LETTERS FROM JOHN JONES 1791-1822 Edited by Sarah Harrison PROOF COPY 1 [Transcript of original letters so the numbering relates to letter pages front and verso. The letter scan names have not been inserted but are easy to find using the date of the letter. The pencil numbering indicate that some letters are missing from the original collection. The numbering was probably done by Juxon Henry Jones who owned the letters. The footnotes need to be checked and completed.] 1 [pencil: 6] [pencil: Feb 7/91] Dear Jennefee, As I did not return to chambers, last Saturday, till near six o'clock, & consequently did not receive your letter, till then, I did not notice it in the letter I wrote to my mother from the Oxford Coffee-house. In that letter I gave an account of the very curious manner in which the late curious match has been cobbled up. I shall forbear any further remarks on the subject, for I can offer none which you have not already suggested to yourself. It will be a friendly, though, I hope, not a fruitless wish, that the parties may live very happily. I approve of the plan, of noticing this junction (for I will not call it a marriage) in the Exeter Papers, and I would have it done in this form "27th January, 1791. Married at St Pancras's in Middlesex, Philip Stowey of Kenbury in Devonshire Esqr. to Miss Ann Sheldon"1 for a longer tale than this would probably occasion more observation than is necessary for the credit of the well-adapted couple. As it stands, it will, no doubt furnish a lasting subject of conversation in your quarter, and I hope that may be the most disagreeable consequence. At my mother's resentment I am by no means surprized - and indeed, indignation is the only emotion which I feel, for I am never surprized by any follies arising from an infatuated attachment between any persons, for I believe it clearly within the reach of possibility, for a lad to fall in love with his toothless grandmama, & I hardly know whether to discredit the story of a young man's passion for his pussy. Visits & Congratulations will flow in a very shallow stream to Kenbury on this event, and the misfortune is that the channel is choaked by a certain obstacle which nothing can remove. My mother, I suppose, is now at ease with regard to the suspicions she once entertained of my partiality for Miss Ann, and the only consolation I can now offer her, is to congratulate her on the present impossibility of my perdition. Miss Radnor is "good enough for me" & she has vowed celibacy 1v You ask me what Tom Sheldon2 says on the business - destroy this letter & I'll tell you - He says nothing in direct terms, but when I begin, he always expresses himself in a ludicrous indignant, sarcastick manner. He rejoices that he was not present at the mock ceremony - I asked him, in jest, if he wd go down to the first Christening & stand Godfather - he replied that he never stood godfather to bastards - "What! not to your own nephews or nieces" - "No bastards are nephews or nieces of mine" - He complains that Mr S. behaved to him very improperly in the division of the furniture, but acquitted Miss Ann, who, he thinks, did so too, by Stowey's instigation. He does not think he will treat her well, from having observed that S. took every opportunity of teizing & tormenting her while they were together at his house. Upon the whole he treats the matter with more derision than anger & seems to think, as indeed he says - that it is no business of his - What says John Sheldon3? Pray let me know. Miss Ann (not Mrs Stowey) must not have her recollection about her when she says she left Tom in better spirits than she ever saw him, for I believe, the week before she left town he said not three words to any one. Your conjecture that there is any, the least shyness between him and me is 2 altogether as ill founded, for scarce a day has passed since I came to town, but we have been together, and as soon as I have written this letter, I shall again call upon him. A young man called Charles, who is a native of India, and of whom we have often heard Mrs Stowey & Miss Ann speak, is now at the house - If you refer to my letter, I think you will find I did not send for the hospital Sermon. Dr Jennefee yr. affetc brother J. Jones.4 Temple - Sunday Afternoon [pencil: 6th January 1791 February most likely as it is subsequent to the 27 Janry mentioned in the letter as past] The former part of my letter was written yesterday afternoon, and as there are two or three things I want to say further, I shall employ this sheet as a postscript. You will tell my father that I have not yet heard from my uncle Jones, which he gave me reason to expect. You will also tell him that if he wishes to be wigged by Ravenscroft there will be an opportunity of sending up his block with my things, and desire he will mark round the block with a pencil where the edge of the wig comes-thus [sketch] and I will communicate his directions to Ravencroft accordingly. I employed Ezekiel5 to engrave a plate of my arms for my books which, by this time, must be finished - Pray don't omit to send it, and you may let me have an impression enclosed in your next letter. My best affections to my father & mother Monday afternoon 1 6th of [co: January] Febry 1791 [addressed] To Miss Jennefee Jones at Mr. Thomas Jones's Exeter [stamped] FE 7 91 ________________________________________ 1 [pencil: 8] 9th April, 1791 [torn] Dear Jennefee, Of a number of letters now lying in my scrutore, yours is the first in point of date, though, perhaps, the last in point of interest, therefore I shall avail myself of the opportunity of conveying this & a couple of books to you, in a pacquet of Sheldon's - the books are two invaluable original MSS. of my own composition and are supposed, by some eminent antiquaries, to have been written towards the close of the twentieth century, and contain a report of the trial of some iniquitous borough candidate for the crime of bribery. The elegance of the style and the interest of the subject are 3 deserving of equal praise. It is requested that you or my father will let my uncle Jones have the first perusal of them, as my father will then have a good reason for having them returned to him for his information. Tell my father that I have not had the copy of the minutes of the decision - as soon as the cause was ended the minutes were lent to Tonkin6, & he has retained them ever since - at least, they were not returned to Sarel7 when I last called upon him for them; but I shall call again this morning and, possibly, I may be able to obtain and transcribe them into my notebook. My father will be pleased to take care that they are not lost or injured, as they may at some future time be of great use to me, and when they are done with, my uncle may send the spectacle glasses back with them. I should like to have passed a few days with you & your party of Lardners8 in the assize week - but perhaps its as well as it is - for I should have been so anxious to keep up my superiority in height to these two little men, by reaming9 my neck & walking tiptoe, that dislocation & lameness are two of the least evils I should have suffered. - Besides, who knows but I might have fallen in love with the little bride, having so great a predilection for diminutive women, and then what with duels, bloodshed, divorce, doctors-commons, and alimony, I should have been in 1v [torn]le, by the Lord. These and the like terrifick apprehensions have deterred me from spying [torn]he firebrand at No. 85 Cornhill. Upon my honour you are full of good intentions towards your beloved brother. It is not enough to send me in persuit of a girl, when I am already harrassed, beset and baited by them like a cat before a pack of hounds; but I must run the risque of being taken up and committed to Clerkenwell for an eves-dropper or an incendiary. If you chuse to give Miss Burn my address and inform her that I am to be found at home every evening between 9 and 11, I shall have no objection to receive her and be admitted to the honour of her acquaintance. My next letter shall give you an accurate description of No 85 & of its inhabitants &c, in the mean time, I beg you will enquire what fortune she has, and if it is not less than ten thousand, please to devise some method by which I may get introduced to the lady. I called upon Opie10 a day or two since, & gave him my uncle's11 address, for the purpose of sending down the portraits - you will say, of Miss Ann's, that it is the best you ever saw. Do you perceive any alteration in Miss Ann, since her union? - I do not ask this question in a ludicrous way, but from a real desire of knowing whether any change has taken place in her manners & general behaviour, and whether she seems satisfied with her change of condition? Tom's rupture with my uncle, is, I fear, irreparable; both parties have been blameable.