| Title: | Greeves, Susanna to O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne, 1855 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6190 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/191 |
| Year | 1855 |
| Sender | Greeves, Susanna |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | London, England |
| Destination | Collins, Lake Erie, NY, USA |
| Recipient | O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 2302 |
| Genre | operation, travelling, news of family, friends and neighbours, house renovations |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Mountpleasant, Tottenham nr London 7th month 13th '55 My dear Sister, Thy acceptable letter to sister Jane was forwd to me here a few days ago, by which I was pleased to learn that thy family were all in good health and thyself had got over the winter tolerably well. I am glad thou liked the shape of the cap and that thou was able to alter it to fit thee. I came here with brother & sister Owden, also their dear little girl, about two months ago. I expect sister mentioned in her last letter their intention of consulting a Dr who they had been highly recommended to take dear Mgt to have his opinion, with regard to bet lameness; his opinion is that by an operation being performed that a cure could be perfected - particularly in her case. But he admitted that sometimes it has failed where the person was much worse and had not the use of all the muscles which she seems to have. He said also that it could be performed years hence just as well, or at least that she would not lose by it not being done now; this was quite a relief to their minds as well as my own. They also consulted Sir Benjamin Brodie (with whom they had a consultation about ten years ago in connection with Sir Ashley Cooper and their own Dr, Dr Ruil of Belfast). His advice was not to have any operation performed and, as nature had done a good deal for her with the means that had been used, he would still advise as he had done then, to let nature do more for her & he hoped that in 4 or 5 years more, if she lived, that she would still be better. He recommended exercises such as riding on horse back, calestenicks [callisthenics], dancing & so forth: the latter particularly, as it might in a measure help to give het more command of her feet. And now while her father and mother are away travelling in the Continent, they wished much that she could have the exercise recommended. Therefore her Uncle & Aunt Thos & Fanny Owden, at whose house we are staying until their return, have procured a person who they had some time ago with their own child" Co give her lessons. Their own chidn join with her, which makes it much pleasanter. There are some of the positions quite calculated to improve her and to bring out the musscles so as to make them act better; so that if she is to be improved by these exercises, it will be a nice thing indeed; if not, it will be a satisfaction to know that they had been tried and that nothing has been left undone on their part. She is in the enjoyment of good health, altho' not what would be called a robust child: still she can go through a good deal of exercise, particularly in cold weather. Not so in warm: the heat seems to relax her, but this it does with many who are quite well. She is still the good dear child and no trouble with her. She and I with her friends here have been to see several places, and some of the Lions of London. It certainly is a wonderful large place: to me there seems almost no end of it, street after street, and as for the shops I cannot conceive how the half of them get business. We are about 4 or 5 miles out of the city in a pretty country place within a short distance of Tottenham; the latter is a tolerable large place much like some of the Country towns in Ireland. There are a good many friends reside in and about the town and among the rest two brothers and 2 or 3 sisters of the late Wm Fo[r]sters who no doubt thou heard died when out in America. His widow dud not survive him very long: we heard of her removal since we came here. Bro John & Jane did no: go to Vienna or Venice as they had at one time thought of doing: they heard from some travelers who had just been at the former place that the City was the only object of importance worth seeing. They thought from what they learned that it would not be worth the fatigue and expence, beside 500 miles distance, to go sec it, Venice they gave up on acct of the heat at this season of the year: it would he too hot for them. They have got to Hamburg (Frankfort on the Maine) where they are stopping for the benefit of the wells there. Being there before did John Owden a great deal of good, as he is rather bilious at times, and I expect it will be of use to Sister also as she inclines latterly that way too. lam thankful to say that my own health is pretty good at present. At times I have a touch of pains all over me - rhumatism, I suppose - but more particularly in my right arm. 1 felt the cold very much last winter, particularly during the frost. I have not very free circulation, for at times I felt as if there was cold linen or some such laid on my arms or limbs, and sometimes my body would feel cold. What a very uncomfortable feel it is. I dont sit very much as I find stiring about to answer me better: gentle exercise is best to keep the pains away. I pretty generally spunge all over my body with cold water when the weather is warm, but with tepid when cold, and rubs with a coarse towel or hair glove. The cold water springing is very much used even by those who have no pains or aches - it is a good thing for almost anyone. We had heard of Cousin M Greeves' removal by a letter from Cousin James, who continues to correspond with sister Jane, altho not so often as we would like. His eyes are much against him: they are still at times I believe very far from well. Perhaps sister will sec his son when in Paris, also your ex-president. I have written to her since the recpt of thy letter and mentioned them to her. I do not know when they will return here but I should think after spending 3 or 4 weeks at Hamburg they will take Paris on their way, and after visiting the Exhibition come drct here. I think it will be fully 3 or 4 weeks before we are settled quietly at home, if even then. But it would be pleasant to be some time before it would be too late for Mgt to get some dips in the sea: she has been at the seaside mostly every season for a while. I dont know that I can give thee any particulars about Thos Nicholson. I have not heard anything that I remember lately. Before writing the next time to thee, if I think of it I will ask his cousin Charlotte Greer. She resides in Belfast now with her daughter C. Wales. Lydia, her other daughter whom my cousin Thomas Walpole married, is gone last autumn with her husband & 2 chidn to Australia: there was before I left home an acct of their safe arrival. We have frequently heard from our friends at home: all seem to be well. E. O'Brien spent two weeks at Berna lately. Margretta & Lizzy has come home from school to spend (heir vacation. I believe they are to return again for another year. Anna [Malcomson] Greeves left for home some time before we started for England. She had not been very well, she is however pretty well again and hope she will come back by :he time we get back. Sister Rachel will feel lonely again when all leave her; but I think it likely that I may go see her sometime, perhaps in the winter. Mary Jane Eves and her dear little child is a; present in Belfast. I am longing to see her but 1 expect she will be there when WE arrive home; Jane expects that they will spend some time with them. We continue to hear good reports of brother Danl: it is plesant for him to have so many of his childn settled near him. George [O'Brien) is getting quite a little family about him: he has now two sons and two daughters. I forget what family Maria [Candee] has: I think I have not heard of her having a baby lately. I hope that thou hast been able to accept of thy kind friends' invitation to Jane's [Mrs Thomas Emlyn O'Brien's] Aunts and also that thou wile get to thy other friends; it will no doubt do thee good to get about a little now and again. I would have been pleased to hear that Cortes business had nor warranted him in going to New York; perhaps ere this it has improved and that you have been both there. Thou wishes me to tell thee something about the alterations ac Bernagh. I am afraid I cannot tell thee well enough to make thee understand properly how it is altered, but will try as well as I can. Thou remembers the gable end of the house next the pump: instead of building it straight on a line with the other part of the house, it is built to project and leaving it more of an L shape. Altho it does not look so well as if it had been straight carried out, it gives an addition of 4 rooms instead of two, had it been otherwise done. The Hall door and hall remains as it always was, but out of the hall on the right hand side are two doors, one leading into a front parlour or drwg room, the other into a back parlour. The drwngroom has two windows -one has t ie same or pretty much :hc same view up the avenue as out of the aid parlour windows; the old part of the house has been long since altered by a person who resided there long before dear father's death. The china & dark closet was thrown into the parlour, which has added much to the size. The long hall and old kitchen is now a kind of back hall, or could if required be used as another back parlour, but as it is it is very useful; off it is a dairy which there is access to, both from the kitchen 8c it; out of the old parlour there is a little china closet which I suppose is part of the old dairy under the stairs chow may remember, and it is on a line with the dairy, so that one can go straight down from the parlour into the kitchen at any time they wish. The kitchen, thou must know, was also built by the same person and over all these pantries and Halls & kitchen are rooms, the back return coming at the top of the first flight of stairs where the window used to look into the garden; three pretty good sized rooms in all, but the ceilings are rather lower than any other pan of the house. The same person threw the back and front sleeping room into one; also the two old Garrat [garret] rooms, which made them fine large rooms. The two new sleeping rooms, thou wilt know, is over the new part that dear brother Thomas built; they have the same views, two window in each, The back room windows, one looks into the yard, the other across to Dree. The yard is now inclosed which makes it quite snug; to that altogether thou wilt see there has been a great many alterations since we all lived there. In fact the house is now too large for sister Rachel - but still if she went to live any other place it might cost her more. Like our own dear Mother, she is very fond of Bernagh and so are all her child". She inclines not to leave it. At first we thought she would feel so lonely and would not be able to manage: however so far her sons John & Thomas go over occasionally to arrange matters for her; and then Cousin Thomas Sinton is kind enough to do any little thing he can for het in town where she has a few tennents: when any of the houses ire vacant he sees after them &c &c. After all I have written, it is well if thou wilt understand it. I am not the best at explaining such things. I should have also said the farm u well as the house has had its alterations, by throwing two fields for instance into one. Brother Thomas laid out a good deal of money in this way. The farm is now in fine condition, he having drained a great deal of it. Those who lived in it in dear father's time took the good out of the land, and instead of improving it, it was worse. Thou did not say what Thos calls their little son. I would like my love given to all the chidn also to their wives and also to Maria's husband. I sometimes fancy I see you all, or at least pretence you all to myself- but my imaginings may be very difft indeed to the reality. I have written thee a long letter and would hope that thou would not let us be long without heating from thee again. With dear love I am thy affectionate sister Susanna |
