The Thrales of Streatham Park, I. Hester Lynch Salusbury and Henry Thrale
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Citation Hyde, Mary. 1976. The Thrales of Streatham Park, I. Hester Lynch Salusbury and Henry Thrale. Harvard Library Bulletin XXIV (2), April 1976: 130-144.
Citable link https://nrs.harvard.edu/URN-3:HUL.INSTREPOS:37364300
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 I. HESl~Ell LY~CH Si\l~LTSBCllY J.\;\D HENRY THlZALE
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In ()ctohcr t 763., three years before the journal began, Hester Lynch Salusbury, an attraclivc young ,von1an of rwenty-t~.vu, \l'as
given in 1narriagc L_vher uncle, Sir Thomas Salusbury 1 to Henry Thralc., n1orc than ten years her senior~ an Oxford rnan, h~ndsome.,
\vorldlv-. 1 and rich, o,vncr of the 1 'hrale Bre,vtrv in Southwark and the ad Joining rt:sjdcncc; o,vncr of a pack of fox hounds and a hunting box near (~roydon; o,vncr of Cro\vn1arsh ~atde, a far1n in Oxfordshire; and o\vner of Strcatha1n Park, a country house and property of nearly
a hundred acres in Surrcv,~· ahont six n1ilcs f ron1 I.... ondon. Sir Tl101nas S::11usbury,a judge of the i\.dmiralty Court, and a Ilert- fordshire country squire~ had been fnrtheri't1g the n1atch for son1etin1e. Ile had n1ct IIcnr\·. Thrale in l.~ondon and later had hunted with him . I-le found Thralc an exceedingly personable and agretahle n1an and he \Vished to introduce hin1 to his niece - \vhen the time V/rtsright,. \Vhcn things ,vould 1lc pleasant at his h()Use and there vlould be no chance of a. disagreeable sc~ne. Hester Salushury? ,virh her 1nother and f athcr, had been visiting Sir Tho lll as at (}ffic..v Pia cc, near St. ~i\lbans, all su n1 n1cr. Indeed, for the last four year~, since the death of Sir Tho111as',·vifc, Anna !Vlaria, these relations had been ,vith him rnost of the time. At first, life had been agreeable enough for the three adults, who \vere in their fi.ftics~ and for llcstcr:i in her late teens, the only child of the John Salusburys,
a young lady \Vhon1 everyone in the Offiey area treated '-Vithrespcct 1 for they prcsun1td that one d3y ~he ~,ould inherit the property. Hester "\Vas pre rt y vivacious, and S\V cc t-tem pere d; also, be cause her mother had spent so 1nuch ti1nc tutoring her, she ,vas a near prodigy~ i\-lrs. Salusbury, ap~rt fro1n being a devoted and don1inating mother, was a forceful and attractive V? oJnan in her {J,vn right. She srill had a trim 6 gnre~ ,vas extrernel y handsome and polished,. charming and ,v .itty. .A.ndthough sh c had no f ondncss for Sir l"hon1as,. sh c was sc1 f- disci plinc d enough to mind her rnanncrs and 11ppcar cheerful. Sir
Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thraler of Streatham Pnrk 1 3 r ..fhornas :;e~rned to be contented enough. He ,vas a 1azy, good-na- tured man., \v·ith sin1p1e tastes. John Salushury ,va~ the and she hi111). He an.rued..... incessantly- ,vich his brother, a -year his junior. He harped on Toni'~ lack of appreciation for his early sacri- fices~ Tl1ey had g()nC t() - r[ rinit_v 1-1~111- together~ ~u1d af tcr John had stayed the usual tin1c 'f'o111 had rcrnaincd (at his brother's expense) for eleven years! Even after the plodder had fi- nally received his la\\/ degree~ John continued to support hin1 at l)oc- cors' (~on1n1ons in London~ \vid1 111oncv\\· hich he needed nlorc than ever hi1nself~ for by thtn he had rnarried hi~ coustn, Hester ~-laria Cotton (ar Sc Paurs Catht' 1 Hester Lynch Salu!Sh1.1.rywas born on i7 January I 741. Her grandmother., the f o rn1e r La.d y Corron, ~'"as r llc daug lucr of Sir Thuuta::;. Lyn ch, who ha Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) I 31 H~·rrvardLihrilry Bulletin o nd n a1nc honored !\lrs T Sa Ius bury' s 111other, Phil ad clphia Lyn ch, th c for1ner Lady Cotton, hut though Hester's grand1nother \vas plea~ed by the gesture, she offered no hoped-for assistance, and none can1e {ron1 anv.. other source . After eight years John Sainsbury \Vas forced to abandon his ,vife and little daughter and go to ~ova Scotia in a desperate atten1pt to io1prove his fortune. 1--hisexcursion, as ,vell as a second to ~ova Scotia., ,vas a disrnal failure, despite John~s i1nportant conunission and his cl osc f ricnd ship \Vi th the col (ln izer Lord Hali f i-x. 2. ~o,v, in 1 i6i., John's privations were long ~ince pa~t, but he "'~as still complaining about the hardships and unhappiness he had suffered. Over and over Sir Thornas adn1irred that he ""ras grarcfn'1 dccpiy grateful, for support in year~ gone by, but in his O"\Vll defense, he insisted that he had done everything in his po\vcr to repay his brother - after he had succeeded Sir Henry-Penrice as an ...~dtniralty judge., obtained a tide, and n1arricd Sir Harry's daughter, ...~111111 i\1aria. 1-fc had begged money from his heiress \vifc to pay off the 1nortgage on John's "\:\lebd1propcny, and had also hcggcd n1oncy fro1n Anna i\laria to provide his brot h~r \Vith a fine sn1al1 house in London'.' in Dean Street. 'Inns, Ton1 said~his debt \\:rasrcp Salusburv and Anna Maria, and months at East H rvdc Vlith ~:!rs. Sal- usbury's mother, and they had also passed months in the houses of I\-1rs. Salusbury's brother~ Sir Robert Cotton- Lle\.venny in l?lint~ Lynch 1noney she had huil t lnd now Jiv t; d in a lovcl y house,. HEasc I-Jydc/~ a f tw miJes distant from Offiev Place. This house,. no,v cal1ed uThe H1i-Tde,.•'still looks verv moch as it did in the T T eighteen th c eru:ury. 1.'he property belongs ( 197 5 ) tn .!\·1r. and .\-1rs. D-a.vid Ham bro. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thrales of Streatbam Park I 3 3 sh ire1 Com h crtnerc .Lt\bb cy in (~hcs hire~ and th c Lon .!,! .All tht.::sc.:.hous.cs. s.tiH exist, and the :first n•vo c:mnc into the later storv. Sir Rob crt' s Albctna rlc Street house, b ttwccn Sm ff o rd St. and (}raf ton St. on the £3.st side, is now number 1 5, a pla.ce of uusjness. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 1 34 rl1.1rlHlrd Library ll11lletin Over r he last f e \.V y cars, a n un1her of suitors had n1 ade their appear~ ancc, but "\Vhcnever a rnan ..:h \Vasoff crcd1 or proposal even 111tnrjoned1 Hester's fat her had thro\vn hin1sclf into a violent passion and tnrntd the fcllo\v out. John Salusbury scenled to hope secretly that hi~ daughter \-vould never marry+ l"his tin1e Sir Thon1as \:Vasnot going to take chances \vith hi" candidate, and he v:aired for the proper 1110- Jncnt of introduction. It came ,vhcn he and his brother had 1nade a journey through 1,lales ,vith Lord Halifa.,-x~on hi~ ,vay to assume the l .ord-I .ieutcnancy of Ireland. ~..\fterthe Earl h~ldleft thenl~ John Salus- bury stJy-cd In rh e \Tale of f:hvyd to discuss property prob 1cn1s Vi-'1th Ed,vard Bridge~ his agent. Thon1as, ho\vcvcr, hastened back to Of- Bev'I and there~ as soon as he \Vas a1onc ,vi rh ?\-'lrs~Salushurv and FIester, T • he delivered a paean of praise on the suh1ccr of someone called Henr:.- 1 ..hralc: + •• \Vh'.lt an t:xcdlent, \\•·hat an inco111parableyoung i\·l~n ... [he] "\v.asin short a \lodel of Perfection: end, ng his Panegyric by saying that he ,~·as a real Sportsman. Seeing 1nc dis posed to hug h~ he looked very grave) said he ex pcct cJ us to Jike h1m... - & that - scriou.~1v. l'hc next Dar· J\-1r.· fhralc follo,v' d his Eulogist ... (Fcllo\vcs~ p. 18) Thralc can1c to Offlcv \vith his aunt~ Anne ~fhrale Smith~ of St. r " Albans, an ordinary and talkative person~ Hester rhought, though good hu1norcd. I-lester ,vas amused by the deference l~hra1e sho\ved his aunt, and hy the great courtesy he sho\\rcd her n1orher, ,vho, it Yvasquire ohvions, liked rhe visitor. Thralc ,vas tall and gcnden1anly in appcJrancc, ,virh an agree~l)le C()untcnancc, steady_.eyes of the deep- est blue, and very elegant hand~+ He ,vas exceedingly ,vcll-n,anncred, though shy a.nd reserved; hc.)\vevcr~,vhen he ,vas dn.1,vn out, his per- sonality \Vas delightful~ totally unaffected and good hun1ored. He "•as intelligent and thoughrfuL 1\..Jrs.Salusbury~ \vho drank no ,vine or spirits h crself., noted his n1 odera ti (ln \Vi th approval. Thr ale., s con- vers:uio n ,vas f rec of oaths~ r iha Idry., and prof -anit y; and he attended church ..virhout urging. He was a sound~ sensible person. Though I-Ienry Thra.lc devoted n1uch attention to her 1nother~ he tonk less notice of Hester ''th~n anv other ~fan I had ever seen con1c to the House ahnost'' (Thr(f/iana, p. 3o 1). H·e conversed \V ith J\-"lrs~ Salusb u ry, admired Sir Th( )rr1as) horses and hounds, and enthralled rhc neighborhood by telling everyone that his father, the rich brc,vcr, Ra 1p h lnrale 1 hj d con1c fr 0111 these parts; in fa ct the family cottage Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) The Thrales of Streatbaut Park ,vas located on the property~ a sn1al1building no,v used as a dog kennel~ 1toung Thrale spoke \Vith affection nnd reverence of hi~ father (\vho had died jn , 7 58), and de]ightcd i\·lrs. Salnsb ury b? ~~givingfive Shil- Jings to a \:v-hitcheaded Lad \Vho \Vas lying on a Bank,. hcc~usc he cou]d conceive his F"athcr to have been snch a. Boy he $aid'' ( T)Jr'-11iana.. p .. 2 99). Thralc's connections \Vere n-ot entirely h un11lle. His great-uncle~ Ed n1 und I] a lscy 1 the seventeen t h-ce n rur y O\V 11c r of th c Son tl 1\\..-ark bre\vcr_f, had had an only· child, a daughter~ \\•·ho n1arricd \-~iscount Cohham of StO'\ve, \vho laid out the gardens there. It ,vas nor fitting for a peer to be in trade! and so 1-la]sey hi1.dgone bac:k to Sc ...i\lbans to seek out his nephe\.v \V h(), he had h t'ard, ,vas a p.ron1ising, lcve1- headed young man. Ilalscy found that llalph Thra]c lived up to all reports; he ,vas ahJc, had an easJTand pleasant manner, and for good n1eusurc ,vas exceedingly handson1c. Halsey o±Icred h.itn c1nployn1-ent in the bre~;vcry, and Ralph accepted the off er \Vithout hesitation+ He rcn1ovcd to South \vark, settled there, ,vorked l1ard, and prospered, though he fell out \Vith his uncle by n1arrying i~a "'\.\,.cnchthat Hnlscy Vlantcd to have for his own Pleasure'' 3 ( T hraliana, p. 3oo) I Ialsey considered hin1self ~on,erhing of an old bcaur De.spite this humiliation, Halsey sllo\v cd Ralph Thralc ro ren1ain at the bre,vcry he had become indispensable. Upon Halsey's death, ~,ith so1nc accun1ulation of capital, and "\.V1ththe po,vcr of borro\ving, Ralph Thralc ,vas able to purchase rhe bre,very- and in subsequent ~FCars he grc\v rich through it . .t i\-1:1 ry Th rale 's unn1ar rj ed .surna 1nc is riot kn ov,n but a. ~"'tudy has b c r n 111}1dc of Ralph Tllrale's coffin plate Ly the College of A rrrn~.:.Its ~·Gu] ts 5 mullets of 6 point~ 0 r bct\vcen i ff a unc hes ch ecky argent and sa h 1c ,, ,r;;uggcst that her last name 1nay ha. v-e been J)ab b •11 s,. Do bbin.s, or Dobb 1ns on. An intc rc;i:;.tin g project for further re- s-earch. Ra~ph Thrak and his d~sct~ndants~ 3ncidental1y1 had no rigln to use ann~ out they did !=;O.Thc:i r long line of Hertfordshire yecm1:an f arn1 tr~ v.'aS not 1l-pp.1rend y re- I ated ro the ar1nigcrous '"Threeles" of Sussex (,vhose pedigree v.'as the- subject of Herald ·dsitation~ in 1 (.34 ~ncl r 662). But rhe.se \Vere rhe an11s they assunH:d. Recently, the 111:Hter has. h ccn ~=orn:cted; on 4 April IQ i 2 arn1:; ,ve r c gr:u1tc d to the de.scendann of R::-tlph\; kinsm•J.n, F.rni::~t :Sorman Thrale of ,v·he:ach::11npstc:1d ( 866-~ 909). These arn1s. resetnb]e tho~c of the HTnredcst but there are several ditf crcnccs, Jn c Iu ding the ad dj tion of [WO tuns ( h a.rn: Lr;;), one on. cjt1ier side of the oak trc t. in the c::rcs.t. Ric hard Th ra le of St. ._.:\]bans, a grandson of Ernest on nan~ i~ th c fa rr1 il y gc- nea] o gist and b::lS published A ~le~ 1 Tl:wali.ma~ a Chronicle of tbc Thrale Fffltily of H e-rtford shire, Fa 1coner Press, St. ~.\lbans, I 9 7 3. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 136 Harvard Library Bulletin He carefully maintained his fan1ily ties ;,vith the Cobham~, ~ven arranging for l\/illiarn Henry Lyrrel ton, a Cobhan1 relation four years older than his son. to acr as a sort of tutor for hin1 on a Grand Tour of the (~ontinent. 1"'his \vas after I-lcnry lcf t (Jxf ord/ and his f athcr., it \v:1s said, paid jll of Lyttelton's expenses for he \-\·as eager that his son should av a.il hit n self of his ar ist ocra tic conn cc ti o ns and tnake a place for hin1sclf in the \vor ld. visit \Vas brief 1-Ienrv... ..-fhr,ale'sfirst and onlv•· to Offiev•· Park and decisive. Sir ~fh rcrc~tcd in a rnarch ,:virh Hesrer 1 and hoth Sir 'fhotna..s and her n1other ,vere i 'mad') for it) Sir Thorn as saying · ~he sa"\v no young F ell()\Vupon the plan of that young Fclh)\V/' and :'\.-Irs.Sal ushury saying ,c this v..-·as the ~\.tan for lhcr daughter J to rt1.i1rry, the only man She had ever 1 said so of . . ' ( Tb ralian a, p . 3oo) . Htster \Vas not anracted to · rhrale and \i...-·as ~ure her father., \Vho had ''so le Rjght to dispose of [her}~, ( T hr,1li.-u1..1.p. 3 o 3), \Vould never tolerate hin1+ "\\then John S:1lusbury rerurned frotn v\rales, the ex- pected explosion occurred: they had brought in hehind his back a n1an 1 of unspeakably lo\V birth and fla~hy dress and ...fashionable ~:Ianners too. \Vcaring 1'hismistress, Polly] Hart's Portrait ontsidc his Snuffbox; 1 boasting 9f (;alt1ntrie ) ( Con,va y., 1., 2) . His daughter \vonld not be sold 1 Lfor a Barrel of Poner'i ( J"h-raliJna.,p. 302) to a 'A·horing fop, \vho \vould give her the pox. There \Vere scenes of grc•Jt acri1nony ,vith John Salushury perpetually shouting that ''if the Child docs n1arry that Puppy, I know hc}ll be a Bankrupt1' (Tbraliana.,pT 804) T In a furious temper, John Sainsbury gathered up his \vifc and daughter and took th cn1 back to London. to his house in Dean Street. This was an inlpetuous~ irrcvocab)c, foolhardy decision - only Hes- ter \V ould ever sec Offie v Place ::ic:ain.._. and she \Vonld sec it but once. Back in the Dean Street house, i\lrs. Salusbury)'s opjnion of Thra]c \vas not changed by her husband\ diatribes. She had experienced the bitter hardships of poverty, and she ,vished her daughter to escape the 111.H c nry T hra]e, sh-e n 1a intaine d, ,v as a fine, courteous 1nan and he had a great deal to offer. Ilis lack of birth \Vas compensated for 4, A cc( 1 rclin g to the Huttery Boo ks of their respective col 1c ge~ L yttdton cntcrt d St. _'\·1aryHall ,vhen h~ v>'a~ eightct:"rt (Jun~ 17. .p) and he remained there until Jan- ua:ry 1 744· In June 1744, Thrak aTrlY<:dat University College, aged fifteen. He stayed until Dct;c1nbcr t 745. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) ]'he 1'hra[es of Streatham Park 1 37 by his \Vcalth; and as for his bachelor life, this period ,:ras about to be over. I-Ie \V(ls a basic(1lly scrious-n1indcd person, cager to set de do\vn to a conventional fa1nil_vlife+ John Salusbury 3grecd in no point and continued to rage. Hester dfrl not concern herself 1nuch \vith the bartle. She \\-'"as111orc interested in studyjng l .arin \vith her tutor., Dr. ~i\rth ur ( ollier. This short-sigh tcd, crn dit c Oxford 111an a sent irncn t al b ac helor in his fifties, \V as a fr i cnd of Sir --rh01 n ::isS :11 us burr, a f c 11o,v adv oca t c. He enjo:--·cdreaching the Clas~ics t)n the side and had tutored Hester on his fre(1uent visits to Offiey Place. Nov1r.. he sa\v her in London~ and rnixed ,vith the par~ing of I ~arjn ,vtlS tJlk of Henry ~fhrale. Col- lier \\'"asnot cnthu~i~stic about the n1atch._but he ~oon ~cnsc •.. .:.~l'.\1' ote came sent in a sly ~-1anne1Tfrom Dr. Ol11ier to tell n1e - ( it "-''1S \,-Titten jn Latin) that Sir Tho1nas \voulJ ccrtainl v 1uart\· }f~:= King· the Sunc.hnt - - ..... I' follo\•Ving-- and bcg 1d I \vould not ~ay a Syll~ble till the next Oa;T, \vhen he , 1... ou ld con1e, & brca k the he dt d nor 1ike: an Accusation £o llO\\·' t r..Ur. Crane: tut{}r to the family of Lord Halff::1xand a dost friend c>f John Salus• burv. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) Har-vard Library Bulletin 3. The sudden death of John Salusburv \vas a shattering blo~_.ro his T wife and daughter, and even Sir Thon1as Vt~asgrief stricken~ He at once promised his niece a marriage bond of f 1 0,000, and he promised a yearly allo\vance to 1\-1rs.Salushury of f i.oo. These eighreenth-cen- tury figures should be 1nultiplied by t\venty to giv~ an idea of pr-esent value~ that is to say in the 196os~before escalating inflation. Time passed, ho,vcver, and Sir Thomas did nothing. Dr. Collier continued to press for Hester's n1arriage bond, even preparing a suit- able draft. Sir Tho rr1asscorned CoHier' s effort, and ~-irs. Salus b urv.. stopped Hester's lessons and f orb-ade her to have any further corres- pondence ,~_..irhher tutor ( over 2 oo letters had heen exchanged during the year). Collier n1eant a great deal to Hester 1 he was her 1nentor, guide, and dearest fritnd~ But ~hewas ahvays ohec.lientto her rnother, and she did as she was to1d. On 28 June 1763 Henry Thra1e ,vrotc a note to ~--irs. Saiusbury and Hester j()intly, saying that he \l·ishcd to meet with them and discuss a ''very interesting subject.,,. At the appointed ti1ne1 he saw the t~·o ladies and asked for the hand of I-Jester.... .\.fter a conventional pause,. her affinna.ti v c ans\vcr \Vas ~iv en vli th filial do cilitV. Hester Salus- bury promised herself to Henry Thra.l e ,vith out ever having been alone \vith hin1 for five 1ninutcs ( 1"hraliana,p. 69 2) . Hester ,,·rote to Si dnev.. Arab ell a Cotton, one of her maiden aunts in Bath, te 11ing of the enga gen1en t. Her decision 1Nasbased,. she said~ not '' on P ass1on. l )Ut on R. eason1'' ,v h.1c h gave h er '' some R'1g h t to ex- pect some Happiness.,, Thralc's regard for her mother~ she believed, ,vas ~'no small proof of his Understanding- nor ought lightly to be este~m' d by me. l sotneho,v can add no rnore '' (Ry lands 5 3 3 1). Sir Thomas and I-Ienry Thralc v?crc soon discussing the marriage contract, and in contrast to the bumbling atte111ptsof Dr. Collier, negotiations "\Vere now business-like and easy. Hcst er, s marriage bond for£ 10,000 \Vas draVvTnup on 9 and 1o October 1763,.and on 11 Octo- ber, Hester Lvnch Salusburv and Henry Thrale \Vere n1arricd at ,I St~ ..Anne's Church~ Soho,~ close to the house in Dean Street. After e St, Ann.eis., Soho., was born bed during World War Tl K ow~ only the bd] to'-ver re ma.ins; the ch urc.h yard is a park. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) Tbe Tbrales of"Streathan1 Park 1 39 the nuptials, ~\--lrsrSalushury and Sir Thon1as 111adcthe six-n1ilc jour- ney ,vith the bride and groo1n to their country house. It \Vas the first rinie Hester - no\v i\:Jrs.Thralc - had ever set foot in Strcathan1 Park. l"his property \Vas on pirt of l'ooting Con1rr1011~ and =-iccording to rumor had been leased by the I)ukc of B-cdford on long term ro Ralph Thralc in exchange for a constant supply of ale and porter at \.\.;obLu·n.!..\.bbcy1 his Bedfordshire seat (C:lifTord1p. 34). The Streath:un Park residence \Vas not an in1prc~~1vegreat house but a good~ substantial d"\.vclling,and 1\lrs. 1·11ralc \~?as satisncd v,.·ith \.·vhar she sa,v. Sir Tho1n::1sstayed the night~ and ncxr day~ in tears~ she bade her uncle farc,vcll. ~-lrs. Salusbury, also present, ,vas not sin1ilarly n1ovcd; she ,vas delighted to see Sir Thon1:1s go¥ She had gro"\vn very tired of being tactful~ and ,vas thoroughly out of sy111- pathy \Vith his continuing inf atuarion for tl1e \vido\v KingL She \vas glad ro have the nt\\-~ly\veds to herself and to be free of S1r Thon1as. She staved~· on ,vith the Thralcs - in fact, for the rest of her lif c she \Vas to be at Strcatha111 \Vhenevcr the,_..... \Vere there~ 4· The hours p a.ssed qu ietl y at Str eathan1 Park. H e,~ter rca d to her mother in the 1non1ing, played backgan1mon \vith her in the afrer- noon, and worked carpets \vith her in the evening. NJr ThraJe professld his Aversion ro a ?\·eighbourhood. in ,;,.vr.h n1y :\,fothcr perfectly :1greed. \Vith him"!'so \\-'e visited nohody; he somt:cimes brought a Friend fro1n Loudon ... Ilis Sisters each c:.une once in a fonna] \\•'ay, n•.Y;\ --fotbcr ch1rged n1e n<)t t() be free or intimate \\'1th 'em .. & none of thein pleased me enough to tnakc me ,.,.1.:,ishto hrcak her l nj unction. i\.1ean Time my Hus band v,:ent every day to London & rerurned either to d1nner or ·r ca~ said he always found t\VO agrcablc \Vorncn ready to receive him) & thus ,ve lived on Ten11s ()f great Civility & Poli ten ess, if not of strong 1\l liance and (~onn ccti on. J\-Iiss Hetty· Cotton the youngest of Sir Lynch's Daughters too u:scd to he much ...vith 1ne, 1\-fr T hra] e grew passionately fond of her, so fond 1n dee ci that I ,v~ s not 1uuch pleased with th~ partiality ... ( Tb,-aliatM, pp. 306 -307) I-Ietty Cott on, a pre tty cous1nt still in her teens~ \Vas the first of sever al young \V om en, re] ati ons or fricn ds~ ,v hon1 !\-irs. Thra] e, in thjs case abetted hy her n1othcr., introduced into the fan1ily circle and urged to rcn1ain for long periods of time. \\lhen Thralc Js cour- teous treatment of such a ]adv turned into \Vhat Ilester believed \Vas r " Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) H ar"v,ardr ibrary Hulleiin too .strong a regard, hc r rca ct ion \Vas ahvs ys pique against others; she never thoughr of h 1an1 i ng hersc lf for having brought ab()ut the situation in the :first place. LTsually her con1plaint \vas fanciful, and in this in- stance undouhtc n1othcr told her to think_ ~..\.i1dshe I1ny :\-Iother J \voukl be out of humonr & cry for who le l)ays L •• as She "\\•a\ the only Cn~uture that l sa\V~ & if She ,vas not in Spirits, \vhat a Life I nnlst lead! .,., r Thr~ le \V.4S in his Cou n.ting liousc aU ~--turning, at Carlisk Hous~ • pt::rh:1p\.. or the (}per.a, or some pubiic Pbce a11Evening 1 and if I did not keep 111y i\·1other 111 good hun1our ,vhat Ch:~nce had I for Co1nfon? ( ]'hri1liana,pp. 307-308) By January Ii64~ alterations in the ' 1 To\vn house" ,vcrc con1- plctcd~ and~ rhralc could no\v avo1d the long~ dark ride f rorn Srrc'1th'"u11. ~.l\.ccordingly he and his \vifc n1ovcd to J)cadn1an ~s Place~ off l)irty J _.anc,in South \Vark. ( l\1 oxious and odcrifer()U~ trade~ ,\-·ere confined to the south bank of the Than1cs.) i\-lrsr Thralc had not been con- sulted about the alterations ... and no\v sa\v her citv,, residence for rhe first tin1c~a bleak, four-storcycd, stone building~ the Thralc counting office ,v-Js attached'.) ,vith _roo1ns above. The house stood at the cn- tnu1cc gate to th~ cobbl~stun~u bte\v )laI i Carli.;;ie HoLht:~ Soho Stl uan_•_Froni r 76l to l i7"1, b~l]s~ rnas(1uerade5,, and other ple as-uri~~s'-:vcr-c pro\~ j dcd at thi~ fas] liema bl c.:: place of c-ntcn-ain men t 1 under the Ji rcc- ti on of the notorious !\-1T;!:..Corndv~. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) T /Je T !Jrales of Streatb:r,n Park a hundred horses, dung pits~ and so on. It \vas a nine-acre co1npound; part of the property had once been a Quaker n1ceting-honse and burying ground~ and on another p:1.rrSh~kespcarc\ C~lohe· L"'hcatrehad once s[ood. \.-\·..hen the Thralcs n1ovcd to South,vark, A--lrs..Sainsbury YVithdrc-Yv to her quiet, airy, little house on Dean Street. I\-iothcr and daughter \\·'ere no\v scpan1ted h.Y several 1niles, but this did not 111eanthe~· sa\\_. 1nuch ltss of each other; one of 'l'hr~le\; t\vo coaches \Vas al\vay.. s at Hester\ di~posal for visits to her n1orher, and these ,verc dai I)-', f rorn t\velvc to fivt~ B}Tthe spring of Ii 64 it "\Vasapparent rhat Hester \Vas pregnant. ~l'hrale ,v:1.sdelighted+ His \v1fc had been an only child, ,vhich is often a danger sign::il, and she recorded the fact hers-elf~that i'A-·F ThraJc had son1cho,v a :~~ \\l" ayt \Vhich. n1.v i\.-Jorhcrsaid \, ..as quite right~ - & there.fore I ap- peared to think so too~~ (Tbraliaua,, p. 308). Thrnlc believed that n \vifc's place shou]d be con fined to the dra"\V- ing roon1~ bedcha1nhcr, :ind nurser_v; he hin1self supervised all the don1esric !lrrangen1enn;, 1ncludi11gthe kitchen. This ,vas not surpris- ing, for he relished food, and had Lcco1nc a fine host in his bachelor days. He \vas far 111oreexperienced in this role than eirhcr of his l~- dics, for they had spent their lives :1svisitors at relations' tables or faring ccono1nically at hon1c. .i\.-lrs.Salushury Hved alrnost ,vholly upon vegetables and \Vat er., and ,vould never touch a glass of \vine ( T hraliant1, p. 290). Her daughter~ used to follo\ving her n1othcr in e·vcrything, never hnd 1nuch interest in food. F o.r the rnorncnt, {]Uire naturally, her chief interest ,vas in her child. Qutenev ,vas, inci ==-0 ther babies ,vcrc to ha vc '-!i.:--cc-n ursc-:!i?pre 1cu red b \' her ph y sicia rl f ron~ the Lyjng-ln Hospital (Ry·hnds 590.4-18), Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) fl arvard Library Bulletin so thin in the process that a goat had to he purcha.scd1 so thar she could restore her o\vn health by drinking quantities of goat's milk. l\.Jrs. Thrale liked life in the countr.v-~the fresh air and the \~-alks,and she took over i:hc dair~r an \Va,:vs a favorite one to be fondled. She sa,v hardJy anvone hut her 1nothcr and her husband. Thcv Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 143 something else, that he ~:ras the person \.Vho ha ~--lrs.Salusbury 1 th<>ugh she kept quiet about it, despised all of Thralc's bachelor friends, and she particularly disliked I-Iu1nphrcy Jacks on. She did not trust hi 1n. I -Iester had no liking for Jackson, nor any~of the other cronies except .L.\.rthuri\lurph y nnd she \Vas right in liking hi1n, for although he had a rakish side ~-:lurphy ,vas also a serious and cultivated n1an+ He appreciated her possibilities, and he did her a great service. He introduced her to a syn1pathetic c.:om- panion and adviser other than her mother~ On 9 January I j65 T\..furphyhrought the celebrated Dr .. San1uel Johnson to dine \vith the l~hrales at Deadman,s Place. Johnson was fi.fry~five.,t\VO years younger rhan H ·cstcr's father ,vou\d have heen., a y car younger r han her uncle. · fhc great mediately... attracted to each other., and tht custorn \Vas soon estab~ lishcd that Johnson can1c every Thursday for dinner. In short order he put l\.-1rs. Thralc to \vork transl~ting odes of Bocthius. w~rn1ly ap~ plauding her talents and criticizing her faults \~.rith equal force. In a ,vay, though he ,vas a very different character, he took the place of her old mentor, Ura CollicrT And Johnson,s '-varn1 1 human qualities soon 1nade Hesttr 1"hralc feel as much at case ,vith hi1n as she was \vith her mother~ Johnson and the Thrale family \.Vere together a great deal in 176;, but during the first part of 1766 he no longer can1e retrularly to South- wark or to Streathan1~ and ~oon he did not co1ne at all. Johnson, al- Vlays prone to n1clancholy, had been in a ptrio Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XXIV, Number 2 (April 1976) 144 H ar·vardLibrary RNlletin prevail on him to quit his close hab ita ti on in the court :and come ~Tith us to Strc at han1~ ,~ihere I undertook the care of his hea1th, and had the honour and happiness of contributing to its restoration (Anecdotes"; pp. l 2 7--L 2 8) Johnson did not give up his house in Johnson's Court nor turn out the rniscrablc in111arcs,\vhon1 he supported. He ca111cback tu JAln 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)