State Trials, Political and Social. Volume 2 (of 2)
History
State Trials, Political and Social. Volume 2 (of 2)
Trials -- Great Britain
MRS. COWPER--About spring was twelve month, she came to London,
and I believe it was not less than once or twice a week I saw
her; and I never had an opportunity to be an hour alone with
her at any time, but I perceived something in her melancholy. I
have asked her the reason of it several times, and sometimes
she seemed to dislike her profession, being a Quaker; and
sometimes she would say, that she was uneasy at something that
lay upon her spirits, which she should never outlive; and that
she should never be well while she was in this world. Sometimes
I have endeavoured to persuade her out of it seriously, and
sometimes by raillery, and have said are you sure you shall be
better in another world? And particularly I remember I have
said to her, I believe you have Mr. Marshall in your head:
either have him, or do not trouble yourself about him; make
yourself easy either one way or another; and she hath said no,
in an indifferent way, I cannot make myself easy: Then I have
said, marry him: no, saith she, I cannot. Sometimes with
company she would be diverted, and had frequently a way of
throwing her hands, and shewed great disturbance and
uneasiness. This time twelvemonth, at the summer assizes, I was
here six days, and I saw her every day; and one time, among
other discourse, she told me she had received great disturbance
from one Theophilus, a waterman and a Quaker, who coming down
to old Mrs. Stout, that was then lame, she had gathered about
20 or 30 people together to hear him preach; and she said he
directed his discourse to her, and exasperated her at the rate
that she had thoughts of seeing nobody again, and said, she
took it heinously ill to be so used, and particularly, that he
had told her that her mother's falling outwardly in the flesh
should be a warning that she did not fall inwardly; and such
'canting stuff,' as she called it; and she said, that
Theophilus had so used her, that she was ashamed to show her
head. Another time, the same week, she had a fever, and she
said, she was in great hopes it would end her days, and that
she neglected herself in doing those things that were necessary
for her health, in hopes it would carry her off, and often
wished herself dead. Another time, which I think was the last
time I saw her, it was at my sister's lodgings, and I sent for
her to drink a dish of tea with us, and she came in a great
toss and melancholy: Said I, what is the matter? you are always
in this humour. Saith she, I cannot help it, I shall never be
otherwise. Saith my sister, for God's sake keep such thoughts
out of your head as you have had, do not talk any more of
throwing yourself out of window: Saith she, I may thank God
that ever I saw your face, otherwise I had done it, but I
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account