Hard indeed it is in this day of quick delivery to realize the
inconveniences of daily life in Eliza's time, and it evokes a smile to
hear that if she or one of the family had neuralgia, it was necessary to
write an account of the symptoms to Mrs. Boddicott in November, followed
by a letter of thanks to her for her promptness, because of which "the
meddicines will arrive by May, and tis allways worse in hott weather!"
Think of waiting six months for a dose of medicine!
Eliza has already mentioned two neighbours of whom she had become very
fond, and between her and Miss Pinckney's niece, a Miss Bartlett, who
lived with Mrs. Pinckney either in her home in Charles Town, or at their
country seat five miles out of town, a flourishing correspondence sprang
up, and the following are some of Eliza's letters to her friend:
Jan^r 14th, 1741/2.
_Dear Miss Bartlett:_:--
'Tis with pleasure I commence a Correspondence
w^{ch} you promise to continue tho' I fear I shall
often want matter to soport an Epistolary
Intercourse in this solotary retirement--;
however, you shall see my inclination, for rather
than not scribble, you shall know both my waking
and sleeping dreams, as well as how the spring
comes on, when the trees bud, and inanimate nature
grows gay to chear the rational mind with delight;
and devout gratitude to the great Author of all;
when my little darling that sweet harmonist the
mocking bird, begins to sing.
Our best respects wait on Col^l. Pinckney and
lady, and believe me to be dear Miss Bartlett
Your most obed^t Serv^t
E. LUCAS.
Again she writes in a tone of quaint sarcasm:
_Dear Miss Bartlett_:--
An old lady in our Neighbourhood is often
querreling with me for rising so early as 5
o'Clock in the morning, and is in great pain for
me least it should spoil my marriage, for she says
it will make me look old long before I am so; in
this however I believe she is mistaken, for what
ever contributes to health and pleasure of mind
must also contribute to good looks; but admitting
what she says, I reason with her thus. If I should
look older by this practise, I really am so; for
the longer time we are awake the longer time we
live, sleep is so much the Emblem of death, that I
think it may be rather called breathing than
living, thus then I have the advantage of the
sleepers in point of long life, so I beg you will
not be frighted by such sort of apprehensions as
those suggested above and for fear of y^r pretty
face give up y^r late pious resolution of early
rising.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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