Revised Jun 6 2021

No. 53. Miss N. Heywood to Mr. P. Heywood

Isle of Man — 9th — Aug't – 1792

Seven Letters from my beloved Peter in one Day — Oh! charming! — Yet from their respective dates we ought to have had some of them before, which wou'd have spared us the Anxiety of more than a Week, occasioned by the Delays attending the Mail — I have written to my kind Uncle Pasley about Mess'rs Erskine & Mingay & if he approves them & they can most powerfully support you so much the better — 'tis the Cause of Worth, & Innocence, & can any Abilities be above that! — surely no my Brother — let me only entreat you to remember it is the first Object of our Hopes & Wishes to see you acquitted & restored to us with that Honor you so eminently deserve — & to follow my Uncle's Advice whatever it may be — for it must accord with our Wishes. — How have you delighted me my dear Peter by telling my Mama you will really attempt your Picture! – whether like or unlike the beloved Original, yet believe me it will be to his fond & faithful Nessy dearer than any thing (except himself) which this Earth contains, & nothing shall ever deprive her of it. — On any other Occasion my Love I shou'd bitterly have lamented the Loss of your Drawings rendered still more inestimable by having been the Employement of your absent Hours (the Misery of which to us can scarcely be compensated by a whole Life of Happiness & Joy) but when I reflect, with rapture inescapable, that you are at length returned & may I not add will soon be restored to us — how can I possibly feel an Emotion of regret or have a single Wish to gratify! — in short my dearest Brother, I believe I must restrain my Pen or I shall tire you with a repetition of Affection — I scribble on, expressing only the Dictates of my own Heart on the subject most dear to it, without considering that I aught rather to endeavour by every Means which this epistolary Conversation affords me, to amuse your solitary Hours — Ah! whey shou'd they be solitary! — Yet I will not repine — this painful restraint will — Heaven grant it! soon be at an End! — in the mean Time I will think of you Brother — copy your noble Example & learn to be content! — James went a few Days ago to Liverpool to see Henry as he is not permitted to come Home at present; the Vessel being to proceed immediately to Lisbon, & from thence to Jamaica, so that I fear we shall not have him with us till next Year — Our faithful Birket goes over in a few Days to see him & to provide him with what he may want for the Voyage. — I wish it were possible to hope you might be at Liberty soon enough to see poor Henry before he goes, which will be the beginning of September; but that I fear is entirely out of the Question — however let us hope the best. — Mr. Hayward is thank Heaven near, or at Home & the Fleet must I think soon return — Oh! my beloved Peter — we shall surely at length be happy!

Jane is by me & requests I will not omit informing her dear Brother Peter that she has a few Days ago planted a Myrtle which she nurses with the greatest Care in Hopes to present it to him on his return as an Emblem of her Affection.

Farewell my ever dearest Peter — May God bless you! — take Care of yourself, & continue to love as she loves you

your ever faithfully

  affectionate Sister

    Nessy Heywood