Jewsbury, Maria Jane (1800-1833). - Letter, from an unstated address, to Dora Wordsworth (1804-1847), at an unstated address, dated [19 July 1829]. Incomplete. WLMS A / Jewsbury, Maria Jane / 23.

<1829>

don't make yourself unhappy about me. My visit to Mrs Hemans was charming - & charmingly unwholesome - we spoke much of your family - She heard your father spoken of [[-?-]] by somebody in Scotland as "a nice chatty body" whom she would like much - Is that not like [daft] Mary's praise? She was delighted with her visit to Sir Walter - they visited Yarrow together - <July 19 1929> - Sir W. repeating your father's poem - In Edinburgh she lived the life of a Corinne <Corinne> & hated it. She is without exception the most perilously charming creature I know even Miss Potter was fascinated - & said she was "as charming as if she did not write poetry!" - Did I ever tell you what Fletcher Housman said of my clever absurdity - Mrs: Hall - fa too fat - pretty - not a finished lady - not conceited - affectionate - & "spoke so rapturously of Wordsworth's poetry that I concluded she did not understand it!"

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I had a letter from her the other day that would have made you dance - announcing amongst other superb exaggerations - in the literary way - that "Miss Mitford had been corresponding with one or two of the German Universities" - (the 1500 students of Gottingen I suppose - ) also that a Winchester Youth had, to furnish her with some information chivalrously learnt German in Six weeks! Anna Maria forgot to tell me that another youth had more chivalrously still taught his Miss M's cat French in a fortnight.----

I saw Dr Raffles in Liverpool - he expressed regret at not finding your father in - sent his respectful compliments -

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The Dr. has an immense congregation - a splendid house - a most easy carriage - an elegant wife - a truly kind heart - & sixteen stone of fat. A clever man - a good man - but - he has no taste - tells "good stories" & walks in a white great coat - The last part of my stay, in which was in L - I was [raked] to death - "a fire in my heart & a fire in my brain" - and, visiting morning, noon, & night. - I saw the Roscoes who made enquiries &c

Now my dear Dora farewell burn the private part of this letter - & forget all that pains you - but do not forget me - Let me hear very soon - & please to take notice that if you send me fill up my letters with any more praises of those Gold Fish -

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I will certainly come & make them happy in a frying pan. I am jealous of them. If your elegant friend Miss S. is with you - present my "hatred" to her - & say, that I have too little porcelain about me, to call forth her jealousy - & that a worn, wasted, branded, unlovely woman of letters, can never dream of entering into a contest with one, whom Miss Bowles calls a human lily - when the subject of the contest is to be love & admiration. -

God bless you - Love to all - & to Willy - Ever yrs MJJ

I had a long letter from Dr K. dated Rome - the other day - I never got the [Dreamer] - & it is not inserted.

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Will you especially thank your Aunt for her kind P.S. - & will you let me know particularly how her health goes on -

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Object summary: WLMS A / Jewsbury, Maria Jane / 23