The Romance of Wills and TestamentsVine Hall, Edgar
History
The Romance of Wills and Testaments
Vine Hall, Edgar
Wills -- Great Britain -- Miscellanea
Such are examples of individual regard. There are wills where the
whole tone is beautiful, the whole ordered with serene affection and
satisfaction. Too long to be quoted in full, the complete picture
cannot be given, but some more extracts from the same John Pybus
may give an idea of his affections and friendships. He begins: “I
John Pybus, of Old Bond Street in the parish of St. George, Hanover
Square, ... being of sound and disposing mind and memory, but subject
to frequent and severe infirmities which may suddenly deprive me of
existence, think it necessary to make and declare this my last will
and testament.” After the eulogy of his wife, and after exhorting his
children “to behave with the same degree of attention tenderness and
affection towards her during the remainder of her life as she has ever
manifested towards them, as they shall hope to meet with the like
behaviour from their children, should it ever please God to bless them
with any,” he continues: “And to my dearly beloved daughter Catherine
Amelia I give and bequeath as a small but very inadequate proof of the
very great affection I bear her my own picture, a ¾ length leaning on a
crutch stick or cane, painted by Stuart, and a ¾ length picture of her
mother lately painted by the same hand, and my harpsichord by Shudi and
Broadwood, being a remarkable fine-toned instrument, which will I hope
be an inducement to her to spare no pains or application to improve
herself in music, as her dear sister Lady Fletcher has done, not only
as being in itself a most desirable accomplishment, but one that will
afford her an inexhaustible fund of the most pleasing kind of amusement
and entertainment as long as she lives.... I flatter myself with hope
that my said son Charles Small Pybus will give unremitted assiduity and
application to the study and profession of the law, wherein without
such application it will be in vain to hope for or expect success, and
to which he hath in a dutiful conformity to my wishes and advice, and
as I hope from inclination likewise, hitherto closely attended to his
edification and my comfort, not doubting but a continuation of this
line of conduct will with his talents and abilities be eventually most
amply rewarded.... And whereas my very much esteemed and respected
friend Mrs. Amelia Rous, wife to my worthy friend Thos. Bates Rous
Esq^{r.} and sister to my dear wife, was so obliging at my particular
request as to sit to Mr. Joachim Smith of Bonner Street for the
model of her bust to be taken by him in wax, which he has executed
with very great success by taking a striking resemblance of her, and
as I have ever considered myself as having been very instrumental
in promoting the happy union between her and her husband, and have
with very real pleasure lived to see them pass many years together
with the most apparent proof of mutual cordiality and affection, I
do hereby therefore give and bequeath unto the said Thos. Bates Rous
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