SD747. Hope Masterton Waddell to Samuel Moulton-Barrett (uncle)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 372 (in part).
Cornwall
8 Nov. 1831
My dear Sir
I would have replied to yours of 29 ulto had I been at home yesterday when the messenger went up to you. on Sunday I was at hampden & in consequence of the heavy rains did not get home till late last night[.]
Mrs Waddell desires me to express her very sincere thanks for your handsome present of the poney. He is a beautiful creature & so gentle that she is quite delighted with him. She rode him to Hampden on Saturday & back yesterday & was very little fatigued—less than at any former time. She is happy in having so good a horse to ride—less however on account of her own pleasure, (which is never the first consideration with her) than that it will enable her to exert herself the more in the service of her Saviour. Though given to her therefore he has been lent to the Lord who I hope will according to his promise repay you sevenfold.
Scott has made a beginning at your house, but has been ill for a day or two past.
In addition to the information communicated by Mr Blyth in his letter to you I have pleasure in adding from his to me by same packet that there is no doubt but we will be enabled from home to have a regular school & teacher at Cornwall, & I purpose as soon as I can to commence erecting the house necessary. I have heard from Mr Murray respecting a man whom he considers would be a proper person to conduct C. Hill school. I quote his note “He is at present Sergeant in the 33 regiment lying at Camp, about getting his discharge & is desirous of a situation as schoolmaster– I know him well, about 40 years of age, decidedly pious & a member of our Society for many years—he is a steady, sedate, sensible man & I think just the person who will suit Mr Barrett, He may be depended on—name Wm Findlay.” Mr Murray wishes particulars of the situation that he may communicate with the person.
As I know that nothing is done on the estate either by me or any person else of which you do not get information of some kind or other I had better inform you of a little matter that took place on Saturday morning which might be easily misrepresented.
Catharine Chambers hallowed from the hothouse up to me that two girls were fighting on the pass. I ran down & saw Frances Edwards entirely naked & bleeding at the mouth & Emma |Roper| (both second gang girls) beside her uncovered to the waist. Abraham Gray coming down after me I made him walk them both to the hothouse & desired Catharine to keep them & send for some of the family of each to have them well corrected; she said she would put them in the bilboes till some of their friends came to punish them, & I assented. About at hour afterwards she sent me word she could not get any of their relations—would she tell her husband Frank to whip them & let them go to their ground & I replied that he must switch them well over the shoulders but not lay them down. You will perceive that it might be said easily enough that I had sent two girls to the stocks & ordered them to be flogged—which would indeed be a very improper liberty for me to take on the estate—yet while this short account of the matter would contain nothing false it would convey a very false idea of the case. When I saw them on the pass & stopped their fighting I could not stand to lecture them in consequence of their naked state, neither could I allow them to go unpunished—you would not wish such a thing to take place with impunity yet I could not correct them myself for they were big girls—I wished some of their friends to do it but when they could not be found it was better Frank Chambers should do it than their wicked conduct pass unnoticed[.]
I feel very anxious for you to come down that you may yourself correct an impression which unhappily has been made & which I feel to be a most serious hindrance to me. You recollect that when they were building the lime kiln at Cornwall you scolded Shakespeare Smith for something he had done connected with his duties of elder for me. Since then my elders have been very much discouraged. They are afraid to speak out plainly to me, I am in the dark as to what is going on among the people, & it has happened that when they have spoken to them about this or that wrong the person spoken to has flown in their face & when my elders have said they would inform me of such behaviour the others have said they would complain to you. From some of Mr Blyth’s elders on other estates who are acquainted with the Cin. Hill people I have learned shocking things which my elders have conversed with them about yet have never told me. This troubles me. I know you do not, cannot wish it to go on; one word from you to my elders I know will satisfy them that you do not wish them to be unfaithful.
The main subject of your letter—namely giving education to some intelligent boys of this country, in England or Scotland I will be happy to converse about with you when you come here which I hope will be soon. Perhaps next week?
Mrs Waddell unites in most sincerely affectionate regards with, dear Sir–
Yours ever truly
H M Waddell
Excuse blots mistakes &c—I write this at the wharf in a great haste.
Address, on integral page: To / S. M. Barrett Esquire / Retreat Pen / Dry Harbor P. O. Redirected: Alexander / Little River P. O.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
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