\TE \ 1lll PL/\N OF THRAT .:E BRE,\'l"':R\' COi\ilPOUND Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thrales of StreathanJ Park I 5 3 South'-vark) and Jcrcmia h, Sr,, 12 t:arrjcd on this husiness ver~r ~uc- ccssfully, adding to it a brc\ving tradt. \.-\-:-henhe died at 43 (in r 7 5 2) both Ralph l'hra1c and Henry l'hra]e received bec1uests1 and both servtd a~ executors of his estate (together \\··ith .A.1iccCrutchley, his ~• T \vif e1 and Thon1as YV"itnbnsh,his clerk) . Jerctniah, Jr., ,vas not J·ct seven \Vhcn his father died, and the Thralcs ::1ctcdas guardians, Henry continuing in this protective capacity after Ralph Thrale died. l ..hat Henry· Thralc should suggest Jcrcn1iah Crutchley for a godparent of th<:nc\v bahv ,vas '-Vho llv understandable+ T 17:nec: 1768, II ester Al aria Thrale is t/Ji~ !Jay four Y cars & a QHnrter old; I ha'ue 'lnade /:!erll{J a little red Rook to ·which 111111st appet,l for her Progress in !1nproijenu:nts: S'h(:'•~J..:ent tbro' it this Day quite -uell. the A stro- uo1n-icalpart is the hardest. SiJe ca-nJlO'i.!:- read tolerahlJr, hut not at sight, and bas a manner of reading tb(U is perfectly agreable fret" fro'ln Tone or Accent. At 3 Years & a half hoivei 1er SlJe ':U)fote some Cardr to her Friends ri1.,"-itha l)rhit take-n from z/.JePict11re -7.tbichZoff any :c.:l dreu 1 of ber at 20 Jt!ontbs old: hut as l lay 111soon after, tbe :u:riting "J)as totaily forgotten,. & is 11or1JJal! to begin again. She has tbis day repeated her (\uechis1n quite tbro', her Latin Ci-ra:nrn1arto the end of t/:.e f Declc-ns-ions-~a Fable: in Ph£druj-l au r:•pi,gramin _.--t-lartii1l~the Re·t1n!utions Dianiete-rs& l)istancc of tbe PlanetY:She is corne ·vastly f or-u:ardin Sense & F.x:prcsJion& once 1nore I appeal to her little red Booll. T-f7 ith regard to her Person it is accounted exquisitely pretty; 1 ~ Jerc1ni:J.h Crut~hlcy I Sr., was n,arricd Jt St. Paul\ Cathedral on 4 ;\·1arch r 742. to Al ice J<1ckson, fron1 a good DeV daughtf;:r~ Elizabeth, was born in ()ctobcr q47; a second soni John 1 ·was born in () ctobcr 1 749, r-tnd another daughter nan1ed _.\lice j t1 July I 7 5 I . T h.e Crutchley f a1ni1y Bible ~t i\--1appen;omLe i\·fo.nor names all the godparents 1 an.d Henry Thr:ale appears. not as Jere1nfa.h's godfather, as has sometimes been said, but as godfather to the y[)ungc-r s.on., John, v,,ho Jh.Tt..:donly to the age of nvo and half. dyjng in , 751, t€n day5 ~fc:er hi~ for her. In his will Jcrenlia.h. Sr.t provided generously for hi~ \\:ifc and aJl his c hildre 111 ::i.nd~ho wed his ;'de-a r ~on Je ren1i .ih ~• the preference due lo an <::hler~.on :and heir. Jere1niah JS burjr.:J Jn the sau1~ torub v.--ithhis fath~r ancl hi~ infant 1.norlu:r, John. (T 01nb 1 I 0:1-in the cemetery at Lee~ a tcnvn v.-'1-Lichi~ nuv;.:--p,1rt of 1nctrupolit.an Loudur1.) u She so astonished Zu ff nn y that h to kl th~ King of her odd pc rf o rrnartcc { T hr .:1.. Jfonatp. 30H, n. 3). Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) Harvard Library Rulletin her Hair is Sf11ldy~her Eyes of a 1}ery dark blue, & their ["ustre particu- larl)1 fine; her (,,0111plexion delicate, and her Carnage unco1n111only genteel. He-r Tenaper is not so good_; reserr;_,.redttJ all, ins-olentwhere She ir free, & sullen to those ·who teach or dress or do any tbing towards her. Nei:er in a Passion,.h11t obstinate to that unco1nmonDegree that no Punjshment except severe Smart 14 can prevail on her to beg Par- don if She has off ended. 17: Dec: 1768. - In the spring of 1 7 69th ere 1-vasanother child. Lucy Elizabeth Thrale was born 22.~ June 1769. largestrong and hand- some likely to live: her Sponsors were .•W.r 1 Salusbu-ry, llJ/1 Cotton of Rtftb & D." Sant: Jobnson who insisted on her heing called Elizabeth/ 5 The baby's first n2n1cl Lucy, 1-vgsafter her \\ 7elsh great-grand- mother, I~ucySalusbury of Bach-y-Gtaig, ,vho had died in 1745, and Johnson was indulged with Eli1.aherhfor his "Tctty/' 1Nho had died in 175i~ Johnson hitnself ,vas honored by being asked to be Lucy FJizaberh's godfather. He \l'"fOte to ~lrs. Thralc from Oxford (he had again absented himself during her lying-in): (4 1 ah~,iays \Vishcd it might he a n-1iss .... [\:fr~Thrale tells n1c that my furlough is 1 re adv to obey orders, I have not v ct found shortene d I am al,vays r" r .a.• r any place from ,vhich I shall not ,villingly depart1 to come back to you,' (Letters 217). And to Thra.lc he wrote the same day: "l think my-self vcr}~n1uch honoured by the choice that you have been pleased to make of n1e to become related to the Jittle ~1laiden. Let 1ne kno,v \vhen she lvill ,vaut me, and I \viH very punctually Vlait on her,, (Let- ters z 1 8) .. Lucy's fir~r god1n other ,vas, as for th c other chi lcl r en, l\irs. Salus- bury. Her second \Vas Sidney i\..rabella Cotton of Bath, the infanes great-aunt, a maiden sister of i\1rs~Salus.bury, the one to whom ,\.. 1rs. Thrale had \Vritten about her engagement. The title of "lVIrs.n Cot- ton in the journal is sin1ply an honorific given to a spinster of a certain age and cl2ss. H Thjs means a whipping. The -rorl lay nn the mantel-piece of tlte nursery, and ,.,·asfrequently used, for .l\·1rs.Tora.le, unlike mothers today, who avoid a show- d oWTI \vi rh a child, strongly l1c:: 1 ie vcd j n corporal pnn ishment. Jt. This passage is written in the Family Book following the one d.:1red H 1 : Jan~Y - 1 770." It is prinre d here lit its proper chrn n ologic:::alpJace. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Th-rale, of Streathan1 Park I 5 5 The 1~hralcssho\ved courage in natning Johnson as a co-sponsor \Vit:h i\--Irs.Salushury, for though he \vas honored and loved by the rest of the fanlily, he ,v~s he:1rrily disliked hy her~ a feeling \vhich he reciprocated. l 1'ron1 the n, omcnt these strong characters 1net, they \Vere in confl1ct~ each shre\vdly a \varc of the other "'scccentr1c1tics an shorccon1incrs.D She found hin1 rude and tireson1e. He scorned her convers:1tion, and upon one occasion ,vas so provoked hy her foolish talk about foreign politics (she particularly~ enjoyed reading and dis- cussino-nevls fron1 the Continent) that he fabricarcd a storv. and had it printed j n the ne,vspapcr - an in1aginary b~lttle bct,vecn the Jl us~ sians and Tur ks~ then at \",7 ar .1v ~rhis _jeu d' esprit ,vas to cure her of credulity~ and the dect:it succeeded until she recognized Johnson's srvlc-· then she vo\vc Busin c.ss~which you d<) nut unJ crstanc.l;nor about his Pleasures ,v hlch yon do not partake ... You djvide your Tin1e benveen your j\1amma & your BahiC's,& wonder yc)u d() not by that means hecome agrcahlc to your I-Ius.b3nd. This ,vas so plain I could not fail to coinprehend it, & gently hinted to rny Nlother thnt l had soruc Curiosity about the ·rradc, v1.-'hichI \\-'Oukl 1nay be one day get i\-I~ Thnlle to infonn me about as ,:vell as the Jacksons who I observed had ~tll hi:s Confidcnc~: but She Mnv no nccc.1 She said fur ,nc to care l about the trade J that I had n1y Children ro nurse & to teach., & thar She thought that W''l."'?: heuer En1ploy1n cnt rhan turning in to Afy L1d y }d asht ub. those \V c-rc her \\l or 1 A Sec Cliff or Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) Harvard Library Bulletin \--Vhen ,v intcr c a1nc the Thrales 1n-ade their accust o 1ned rr1o ve f ro1n ~111d as Strc~nha111to South,vark, A-lrs.Salusburv, .... usual, left Strcatha111 for London+ Henry Salus-bury Thrale ·we-nti'nto Hreecbes at the Ap;e of two Years & 3 .---\-1onths: be 'ltas not quite t7.i)o,,--u:ben be carried a Hag containing 27:$ iu L1 opper fro-m tbf l'on1pti-ng House to the Breakfast parlour in the Borough: He is rernarkably strong 1nadc, course & bony: - nut bandsotne at all, but uf perfect I'roportion; & has a :i'Url.Ylook ,...~~ith tbe honestest & sru:,eetestTe1nper in the l-Vorld. This "·inter ~lrs. Salusbury had brought .L~nnaI\.-faria to live ,vith her in fJcan Street, a n~orc salubrious place., '~oLtt of the srnokc of the cit~\ 3.nd yet not in the blaze of the court/~ as Johnson once put it ( l~etters 2 8 5) . She \vishcd to gi v c her full attention to the health and needs of her little granddaughter. t: Jan:-V 1770+ Anna ..lLrria Tbrale is ren,arkably small bon'd & delicately frrnned,, hut not pretty, as She has no I'Juntpnr:ssin her /?ace:her Jf air is black, her Eyes light blue, V)ith fine Ryebro'U)S& f:yclasbes;her Co,nplex- ion t',.;•.:ef I enough, ber Spirit ·unco1111nonlyhiJii b; 'lronderfull y passionate fro1n tbe ~/ery first, & backirard in her Tongue tho~ forv.hird in Ken- eral lntelligencc.· She could kiss her band at f) ,\f 0'11thsold, -& 11nder- st1111dall one said to her: could r.;.;all~to perfection, & e·i1e11 ·v.dtb an 1Air at a Year old"!& seerns to intend being Queen of us all if She [i'L~es •-u}bich 1 do not expect Sbe is so 'Dery lean I think she is con- sun1ptive - hllt my ..A.fother says not~ & She lh.,1eschiefiy 'i;)ith her.~ 71.,,hoseerns •u~ell inclined to spoy l bc-1\& n1ake /Jer think berself so'Jne- thing extraordinary .11 1\.-trs.-rhralc and Quccncy 111adcdaily . five-hour visits to Dean Street rhroug·hout the lVintcr, and though I\--lrs.Thralc co111plainedt:o her 1nothcr that she \Vas pan1pering Anna ~-faria, she appreciated having 17 • fhis passage is fol lo wed in the J.,·l•rni ly Book by (be one re porting the birth of Lucy Eli:1.abcd1 1.'hralc on l.l June 176!:), \vhich 3s print~c.l ::1.t 1bi proper dlrono- logic:11pla.ce. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thrales of Stre(ftht1'1}1P,1rk 1 57 this delicate child taken off her hands; she had enough to cope \vith herself - Queenev (five)~ [Iarrv (aln1ost three) i and Lucy (six r _. • months) - an H eitcr ..-t-laria T hrn.le •u:asfour Years and ni-ne J,1onths old ri.rhe11 1 lay in of Lucy; and t !Jen l first bef{a'Jlto te.1ch her Grarnrnar she·r.1...1ingber the Diff ercuce betru,,.~eenn Substanth.H:: and an Adjecti-i:e as l lay in Red; Sbe has made Jiucc then a Progress IO ronfiderahle, thnt Sbe this Day 1: F eh: 1770 persed the first (;ouplet of"I'ope"'s Iliad~ bey;inning of her ou'u acl'Otd at the Vocati-11eCase/ tho this (~oupplet Isic I is I tbhil,., ratbcr uncounnonly difficult from tbe aru;k--u)crrdTransposition of 1.be lfl ords - I mean wr..:)k•r.1.v,rd0111y to a ('hild. Anna .il-JariaThrale died yes-rerday. She bad apparently drooped since lffrl ..tJonth begun, and on the second of this thre~t up her Victuals: rny ..-l-lothcr-1r11s shr;chcd & «mazed; so rrvasnot I~·I ne-ver h.1d111uc/J b oped to rear her; -11:henHrn1nfie!d ·1.t11sct,! led he purged her very rougbly, after hari..-~ingjlrsJ ,g·i1.:e-na puke to clear as he s.1idtbe pcrssagesr Sbe continued not 1u)itbstanding to pine wi~~ay~"fi.ts of t111f!:uor J.nd screa~ning succeedin?; eac.l1otber by turns; 110 danger h o-1rCI-~cr <"J..:a.~ap- prebended except by 1nys(:'lf ubo had long fancied ber i-n a Decay; till her f~its of l?aJI,eJon1eti1nes accornJ;anied by infiarnrH(ftorySymp- to1ns of' the 1no.rt rr._iiolcntkind thrf...xs;.1,:her into a kind of Deliriurn: on this the)· blisterd her -u.:~1isnnze•Ll.}hat t1bt1ted J.'ury & r'Ll,1he11 ber I'aroxysrns of Uage returned the,y hled her 111.,1itbJ_.eeches till Sbe lay absolutely insenriblc: in 1bis S1age of tbe lJisorder I a-n1es ·-u.HIScalf ed tT,.. vho pronounced it a Dropsy of tbe Brain & gw[1C tbe /Cmetick ·_r·nrtar but ·~~ithout effect. Tbe next day Tucsda~v 13. her D:n lef I her, find- ing it intpo:fsible to stir up any Se11sihility;yet J,Jy Jl other ~,.;_,,/Jonei~er quitted her a 1no1ne11tre"'~i~~ed her once again by tbe Application of a f-~eatherdipped in lT7 ine & had tbe Satisfaction of seeing her take nou-risl:nnent,ru:hi'ch re~~i-ited all ber bop es,~but on the 16~k Sbe rell into a ,violently inflaurtnatory Fei:er & died Yesterday 20: A-larch 1770. had Sbe li·ved to the 1..5J April next She wd: bwue been trr../JoYears old: it is rernzarltahlethat She bad 11e'i)er perspired or dri·I..,.elledlike an- otber Child rTO'lll her Birth, & to that I attribute her [Cf.ff Illness. l a111 n(YU) 111y.relfnear fi'r..-'e)ttJonths gone 'U}lth (-,hild, and / fear the Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 158 H ari:ard J_ihrary Bulletin Shoe/:.~& Anxiety of' this last fortnigbt has done irreparable Injury to my little Companion- if so I hai~e lost tv)o (;hildren this Sprin,f.;·- bo'"'J)dreadf" ul.' R()l)ert Bron1field of (-ierard Strctt, 'k-ho '-Vas called on 2 ;\-larch~\Vas the physician \v ho ha Robert Ja111es1 \Vho \li/a~cg_lled for con~ulrarion.,,,,_ ..as also a I ...icenri:ue of the Royal College of Physicians, ,-vith :.1 degree frorn Carnhridge~ and he \Vas, incidentally, Dr. John';on's Lichfield schoo]fello\\\ anthor of the Jledicinal Dictionary. Ja1nes \vas an authority on fevers (and had patented a fever po\vder) ; he \vas also a highly rtgar disc on1fort for some \Vec ks before the a cute and final illn ess 1 the n1enin- gi tis 1night have hcen of tuberculous orig.irL 'fhe rec..:ordcdJack of perspiration could have hecn due to a congenital absence of s\vcat gb.nds1 a rare condition \vhich is assocjared \l'"ith recurrent fevers~ There is no further supporting evidence for this in the journal, hov,.r~ cvc.r. Bron1field and Ja1ncs's trcat1ncnts of purges~ blisters! and bleeding (leeches \Vere the usual method for bleeding children rather than the lancet) \Vere ,vrong for Anna ~laria'.Il)ut correct for the tinie+ i\nti- bio tics ,v ould he used today, \Vith expected success. l passed this last l! 7 inter cbearfully too, to -u)xit I c.wJerdid a l-11 inter since I u:as 1narried:for I have been at an (Jratorio - the first Theatre I harr)eset foot in~ since niy eldest l)aughte-r iras born; & tbis Time Sbe went u:ith me: I nerv1er have dined ottt., nor eruerpaid a ll_,tisitwbere I did not carr')"ber, -unlessI lej"t her in bed; for to the (\:rre of l'J'er·vants (except asleep) / ba·ve never yet left ber an hour and this is the 21: J1arch 1770. She is no1J; fi·ve Years & a !Jnlj"old. I ha•ve been alr'1Jays ret,.rularin my dntyf"'ul ..:4ttendance011 my 1l1other, V)ho1n l /Jave l"On- st antiy ~JJaitedon ervery day since u~e parted, and always carried the (~hild rL.L~ithr11e. Poor Anna lii:ed at Dean Street this last TVinter, I fear my Jluther will be sadly hurt at her Death~ bow shall I do to comfort her? Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Tbrales of Streatbrnn Park 1 59 l\11rs~ Salus bury ,vas so overn, helmed bv the death of her ]irtle granddaughter that she fled to llath, "\.vhcrc she staved for several ,vet ks ~· ith her sist -er~ Sidney Ara h ella Cotton. Henry Salushury Thrale .-~as three Years old on the 15: Feb: last 1770. l ha-1.:ebeen so perplexed about poor .ivlissAnna, tbat I forgot to ivrite do-wn the St,1.teof 1ny Son'r Person or Capacity so must do it ncn.v. Jlfy Jl,Jotheris gone to Batb to cbange the Scene, and l have a little T"i1neto myself: he is still stout't bonJ, large li111bed,& nicely proportioned though not handsorne"Ihis Hair is course,, so is his Skin, but his Temper is artless and bis },l ature co1npassionate. he ru)ould gh ..,e all he had to the poor, and loi-;.)eshis Friends '!.{,,itban ho,nest l/ondness. he can repeat his Catecbism quite tbrc/ r;__rithout111is:sing, & the TVestnt Gr«nnnar i~ as far as the Distinction bet-ueen Sing: & Plural which be k11ous perfectly both in lJ.Tordr & ThingL he can say the narn~s & llU1Jlber or tbe J1uses~knor-J)S the heathen Gods by their Attributes & tells their J:...!atnes & Offices; Jike.-u:isethe 1.\Tames of the three Fates~ three Furies, four Infernal RirzJers~& is upon the r~ 1h0Je V)fll 7/ersed in 1,ooke's Pantheon.rn also tbe four four lsic] Eleme,nts, the f 011r Quarters of the Tll'"orld, the 7 l)ays of the lV eek tbe four Seasons & 12 )Uontbr of the Ye,rr and can count t·u;enty ru;ithout miss- . 1ng one. Aty 1l1other returned from Bath the bep;inning of this Atonth, but could not hear the Thoughts of"going back to l)ean Street: She there- fore remained at Croydo-n 20 rwberel visited her once e-r,·eryday, and u 1e wf:re preparing to settle at Streatham all together f w the Sum- mer~ rv:hen on the 22: of J1ay 1770 I had been as usuall to pay my Duty at Croydon, and had returned bome to the Borou,~h perfectly uell: l '1.rarsitting -u.dthMt Johns-on& tltr Thrale tiJJto·u:a:rds 1 1 o'Clock ::.!IThe W estn1inste-r (School) Gran-rnurr of L~tin and G.reek ,,.vis the rivai of I .il y s or the Et on Grannuar. Some said jr had rhe n1eri t of l1e ing c lc~r :ind c uncis~, qualities \v hi ch the other ] ac ke tl. n 'f ooke's Pantheon: The Pi"mtheon., Representing thi: F abuloui llirrorie.s of the ff eatb ~n God r and A--1o st 11lus tri ous Heroes ,vas a translation, by A.n dr,i;,v To ukc, ina~tcr of the Charterhouse School, of Facher Fram;ois A.ntnine l'rnnev~s. fa.nthemn. J.fyth£cum; the first edition ( i: 698) was fullov.·ce:d by 1uany other~ during the eigh lt t.:nth c:en tur y. !In Croydon: i'vlrs. Salusbury stayed in Thrale's srn::iHhouse there. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 160 at 1.\!ig/.Jt-il felt sttdden & 7)iolent pains co1ne on; l hasted to bed & by 1 o)clock in the ..-t1orning,u;as deli-ve-red ri.l:ith 1 uery little pain of a small q,:)eakly{einale Inf ant, u.,hou11~e called Susanna Arabella;/ The ( 1hild presented "7l.,ronghut being s,nall it did not rigui {y. / & asked ..lJr,j Salushury, )\.J!5 .l\,lesbitt & ...\1t Brook I"e j of T o-v:n J1alling to stand her Sponsors, tbo) her L.ife ,'Twaslittle to be experted as Sbe u"l.1s horn tico tnonths or rnore before ber full 1·h11e,and as She 'U,)t!Smiserably lean and feeble i11deed1 quite a mournf"'ul ()bject. She lhJes however,, & l)octor Johnson cont{orts 1ne by saying She ru..,1illhe JiJ,eot/Jer 11eoplc; of"v.J;icb hu-we11JctiF She does live / ·make 1..-•erygreat doubt. Sbe sueks well enough at present but is so i-·erJ poor « C1reature I can scarce bear to look on her; E-Fanssa:ys he ne-ve-r christen'd so small a Child before': & Bronrfield said he ne-ver sa,-JJhut one born so very little & kept ali-ve to a Year old - 4: August 1770~ The utnournful Ohjecr'' ,vas named after Susanna Thralc ~csbitt, her aunt'.I and Sidney .A..rabellaCorron, v.,ho ,vas godniothcr to Lucy 'T'hrale. Susanna A.rahclla ,vas christened at St. Saviour~s., as all the babies horn in South\vark had been; Ja1ncs Evans~ the rector, officiated as before+ Evans \Vas a devoted friend of Thra.le ( \-vho~esupport he greatly apprcciatcd), and ~.frs. Thralc liked ((]ittle F:van~/~ for his virtue and kno\vlcdge and pleasing behavior. al,va y .s, l\.1rs. Sa]us hury ,vas one of th c god 111others, and Susan- na Xesbitt ,vas the other god1nothcr (she \Vas also a sponsor for Que ency). I·~rancis Brooke of To,vn1nalling, a retired attorney in hi~ seventies~ \vho had been a close friend of Ralph Thrale, "\Vasthe god- father. 1-Ienry and Hester had visited Brooke in September , 768~ during a brief tour of Kent1 on ~rhich they had taken Johnson for the benefit of his health. (It \.vas at Brooke's house that Johnson passed his tiftv-ninth birthday.) .,.- r Su~an n a .A..rahe l Ia, sn1all and weak, re t: e ivc d Iittl c adn1iration from anyone except Johnson. He 1-vaslier staunch defender from the start, declaring that Susy· ,vould survive and furt hermorc th at she \vould be beautiful one day. l\Jrs. Thrale had no such hopes. l SG"i.!)the Corsican Fairy this Yecrr sure Susan ,.willnot be like ber.' Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 1 'he T bralcs of 5:,treathamI' ark The ';;Corsican Fairy/) 1\.-Iaria·rcresia (born in the 1740~), \va.s an entertainer, a lovely-looking1 perfectly proportioned~ alert litdc per- son, thirty-four inches high (the height given for Queeney ·1~hralt' at nvo ..vears of ~iic)...... Polite and beguiling,...... the (:()rsican F airv.. conversed ,vith case 3nd danced \Vith elegance. Sh orr1y before 1 77 o rhc Corsican Fairy had n1~1deher first appear- ance in r~ondon; she had been adn1ired b~v a nt11nher<>f -fine persons~ and indeed had been seen three ti1ncs hy ..fheir !\"lajesries. .AJrer tour in rhc provinces~ rhe (~or~ic~n Fairy rnade her second l ..ondon app~arancc in January 1 770. She could be seen 111 i\·lr. Zucker~s Roon1s in th t J-..:xctcrExchange f ron1 9 ....\.7\·1. to 1 o P. ~-Lfor a shilling. "N~B. An~vof the , 1objlit.v or (~·entry desirous of having her at their o,vn Houses, she \viil attend thcJTtupon their pjying three Guineas.'' ii l too/..]Queeney -7.Eith'IHe to a. Play last ,.~,i-nter,not a play - it ~vas an Orcttorio; & ("TJ)e.raru.,, tbc l(iug :::~there; v..,1henShe can1e ho111eL\'he !!?rvaggeredpo or Harry with tellinf{ him the ll' ond er.'.She had seen. I Sart.-0the King said S/Je, do you t..1nori;;•what fl Ki11gi.~? Yes replies Ilarry, a Picture of a .itlan1a Sign of a .lieu/s head no, no, cries the G 1rl hnpatie11tiy the l(i11g tbat v:t"ars the Cro·7..:Ju:do you kno~..:..., ·-u1bat a C,.,ro1::nis -- Yes l do, says Ii arry "I:ery ·v..,ell,it is 3 :i and 6:1· This bappen~d sometilne in llpn·1 ../or Jtfarcb../ but I forgot to irvrite it d 01cn till uo~: the 1 3: of Au~: 1770/s ~·1rs. 1 ..hn1 le had already noted the fact ( on 2 r ?\:larch) that she had attended the oratorio~ she so,neti n1cs .for1Iot if she had recorded L · an event, or \Vhere ~he had recorded it, for she \Vas no\v \\.--riting-...., in four notebooks other than the f'ITTnilyBook. One \Vas devoted ro the sayings of Johnson, another to the con1n1cnts of celchritics~ ::ih-;othe i 'b!uc Cover Book', and the '~little red l~ook~' devoted to Queeney·· ls -achi ev ein cn ts. !l1 State nle n t j n a Hun tingcon Lih rarr h an dbil 1. (~enrg~ Ill? v.--hoh::.d b~corne King in l 7cio)·\v:-is th~ l\tc~ulj~~t and kindest pa- 1 tr011, ( f th c s.r::i.gc and •·for fifty ye ar:s. :a constant a r.tendan t on its. d~1 i gh t:/ ( j\•Ian- gin, p. :213). ln the beginning this ·was simply c1 coin ,vjrh -a crov.--nimprinted on it~ since the !-iirtie.enth century k has been a L""Din with the v a1ue of 5 shillings. llar ry 's con 1nH.::nt to Qut.::r.:Ii t y is cit her- a con fi dent but -v.-Tron g guess rypical (>f a sm aU boy, or it is an in.ad vertent error on the part ()f h j:,; n1ot her. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) H ar,uard Li hrttr y R ul letin Attendance at the oratorio \Vas a n1cn1orable event and an amusing though inaccurate account of the evening ,,..=-asgiven years later to ~lrs. Th.rale ·s biogn.1phc r, Ed,vard ~langin, by a lady \Vho had been present that night at Covent Garden. She ren1c1nbcred seeing i\Jrs. Thrnlc, she said, ~-ancYv n1arricd bclle,n \\.-"holooked 1 'lovcly, and Vtras ad or nc d \\·'i th dian1onds. '' \\rh en i\.fangin reported rhis to ~1lrs .. Thr alc (by then Piozz.i) she replied that her rnother had ''disapproved of 1ny going into public so tnuch, that I never did set rny foot in a theatre till 1ny eldest child, born in 1 764, \Vent ,vith n1c to an oratorio+ o dian1onds did I ever posscssn (A--langin.,p. 1 78). 17:Sept! 1770~ Ji ester }v/aria 1 ...brale is-tbiJ Day 6 Yearsold; her Person &-Face ha~:e undergone so little change tbat a Servant ormy .-llother ,ujho left ber just fh)e Years a,go kne-v; her again & said She 'Ll)flS not altered - Sbe is tali enough of her Age, elega.11tlJsbaped, and reckoned extremely pretty. Her Temper continues tbe same too; reser'ued and shy •.._vith a considerable Share o{ Obstinacy, & I think, a Heart ·void of all Af- f ection for any I'erson in the TVorld bttl Aversion enough to many: - her Discretion is beyond her Years, and She has a solidity of Judge1nent [~.rhich 1 'Jnakes tne amazed~ her Cowers of C1 on- 1)ersationand copiousness of La.n.~·uageare surprising even to me V)ho kno-u~her so well'! & Sbe yesterday cited 111e tbe Story of Cleopatra's dissofruing tbe Pearl as an Instance of Prodigality. 24 She read and r1 Cleopatra and (he pearl~ .,:\s Pliny tells the storyt CJeupatra \\ ..a~ c:ontcn1ptuous of ~-\nthon:(s enj oyrncnt of daiJy. sumptuous banquets- givc.:n by others. Kig- ganlly ent~ttatnrnents. ~h-e sai Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thrales of Streatham Park persed to lY Goldsniith yesterday & he uonder'd at her Skill - She has a little c·ornpendium of Greek & Ron1an Ilistory in ber Hecrd; & Johnson says he·r Cadence, T,,ariety & choice of "Tones in reading Verse are surpassed by nobody not e--r...·euG a-rrick hi1nself: it ....1L·as Pope'" s Ode to 1tlusick that She read to (hi1n) Johnson Golds·,nith beard her read the .iilessiah. She is no"... ;) reguhrrlJ catccbiscd and u;as this day so thoroughly and strictly exarnined as to bcr Rclig,-ionthat I a111 convinced froui her unprerncditated A-ns-werstbat Sbe --w·o-uldnoru: be thought qualified f"or CO't1fir1natiou by 'f}fOSl O j" t lJe be~-,inf or,ned Di- ·rines.+ Sep~ 1770. Qucenev's.,. intelligence...... ,va.s no\v a source of ,vonder. The con1bina- tion of her Johnsonian 111crnoryand her intensivt tutoring had turned the six~year-old chil Quccncv.. ,vas cx-crc1nclv-· sh -v Lcc11use she could not bear to be h1ughcd at, and beyond this reserve her n1anncr ,,vas cold and proud. She stood bcf or c her i nguisito rs \Vith a ssur a nee, ans \V cring their q u es~ tions in a distinct voice, propcrl y and cantiousl y, \vith judt-nnent far bcvond... her ~·vcars. ()n , 6 Scptcn1bcr, the \\Titer Oliver C~olds111ith\Vas Quccnc ...v's cxan11ner~ l~his brilEant little doctor had been introduced to the ""fhraleshy John~on a ...vhi.lc before; and he \V'1S no\V con1ing often to Streathan1, ,vhcre rhc 1·hrales r{;ceivcd hin1 '-Vith great kindness, a proof of their hospitaliry ~nd underst~n Dr. Goldm1ith V{as a very odd man, ugly, and yet pleased "\.vithhis O\Vn person; always pausing to admire hin 1sclf \V hen he passed a 1o ()k- ing-glass. He was extravagant in his dress and in all his tastes. .LAi.nd he "\Vas insatiably curious: one day I\-·Irs.Thrale had discovered him Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) H ar-1...1ard J_j hr My Rulle tin Exa11un1ng everything in her dressing room 1 uevery Box" on rhe drcssrng-tahleJ (cevcry Paper upon the Card Ra.ck,, (1\hraliana, p~ 81). He had a. passion to kno,v cvcr~rthing, and an eagerness to shine in conversation. He \Vas jealous of any co1nperirio11'1argurnentat1vc~ and iJl-rcinpercd. On the other h~nd, he ,vas guile1css,socj able, and affcc- nonatc. 1\s far as rhc pcrfor1nance of little Queeney v.rasconcerned, he cer- tain] v· n1ust have vic\vcd it ,vithout a trace of envv, · and hence ,vith T pleasure, but he 1nadc no memorable con1ment for 1\-irs+Thra]c to record. Que thought h on this is \.\That ency. ~- of Go1dstnit occasion not told, but a fe\v years later she said she hated hirn because he ,vas so disagrceah]e. Somet1n1e during the sum1ncr or autumn of this y·ca.r, 1 770, "\\rhen the fan1ily. \Vas at Strcatham, i\11rs. Thralc 1nadc her last visit to Offiev Place. J\:c,vs had reached London that Sir Tho1nas S-alushury,vas dying~ and his niece felt her old affection for him very strongly and her future interest as \\··clL She ,va~ determined to go to his bedside. This ,vas the first tin1c: I had said I ....,1..-ould do any thing since T came of .Age, and nn,v 1 '"'~ould not be deny,d. ~--1y Nlother try'd a]l her Po,ver, & \\.rhen th:at fuikd, rny Hush:1nd1s had little Chance; nor did he trouble himself much either to encourage or contradict me, hut laugh' d at the project as a ,vild one, & sa1d La.dy Salu.shury would shut 1ne out of Doors he suppos~ d, and so 1 should come hack. ( T bralia.ni1, p~3 lO) The visit at first \vent \velL i\··(rs~Thralc found her uncle~s conch- tion in1proved; he \Va~ ahle ro ,valk about the house and grounds ,vith- uut difficulty and he seemed to enjoy her company. He treated her with tcndcrness 1 kissing and caressing her, inquiring after her chil- dren, and sho,ving n1any special signs of favor in front of his '-Vifc and the servants, calling her "his Heiress hi~ Niece &c./ 1 ,vhile ''l~ady Salusbury sate like one Thunder.struck - yer s,velli ng ,vir h rage+n Sir Thon1as escorted his niece to her room that 111ghtas in the old days, but the nex r n1orning his atten tio ns \:\-~ere res trained, and the n1istrcss of the house never appeared. In parting, ho\vever, Sir l""'homas again seemed affectionate, and promised repeated]y ~'to come & sec me & n1y Son & my Daughters~' (1'hraliana, p. 31 o) .. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 1·he Thrales of Stre11tbau1Pnrk :\lrs+ 1~hrale returned to Strc2than1 in high .spirits after this inde- pendent journey~ 1 found rny :viother & \ly ~laster ,vcn pkasc \\-'hile everything ,vas going along pleasantly in the country 1 ~n accident occurred, "\-1.--hich 1\-'f rs. l~hra~c did not record~ for she took ]lttle account of ir ar the time. i\.nd she did nor ucn1aih ~-- ,vjtness rhe sce n.c, but one afternoon \vhilc 1\-Irs.Salus bury ,vas pl a:ving Vt:rirh three- ):··~ar-ol 1.2: Oct! E770. ]~his Day Lucy & Susan r1.1)ere inoculated by Daniel Satton who inoculated all the rest - l ha-r..:e110 fears but for She is ··very weakly~ Lucy 7.villdo -v:ell enough., but it may hurt s11cha tender Poppet ,1.sSusan perhaps~~ tho' none of them yet e1/t7 had mare than 20 Pustules, & one 'V)ould think that could not hurt a )\1.ouse.- 30: Janr:v l 77 l. on the fourteenth of tbis lvfonth Hester J-laria Tbrale ~as exffmined be{ ore a J.{r Bright of Abingdon '?J.,bou. -as astonisbed at her powers & Skill in pcrsing some Lines of Dryden's Virgil, explaining e-very dif- ficult wordt & e·ven telling the derivation of" n10Jt. She like-wise read Pope~s I,emple of /:<'ame,& ga·re a particular Account of e-·ueryH eroe mentioned in the Poe1n; his l.,if eL] C'ountry [.,] Adi-•entures, e--....1ery Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) Harvard Library R11lletin thing: Sbe like-wise she-wed her l{nowledge of Geography hy 1unning the Situation, Latitude and Longitude of aJJthe places 4De could think on'!She displayed her Acquaintance u~ith Antiquity iu gii)ing an Ace! of the old Runic & Gothic Divinities, & in short performed so well that the 111m1ac kno7..Vledged fair! y that had the Exaniination passed in Latin, She 7J)ouldhm,e been qualifi.ed for a Degree in tbe [lniversity of Oxford~ The Reverend I\.-Ir.1-Icnry Bright, head n1aster of the ...t\.bingdon Gran1n1ar Schooli found Quecnev.. at six-and-a-half rnade of verv. dif- fercnt n1cttle fron1 her sevcnteen-year~old consin~ Ralph Plumbe, ,vho ,vas a pupil in his school. Alder1nan Plun1hc had hopes of his son going to Oxford, and f,ron had hcen the preparatory step, but there the boy was not succcs.~JuL He v..ras consun1n1ately ignorant, the "booby~' of nlany Thralc fatnily jokes. In 1770, the year before, \vhtn the Strca t ha n1 circ] c had cxa1nincd Ralph~s LTni v crsit y pot c n tial~ th c intcrvie\\ 7 \:\:rentthus: Ho\v 1nanv feet are there in an Hcx:1.n1ctcr\rcrsc savs Dr Johnson- nine~ rcplic ...4-.f t-er this, as an act of f rten ... h-o,v n1any \\ 1eeks there '\.Vere in the Ycar; the Pu pit hcnvever graveJy rep1ied he did not kno-\v. I warrant says Bright ... grievously n1ortified. he kno,vs ho,v many Cards there arc in a Pack - ,~cs] cries the Lad I kno\l.-'there are 46 + •• ( Thraliana, p. ro:z) Que ency ,vas better prepared for Oxford than her cousin. This-eldest Girl of mine could at the Age of Six Years-,look -u~ardsin the l)ictionary witb per{ ect readiness, could tye up a Boiv of Ribbon for Breast & Sleeve-I( nots as ncat l y as any Tf?'oman in the House; Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thrales of Streatba1nPark could do tbe conmion Stitch upon c·atgut, & hersactually 'U)orked Doctor Johnson a I'ursc of it; could be trusted v..~itha little Brot/:.,ier or Sister as safely as any Person of P-~cnty Years old, & bad such a Sbarc of Discretion~that three Days ago being some-wbat hot & un- easy u~ith a troublesome Cold, & l had reco1n1ne11ded1'urneps~ Ap- ples or Other light {:vegetablesto ber rather tban rnore f'ei,.erisbFood, - Jf/"e happe1ld to ha-ve some Con1pa:ny at Dinner r;,;__,~hoofficio1,sly help~d her to Plum Pudden 5ihe took it therefore & looked pleasd keeping it hef ore her till She ohser-1/dher f·riend engaged in Talk; & then beckoning a Serq,l S/Je sent it quir:tly a(TJ..WJ for ,./said,/ She to me after•1tardstI knew it uvu not fit for n,c to eat, but one could dis- oblige .i~JrSuch a one by a pcrc1nptory Refusal - those ,vcrc her \\l"ords. Sbe is noru; taking Senna & other o/Jensi1}e..l1edicines for the Tl'or1ns, which She does with a Courage & Prudence f €'ti} f,_J?o-wn people possess- 30: Jan: / 1771./ God preser1}eber precious Qucency \Vas ro he plagued for years to come by attacks of ,vorms. This disagrcca.hle conlplaint is communicated by eating uncooked a5 2·' foods~ such milk, cheese~. fruit, and salads, dirt.ilv handled, con~ tan1inated with h u 111an or anin1al cx.crcta It can also con1e fro rr1 n )o close contact ,vith pets+ The treatment for ,vorn1s ,vas a vcr1nifuge, such a~ tin \vith worm- seed and a repeated purge. Senna, a con1pound of dried leaves frorn th c cassia s hru h served this purpose. Queeney's '-'1-orms,vcre the round type (as opposed to thrta 15:Feb: 1771. Thi1 l)ay Henry Salusbu.ry 1 ..hrale is four Years old - strong & healthy and ~·ery tall of his Age - so amiable besides that even Queeney loves him, "",J)hois of no lo·vini Disposition~and /he/ has a 1 2. Queeney loved "eating unripe cherries. [and other unripe fruinJ and sucktng n1il k and \~.rate r throu gn a ~tra -,,.v,' and she loved '-Lcuc11111 hers, .radish e~ stun1 ps n f c.abhiges, :.1nd other .such dainties'~ r.ight ,out of the gatd~n (R-a.rctti, pp. ix~ 360). Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) H ar·vard Library Bulletin very good L°'c1pacity:He rer1dsthe J15afn1squite :.1nartly~seldo111 stop- ping to spell bis l·l7 ay; can repeat the Grctnnnar to tbe end of the Gendr;rY, & knou,s a Subs: frorn an Ad_jec: in E11glisbor Latin per~ fect/.y well, also a ·!-loun fron1 a Verb. he can Jikeu,ise put the Adjec- ti1~eto the Subrtantive, & the ~4rticle lo the ~ 7 oun in Latin taki-ns; C"a-reto 111aketbtm agree~ ( l -;nean ·1'.;on1: c·ases on!y) & in this r.,'xer- cise it is not easy to p1,zzle him. he b,1s'Jlot Jet attempted u'1'itiug, nor to read a V)ritten Paper, nor pretends to any ..:4cquaintancc rTJJithu~ith ( sic j the (if obes; but he bas bis C.1atecbisn1 all h y heart, & reads i.~astly better than his Sister did., knov....·l·a deal of t be Heat hen ..Aly thology, and is manly to a 1nost unco1nmon /)cgree, "...rithregard to general porr..ccrof self ..dssistance &c~ he lies all alone'! bare-headed, buttons his ov;11 (:lotbes on,, crndneeds no help eitbe-rat eating or ctnptying any 1nore than his F,1ther does. he hids fair -with Gods blessing to he a noble F elf ow - bis Face bo-we-veris ordinary enough, but he is larger than any Roy of bis Age tho~ not fat,~indeed Ha-rr-ycon-11nenced A1a.·n t'L)er1,·early, he v)ent into Breeches at tv)o Years & , ..-l! antbs old: I T . asked biu, to day if he remembered e-'ver•t""wearing f'etticoats; and he said no, not the least. 2 2 .. June 1 77 t. Th1s Day Lucy Elizabeth Th-rale is t-1!:oYears old: She is as hand- so?f!eas her Sister~ & as stout as her Brother: a full Yard hiJt,b,2tland very large rnade,~yet not clurusy: r-(l)onderfullyacti"/e ·1.vithher feet, but so back,..i,;:ard('-1J)ith her 1'ongue, that a f e-w l-Vords, & tbose im- perfectly p-ronottnc, d 1nake up all her per[ rctions. She is ho'U)e~H~r ,•ueryhandsonu: indeed, & very bealthy; if '!l.-~ededuct a strange thin?t tbat happen"d to her 7.. vhen She -was 6 Afonths old, & tbe Effects yet remain. Sbe then caught a Cold V)bicb settled in her ll ead, & pro- duced an l1npostbume [ an abscessl !7J)hichBro1nfi.eld attended, ci,... Syringed as he thou,g·ht fit: - hoi:.,,ei~erit occasioned a running he- hind her Ears, and from her Ears, :v;hich running has 'll~L)erceased, yet a.f She is n prodigious fine Girl u,ith regard to e,;)ery Thing else we w 8 y present-day pre die ri 011s, the final height a ttainc d by a Luy is ~xp-cctcu t0 be sijghtl y 1norc th an t\vicc hi~ hcig ht at th c age of two, th a.t of a girl slightly le~. Accorrltng to th r~,T .ucy col11d be predicted .it maturity to tower over he.r mother (who ,v-::1.s.f o,ur f eer, eJ even inc hes) <1nd cc) be about four inc hc:-sta.11 c r than Quccncy. J .ucy\ height ,.vou]d, lio"vevcr, be expected to be some four Jnches less than that of J1cr ~unt) Lady Lad~ wlu11 witluiut shoe~ 1l1casure Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The T hr ales of Streatha111Park must be contented r<,._vithtbis ailrnent 1 suppose it 1le""i.-:er u:ill do her any harr11tho~ ..-i1: Joh·nson told yesterch1y a Story of Aliss Fitz- bcrbcr{s dying in (_.'onsequenceof just such a 'J?Jing~-uhich sbocked nu: dreadfully tbo~ I took no t,.Iat.ice but it lay on uiy Spirits afl that Day & l\1ight - & this .llorning I can scarce be{rr to tbi·n/.! Lucy ,vas suffering from an in.fl:11111nationof both 111iddleears and both rnastoids, the result of an infection fron1 her cold. Syringing n1a.y \vell have spread the infection f urthcr. increasing the danger. i\-1rs.Thrale' s first con lc cturc that no hann ,v oul d c 01nc to Lucy \Vas not as vnlid as her second reaction of fright at hearing the story about Iittlc ' :~--liss Fi tzh er be rt,~' one of th c six 111other Icss children \Vho had been under the care of Johnson's rc111arkablef ricnd~ 1\-liss Hill Boothby/~' aln1ost t\ventv vears before. The ~!eldest had .· Atiss~' been perfectly \,-ell, flying about the Tissington fields \Vith the others, until this running of the cars had startcdr No cure had been found, and the beautiful- young girl h:1d died; not a checrf ul parting tale to haV C f ro1n Johnsonr He \\-'8.S setting out that day for ~nother "furlough" (Binningh:un, Lichfield, .i.~shbourne1 and Oxford), not to be in the \~/ay \V hen the next baby ~lrrived at Streatha1n, an event expected :at any 1no111ent. 1\-lrs. Thral c \i..--as\V or rie d about l1 er pregnancy ; th c illncssc s of Lucy and her 1nothcr ,vcre added anxieties~ Johnson had finally con1c to appreciate A-lrs. Salusbury, as he ob- served the checrf ulness, courage, and spiritu::1.lcairn \vith \\-'hich sh-e faced death. He no,v valued her sterling qualities and forgot the silliness; he adn1ired and loved her. I-le continued to hope that sorr1e '.!7 Johnson. n,ost probably had 1-Iill Boothby in mind when he recorded in his diar.f for 2 2 April 1753 ( the ,:.-·car after Tcttyis death) that he propo:sed ''to seek a ne,;,\r \vif e \11 1th OU t an Y dero g:1Li O rl f ro1 n dear ·rett ::\ lllt.:"lllU ry.:' Johnson had ll~en :acquainted v:ith Hill Iloothby jn Derbyshire for nrnny years. She \\'as \Vcll-ho rn I scnsjb le~ of g rcat pi r.:::tyand st tong in td kct, v.--it,and c harn1 - an a clmi rn b le clH )jce. 'l 'i [llC -and circ Luns.L:1nce)h( )\\-·evert l.:o ns pire d 'd gJ in~t :-iny pus- sihi J ity of her JTJ1rr·~lingtfor h~r dos~st friend, i\-lrs. Fitzherbert. died in .\·Lirch 1753 ( just before J ohn~on n.:conkd his intentions). Hill Boothby loy~lly took ove.r the n1an'dge1n~nt of the Fit:r.ln.:rbcrt hou:-;d1old :;uul tht; l.:'dl't.: -of lu..:r f i:-it.:"nJ':s children. I Ier- own health beg-an to fa.ii soon thereafter, and in [ 7 56 sh-t.::died. J ohn'ion "\\-'as so distracted by grief at Hill Boochby•s death that his friends had grea c: difficulty controlling th c ,, lo l t.:n'..:"C of his act ions+ Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) Har-vard Library Bulletin remcdv n1ight be found for her disease, and he ,vas constantly con- r su1 ting friends a n much of ( his guest]'' (l ...etters 2 5 3A) 4 The days passed tiresomely at Streatham, for the baby refused to 1nakc its appeara.nc c+ l n letters of early Jul )T1 Johnson kept hoping for an announcen1ent, but by the middle of the month he stopped jn- quiring and ,vrote about a general nursery project, which had been discussed before he \vent a ,va y, a chemistry 1ab oratory, to be set up .at Streatham.. Johnson said he \vould try to obtain iron and copper Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 1"'he1·•hrales of Streatham Park I 7 I I ore on his journey, as "vell as ]cad ore so that he and the children 1night sec ho"\.v1 ead could be smelted (l~etters 2. 5 9). Thral e v.:as rnak in g extensi vc renovations at Stre ath:un, and on 2 4 July Johnson asked if the builders could be told to '~leave about a hundred loose bricks. I l"an at present think of no better place for Chirnistry in fair ,-veather~than the pun1p side in the kitchen Gardcnn ( l_.etters 2 64). By the tin1e he wrote this letter, the haby had finally arrivcd 1 the 1 ...hrales' seventh chil Johnson \.Vi th rclie f, '' our ~-listrcss r • • ,__.g iv cs us ,._.Q ood exp cc ta ti ons of her recovery, considering hov"' n1uch 1nore she suffer'd~ than u~ualn (Letters 2 64. 3A). 2.2 /ul,r 1771~ 2s Sopbia Thralr born: large & likely to li1..-~e Sponl~ Jly .,Jiother ,ll: "f\!esbitt & Queenfy. Early in August Johnson returned to London and \Vas permitted to rcjoJn his fa111ilyat Strcathan1. lie \vas pleased by ]\.-frs. Thrale's good heaJth~ and delighted by hi~introduction to Soph~v, ~---hoseeu1cd to be thriving. He found i\--lrs.Salus bury, though failing, still gal- lant, active, and chccrft1L Johnson ,vas soon engaged in the serious "\.Vork of revising his Dictionary, but he found tin1c to supervise the building of his ~,furnace~'' and ,vhcn this \Vas done, experi1nents ,:vere imn1cdiatcl_vundertaken. For the rest of the su1nn1cr ''the pump side in the kitchen Garden',: hecatne the center of Srreatham activity. As i\lrs. Thra. le said: [YVel diverted ourselves \\•·ith dnnving essences and coluuring liquors. But the danger i\·Ir. l~hrak f oun [!-3 Thi_,;;entry gt vt:'.'iSophi a Th rale \: birth date as 2 2- July, :ln d so dots the Th rale Fan1ily Bible, but tht Register ~n St. Leonard\; Church gives the date :":ls:z 3 July, :and Mrs. Thrale~s later entrie5 in this journal g1vc the date as the 23rd. See the enrry for: 2,July l 776. ~fhe z 3rd of Jn ly V.'"ilS tb e a nni vers.ar-y day w hk h Sophia "vas to ce le bt·a te rh ruu g h- out her life. sn presunrn bl y it is co rr~ctT She v.:-as proba b 1y born in the n1idJle Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 11ar·vard Librar,y... Bull eti-n house persuaded, t h"lt his short sight \V(} uld ha 'ite been hi1-!de~tructi on in a n1on1cut, by bringj ng hin1 close to a nercc and violent fla1ne. ( l1 ne cdotes, P· 2 37) Geology and the col1ection of natura] curiosities \vere strongly rccon1mende 1 5: Feb: 1772. Harry is n~,.;_,.fhle Ye,rrs old, & can repeat his fi~/eDeclensions ta the end, can na111e1 em separate too., & tell the Genders Declensions&c. r'whaterr)err-~•ay you ask him liktrJ)ise the Verbs Participles & Adverbs- in English, the ~Tom.a& Ac c: & V oc: l-.ase:,of tbe nouns in l!."-ng)ish & the ln1peratii,•en1ood mnong i7 erbr. I asked him this morning -u~!Jat part of Speecl.1ring 7.vas? I d 01l t kno-w no,.,J)$llJ s be '1L'hethe-ryou mean the ?,...!oun or tbe Verb. He reads' Englisb fu...,ellenough to be pleased '[fith the Scripture History & Pilgritns Progress - & dearly loves a disrnal Story in tbc ·f',lc-wspaper s. I set him yesterday horu;er;,}(-"f to N el.son'~Feasts & Fasts - this says he little Ali' amey to be sure is a ·very iood Hook_;all about our Scrz..riour& the Apostles'I but it is monstrou~ 30 ivlay 1772. Susanna Arabella T hrale is nor',J)tru)a years old: small, ugly & lean as ever; her Colour like that of an ill painted r-F"all grown dirty. The Children call her little C'rah,Papa & myself hai:e ,unned /her/ Gilly, from a Gilhouter the C!Jes-hirei"'JJord signifying an Q,1vl. She seems to ha1)egood I'artJ enou1,h, & could walk on ber little crooked Legs as early as any of the others could 011 their straight ones: - but her Tem- per is as per'verse as ruery Po y son. She labours under an urn hili cal Rupture /too.,/ and at present fler Belly seems to !'7.L~ell& h«rden Robert Nels.t-..n's C,nnpa-n.ion for the Festi•tMlr and Fi1rts of the Cbwch of England, with CoUects and Prayers for Each S0Iemnity 1 London ....-\. & J~Churchill, I 704, and subsequent editions, Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thrales of Streatham Park I/ 3 strangely; J(tlnes treated it as a Tf/.orm Case,,hut nothing rverrninous e·vcr appeared nof:'t1.~it/:,standingour Searches & Hxpectatio-,is+I'inkstan & Prior hcrveby ].,urns tried at ber Rupture) ubicb ~J)ouldn1end under their ( ..are, but tor ber crying ·v:bicb is inre.rsant-- Sbe speaks very plain but bas ne ..ver been put to learn e'uen her l~etters; Brornfield. tbinks her scorbutick & hrts purged her accordingly; La~i.1..'rencerec- rnnmended ha:rk & cold bathing & J>i-nt..,stanwill hrr1Jeher be fu1ni- g{(ted - 5,;bcbas gone tbro' all the re st~& sball11or~ begin to be snzoked I l~no(Ti.J)not what c.111he done for her, I 1.. rill send her to HlY 1l-Iother at Stre [a] thcrmt pe-rbapscountry air 11H1y do sornething - lite can but trvr... Little Susan's sallo\\-' col or did not indicate jaundice. She had been t\v o m on rhs prcn1a tore and in corn~ g 11tnc c suffered fro rn ane1nia and ric ket~. Her herni:1 \Vas due to a v~-'cakncssof rhc anterior ahdo1ninnl ,vaU at the navel; and the eighteenth-century· treatment for this \Vas strapping a penny over the part. Susan's incessant crying s1(1\vedher recoverv.· .. Susan's rickets ,vere caused by deficiency of vi tarn l n D, \V hich resulted in borh a sof rening of the bones and a \Vcakncss of the n1us- clcs. This deficiency ,vould have been corrected by adcguatc ex- posure to sunshine, so 1\.lrs.Thralc v,,:rasright ro hope that country air might ~,do son1cthing. ,~ Scurvy ,vas not clearl)r distinguished from ricktts untiJ the en Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) r74 H ..rr-vard J..ibra:ry Bulletin h c r praise. Jt was La \Vrencc ,v ho had been su 1nn1 one d to Dean Str ce t ,v hen John Salush ury had had his fatal nttack ten years b cf ore. 7: June 1772. Sophia Tbrale aged 11 JJontbs got « Boil in her .J."leek .-~<"}'!r~as obli?;edto be lanced; I hope it t"J...iillnot injure ber Heauty, of r-J.JhichShe has a considerable Share. it discharged copiously & there ri:.,illbe a Scar but not a great one. Sophy1s boil cleared up satisfactorily, hut there were n1any other harassn1ents. Thralc ,vas makin.g additions to the house - a library and other roon1s - and there ,vcre c:on~tant difficulties ,vith the bujl t()tal output of Jackson's beer \vorthless 1 but he had further jncreased his friend's financial c111barrassn1enthy leading him into ~nother ex~ perirnenr~ the production of a liquid to ~1preservc ships'.'bottoms from the wormp (Hay\.vard 1 II, 2 5). Thrale~ ,vith the help of some gov- ernment money, had erected thirty enor1nous vats in East Smith- field to make this stuff- a second disaster. Thralc could not seem to comprehend \\-·hnt hi1d happened to hin1. In a S()rt of daze, h c turned to Johnson and his wif c, neither of \V ho1n had ever heen concerned Vli th the business. TI1ey - and Perk.ins - proceeded to take over the rnanagc111cntof the brct.very, and the first matter in hand \Vas to find credit for new brevling. This Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 1~he Thrales of Streatham Park 1 75 \Vas not easy even in good ti n1es, hut no,v it ,vas virtually in1p ossib Ie, for the fsilure in June 17i i of the Fordyce banking house &o in Lon- don had ere atcd a financial panic, h usincss aft cr busi nes.s had col- 1apse t.l, and connn crcc was presently at a stand still. ~rhe second problc1n ,vas the near n1utiny of the men at the Lre,very. Johns(.111insisted that 1\trs~ Thrale talk authoritatively to all the clerksi ,v ho ,vere ~~resolvcd to depart." She spoke \vell, and they responded as Johnson hoped they ,vould. 1"hcy 1 'declared they would not live r-~ith)\,tr 1"hrale, but they \Vould do any tbing for me; only says They l\-ladan1 get rid of that Fiend! I Jackson] he ,vill entirely ruin your ,vholc Family ebe~ I did so, and \Ve soon beg-an to understand each r \v 111 other. 1\-·ione ...v \vas raise able to horro,v £6,000 fron1 2\-lr+ [tush, a friend of his fa thcr's; and £5,000 fr(lnl Lady Lade (l\--lrs.Thrale could not help here~ as she had not spoken to her sister-in-la\v in over t,vo years - Letterf 29+A). But ~\.1rs.1"hrale gained help fron1 another quarter. Though she \vas llO\V in the sixth n1onth of pregnancy~ she drove to Brighton and b eggc d i 6.,uoo fro tn r he fa n1i l y friend, (:har 1es S erase. John Pc r kins, the chief clerk, ~H-i1niredthis action so rrnH:h that he never stopped re- peating ~\-irs.ThralcJs ~'short .letter to our ma.~rer, \vhich only said, ~1 ha vc done n1y errand, and you soon sha11see returned, -v:hole, as I hope - your heavy but faithful n1essenger, H.L.""r~'" (Hay,vard, II, 2 7). These four loans made it possible to keep the bre\very in opera- tion, though there \Vere still debts overhanging of £1 30,ooo. 3l This frightening financia 1 crisis affected Thral e's hea] th and al- tered his \V h ()le pcrso nali ty. He \Vas never again the carefree, high- spiri ted, Iig ht-he arred f cllo w \v h om [I est er SaI us bury had married. He became \Vithdra\vn and tnorose, and began to Sl1ff cr from that 4'horrihle Stupor "=-hich at last quench'd entirely the Spark of Life • • • n ( T hraJianaJ p. 8o 5) . aii Ak xan de r Ford y cc, hca rise in India stocks j n I 76; t but "' irh the Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) H ar1..wrdLibrary R-ul le tin In Scptcn1her an1 i Sept: 1772. Penelope T hr ale /v)al/ born - li·v)d but 1 o hours, looked black & could not breathe freely - poor little i-1.rlaid!our: can-not grie·(.,- 1e after her much, and / h«7)ejust JlOV.) other things to think or-- this has been a sad !..:yini !-n: rny J.Jotber dying - & ei 1ery thing going -w-rong i,v· ell/ as old T O'i~:nsendsays God mend all.' Ji Penelope ,vas a blue baby because of her difficulty in breath1ng, caused perhaps hy an ohsrruction~ but n1orc likely· by congenital heart disease or nlalfunction of the lungs...... l~hc bahy~s chanc.:eshad been greatly hazarded before its birth~ for l'vlrs.Thral c h a,l hardly recovered f ron1 her painful labor \Vith the big baby·, Sophyi before she c.:onctived again. She ,vas weak through- out the pregnancy, and under great cn1orional an 6: Octr 1772. J.,,uty ir nori.cthree Years & a Quarter old; She begins to recrd sonze particular F'sal11H,& t !Jree not -t~ery easy Epistles: She 7 rays the Catechism to tbr Sacrarnents)· the 7 days of tbe TJeeA1 , 1.2 Jlonths of tbe Y car, 1:; and threes of the {t1wltiplication Table, tbe Aliquot Part~~both of a Pound & a Shilling; & knoii)S the different Coyns at Si~ht.~ Sbe tells the four Points of the Con1pass,thr 4 Qu:'~ of the Tl'orld, & the capital Citiesall O'i.--'er Europe, -u:hicbSbe kno-1;...-·s 1 very V)ell on a JJap & Globe~ ber Ear runs rv)orse& r,~~)orser From this reference to a running in only one ear~ ont rnight -assurne that the infection in the other had subsided. .Even if this ·\\=-eresoJ I ..ucy's condition continued to be \Vorrisomc all S11n1n1cr,and that of 1\lrs. Sa1ushury even more disturbing, as her strength lessened and the pa~n increased. 1\.-Irs.Thrnlc \Vas able to stay ,vith her mother most of the tin1e,hut Tuesdays she set aside for business at the brc,very. Thra]c ,vas becon1ing active again, and though this marked an en- c oura gin g itnprov em cnt in his h cal th, it also presen te a:i Old To"'l,.\·n~cndwas Thrale,s chief brewer. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) I "":', ....I i ' Perkinst ,vho had been in a position of trust at the brc\,..~cr~rfor over ten years. They found hin1 loyal nnd sound of j udgrncnt - ~u1exccl- lenr n1anagcr. f n turn, Perkins had the highest regard for th cn1 borh1 but he no 1onger h;1d con fidcncc in his n1~1ster and 111a.dedecisions i ,vith out consulting...... hin1. l~hra le, annove ,vns a good little c;irl and rnin 1 8: Ocf. 1772. I ran a Race 7..l)ithHarry but could not beat him., neither could he beat me~-Queeney, u·ho could .-u;itbEase b(J·Ve dis- Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 178 I-Iar-t 1ard Library Bulleti-n J tanced us both, looked on to see fair Play - Harry i.r near six Year old noii:.,,;& I near 32. but my Lying In is but just 0 1ver, so 1 111aynot hm.-·eall my Strength:'!& During her 1y ing-in, and the p rcgnan cy b cf ore it 1 i\.1rs. Th r,alc had ,vorricd about another problen1 besides the bre,vcry 1 and that \Vas ,vhat should he done \\-"1thher n1orher's Dean Street house~ for 7\,lrs. Salusbury \vas no longer capable of running it. Thralc's brother-in- Ja,v, Al 9. Dec: 1772a J~ucy's l~ar & fl ead [!,ets·very had indeed; tbe lnfictm111ationis very ([~iolent,& e·veu rxffensi~.,1e do aU ~e can to keep it srr.veet& clean. /vly Jllvther says it should be dried up, f"or it il· really au odious thing for a beautiful Girl _/Ji ke ../ this to be torniented v.)ith, & 'JU.Yu.:none of the 1.\!urseryAtaids will sleep in the !«.me Bed. - as l~ucy 5ays berself- ,~H 7 e n1ust go to I'inkJtan.'' Lucy is very saucy, but ,wonderfully tn11iable;J ant indeed accused of a partial Fondness to~wardsher~ but She is so loirely one cannot resist her coaxing - Queeney ne·i-1 er ,..~ould he fondled,, nor delight in anJ (~aressesI could gi-r..,·eher 1 - She bas a I leart v:holly impenetrable to Affection as it sbould seem, & Lucy is Joftness & kindness itself. hut 1 hm)e of late fancied Queeney did lo•ve her Brotbe-r -1 am s11re'tis a Siffll nobody can help loir..-·inghim it She dnes. l"'he menrion of qLucy's F.a.r & Head'~ suggests that both the ear and the 1nastoid \vere no,v discharging foul-smelling pus, caused by the invasion of secondary bactcri a. ;i:-; The passage: follo ...,.·ing this in tht ft'a-ntil:,· Rook is dated -~15: Feb: J 773.t' It is printed in its pro per chronological p] ac-e:t f o! lo,ving the entry for . i 9. Dec~ 1 772.'"' ij~ i\-lrs. Salu~bury~:s hou~e "vas No. 14 Dean Stn~..:t, ~tartdJng until 1905.. °'iVhcn it was den101ished; see Surl.}ey of Lrnidont XXXlll, T!Jc l!arish of St. Anne Soho (The Athlone Press, ·cni vcrsity of London, 1966) i pp. r JOi 13-3-1 34. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thrales of Streatha1n Part.1 I 79 Two davs after this entrv. \va.s 1nade, Johnson returned ro London. This n1eanr 1nuch to the 'T.. hrales, for they needed his help and com- fort, in business and at hon1e; hut ironicallv, he: was not able to ~-give either. The curse of old age and its ailments - gout, cough, and fever~ laid him lu\v + Out of kin Birmingham (l ..etters 29 r). •• I therefore entreat, that you ,vill state it very particularly, "\VJththe patient\ age, the n1anner of taking mercury, the quantity taken, and all that you told or ornitted to tell me~ this request I must add another that you ''"·ill ,vrite as soon -ro ,., as you can. (To be continued) Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) CONTRI13UTORS rro ·THIS ISSUE Ro1>xt~Y(i. D1t:.r-,;:r.;1)-,Cunuor of ~-lanuscripts in the HarvJrd College Library~ is the author of severru articles, i t1cluding qFricdrich (~ottlidl K lopstock and John Flaxman,, Jn the Ja.nuary 196H H Allv ARn Lllu{A.R y HcLLETlX. J\1ARY HYu1,: is nn author and collector. Pliryu.,.rhingfor Elizabethansi , 600 ·· 160 J, pu blishc C. P. !\.-lACGREGOR has \Vrittc-n a Carnhri of (:hrist~ Chnstopher Srna.rt's l uhilate A,g:no~its structure~ logic-1 and place jn th.e devel op111ent of hi~ \V< )rk .ii Do JI,;A c.n S-ro;'o.;r, JR.,Prof cssor of R 01 n ance Lan gnages :and Li tcra turcs at Har- ,··ar DAVID ll. \_..IE.TH is Professor nf Eng]ish at Southern Illin(,is L ni versit~t; the -~{aJ e Uni versi \y· P rcss publish c d his A ttri h1uion trt Re}.t orat) on Poetry (_1 96 3) and his edition of The Contplete- Po.erns oj' Jvl:rn J..if'ihnot, E,1rl of Rocbeiter ( 1968)., and his articles include :1 nurr1l.-er of cootrjbudo11S to the Papers <}f the Bib liographical Society of A •n ed ca. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976)