The Town: Its Memorable Characters and EventsHunt, Leigh
History
The Town: Its Memorable Characters and Events
Hunt, Leigh
London (England) -- Description and travel; London (England) -- History
In a house, "in the centre of Salisbury Square or Salisbury Court, as
it was then called," Richardson spent the greater part of his town
life, and wrote his earliest work, Pamela. Probably a good part of all
his works were composed there, as well as at Fulham, for the pen was
never out of his hand. He removed from this house in 1755, after he
had written all his works; and taking eight old tenements in the same
quarter, pulled them down, and built a large and commodious range of
warehouses and printing offices. "The dwelling-house," says Mrs.
Barbauld, "was neither so large nor so airy as the one he quitted, and
therefore the reader will not be so ready, probably, as Mr. Richardson
seems to have been, in accusing his wife of perverseness in not
liking the new habitation as well as the old."[80] This was the second
Mrs. Richardson. He calls her in other places his "worthy-hearted
wife;" but complains that she used to get her way by seeming to
submit, and then returning to the point, when his heat of objection
was over. She was a formal woman. His own manners were strict and
formal with regard to his family, probably because he had formed his
notions of life from old books, and also because he did not well know
how to begin to do otherwise (for he was naturally bashful), and so
the habit continued through life. His daughters addressed him in their
letters by the title of "Honoured Sir," and are always designating
themselves as "ever dutiful." Sedentary living, eternal writing, and
perhaps that indulgence in the table, which, however moderate, affects
a sedentary man twenty times as much as an active one, conspired to
hurt his temper (for we may see by his picture that he grew fat, and
his philosophy was in no respect as profound as he thought it); but he
was a most kind-hearted generous man; kept his pocket full of plums
for children, like another Mr. Burchell; gave a great deal of money
away in charity, very handsomely too; and was so fond of inviting
friends to stay with him, that when they were ill, he and his family
must needs have them to be nursed. Several actually died at his house
at Fulham, as at an hospital for sick friends.
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