| Title: | Mary Cumming, Petersburg, [Va?] to James Craig, Lisburn. |
|---|---|
| ID | 785 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Cumming, Mary/26 |
| Year | 1813 |
| Sender | Cumming (n. Craig), Mary |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | middle class housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Petersburg, Virginia, USA |
| Destination | Lisburn, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Craig, James |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | T 1475/2 pp.97-98: Copied by Permission of Miss A. McKisack, 9, Mount Pleasant, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9006103 |
| Date | 11/11/1813 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 02:09:1993. |
| Word Count | 599 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Blandford, November 11th. 1813. I thank you most sincerely, my dearest James, for your kind and welcome letter, which I received about a fortnight ago. I am delighted to hear you are well and happy, and am extremely gratified to find that neither time nor distance has diminished the love you always had for your sister Mary. For my own part, the longer I am from the beloved friends whom I left, my affection for them increases. I am happy to tell you William never enjoyed better health than he has had for the last twelve months. As for myself, I have been ill and am now almost well again, and this is all I will tell you, for I have written every particular to Margaret, and writing an account of one's own bad health is so unpleasant a subject that I shall drop it altogether. I wish I could think of some news that would amuse you, but I have not any, being so much confined of late, and as this is the case I think the best thing I can do is to give you some good advice, as I am now an old married woman I think I am privileged; but I must remember it is to a young man I am now writing, and not to a school boy; and now for a long lecture. In the first place I shall take notice of that part of your letter where you speak of a certain young lady with so much ---- what word shall I use? ---- preference I believe will do. Now my dear Brother, take the advice of one who loves you most sincerely, and as you value your own happiness, do not let your affections be engaged before you know that everything will end as you would wish. The lady you speak of has many advantages that you will not always meet with, but you are very young and your sentiments may change greatly, therefore keep your heart disengaged for two or three years to come (How these married people talk, I think I hear you say) but my dear James, so much of your future happiness depends on the choice you make that you cannot be too much on your guard. I am sure you will make your wife happy if she tries to please you, and this is what she should do if she wishes to live happy herself and to make her husband so. You will be tired before you get through all this lecture, but believe me your happiness is as dear to me as my own. I have only one more advice to give you (perhaps I may not live to give you another) and that is, if you wish to be happy, never marry without my Father's consent. Another piece of advice I must give you, never tell me any more of your marrying to gain a fortune, without having affection for the lady, if you do your misery will be certain. And now I have done, if you are as happy in your choice as I have been in mine I shall be quite satisfied. I wish, my dear James, you would write oftener to me than you do, if you knew how much #PAGE 2 pleasure your letters afford me I am sure you would. I would give anything for your picture, sometimes I am almost determined to ask you to get it done for me. William joins me in the kindest love to you, and in wishing you every happiness. Believe me to be Your ever affectionate Mary Cumming. Mr. James Craig, Revd [Reverend?] A [Andrew?] Craig, Lisburn Co. Antrim IRELAND. |
