Revised Jun 6 2021

No. 57. Miss N. Heywood to Mr. P. Heywood

Isle of Man – 17^th Aug^st 1792

How shall I thank you my best-lov'd my most charming Brother for your last dear Letter & incomparable Poem — Heavens! — how has the perusal of it delighted us all! how have I wept over it — while my Attention was divided between Admiration at the mysterious Interposition of Providence (which I am perfectly convinced was the Case) on that remarkable & lamented Day when we were for ever deprived of our beloved Parent, & Gratitude to a gracious & beneficent Being who has so miraculously preserved & will at length (with Confidence I speak it) restore you to our Wishes, the amiable, the truly perfect Character your opening Virtues promised.

My God! when will this painful Suspense be at an End, & my Impatience gratified to embrace my Brother — to see his beloved Face — to press him with rapture to my Heart — Ah! my Peter — if you continue thus to render yourself the Object of my Admiration — if you thus convince me in every Letter that you are daily acquiring new Accomplishments & Excellencies, it is not surely wonderful that I complain of this cruel Absence which robs me of your dear society: — Thanks to the Almighty however it cannot now be very long; Lieut. Hayward is you say arrived in the Downs, and the Fleet will certainly soon be at Home. — I have a Letter from my dear Uncle Pasley this Packet, full of the most favorable Accounts — is not this delightful? — it has been for these five years past, when each dreaded Arrival of the Packet brought us some distressing Intelligence: — Now, — how different — her return is impatiently wished for, & every Letter is replete with Comfort, satisfaction, and Happiness! — You make me blush my Brother by your Encomiums — I dare not flatter myself with any Merit but that of endeavouring to deserve them — if I have studied to acquire new Accomplishments in your Absence, believe me, my first, my chiefest Gratification in the attainment of them was (at your long-desired return) the Hope of approving myself in some Degree worthy such a Brother, & how blest shall I be to find you are not disappointed! — I have placed your charming Poem in my little Collection, among which it makes a most conspicuous Figure. Cultivate your Poetical Taste my dearest Peter, which I have not the least Apprehension will take off your Attention from more useful tho' less brilliant Attainments. I would give Something to possess half your Fancy & the delightful Luxuriance of your descriptive Powers — in short — never tell me again that you cannot have it your Power to shew yourself worthy such a Sister — you have done more than that my Love — you have proved yourself the deserving Object of her fondest Admiration, & she is now doubly anxious to deserve your Praise! — With what delight have I kiss'd your lovely Hair ten thousand times since I received it — to Day I shall divide it for we are all equally eager to have some in our Possession.

You can have no Idea of Dr. Scott's Agitation & Pleasure when I read your Letter & Poem to him — he was absolutely in raptures — "My God"! cried the good Man "what a wonderful Creature he is — remember me to him my Dear & tell him how impatiently I long to see him." he regards you almost as a Paragon & I need not say, deserve his good Opinion; for you my Love cannot do otherwise. — James is returned from Liverpool & brought Letters from Henry who has been ill from the Confinement & Consequences of a violent Fever which he had in Jamaica poor little Boy! he was amazingly affected with your Letter from Batavia!

I fear my dear Peter from what my Uncle Pasley says in his last it will not be in his Power to attend the Court-Martial personally, but be assured, (shou'd that unfortunately be the Case,) he will assist & protect you equally in every other respect, & your own Innocence and & [sic] Fortitude will I doubt not, carry you through all your difficulties & dangers with Honor to yourself & with Comfort & satisfaction to your Friends. — Your Idea of wearing Uniform Mourning at your Trial is, like every Idea of yours perfectly just & proper. — Adieu my tenderly beloved Peter — to the Care of Heaven I commit your safety — & from the protecting Aid of a good providence I trust you will soon obtain a final and glorious Victory over all you Distresses — My Mama, Brothers, & Sisters &c unite in the tenderest sentiments of Love and Affection. — With eager Impatience to clasp you to my Bosom I am my dearest Love your

most fondly attached

  & unalterably affectionate Sister

    Nessy Heywood