A.L.S. OF CHARLES MATHEWS, THE ACTOR, PROPOSING HIS SON FOR ELECTION TO GARRICK CLUB, N.D.
Mrs. Siddons to Mrs. Piozzi, Westbourne Farm, Paddington, January 29, 1809.
My dear Friend,—I am merely anxious to know how you and Mr. Piozzi are, and the distance between me and your fair daughters, are now so great that I get no accounts of you. You know of old, my distaste of writing, and I know full well my inability of amusing you, so that my letter has nothing to recommend it, except the true love of the writer, which knows no change. Often, very often, do I think of you, and most sincerely do I lament your suffering, but there is nowhere but heaven I believe that is exempt from affliction; but dear Soul let me hear from you. You have heard of the fire in which I lost every stage ornament so many years collecting, and at so great expense of time and money. All my Jewels, all my lace, and in short nothing left. The Duke of Northumberland has given my Brother Ten thousand pounds! and the manner of bestowing this noble gift was so great as anything I have ever heard or read of,
"The lucky have whole years and those they choose
Th' unlucky have but hours and those they lose"
but poor fellow he is I fear in a wretched state of health, yet he looked the other night in Macbeth as beautiful as ever; he is never now without his cough, which they say is gouty (certainly the disorder is flying about him) and if it would come to a good fit that he woud be well. It seems a strange thing to say that a man recovers his health by the loss of his limbs. So thinks poor Mr. Piozzi I suppose, poor dear Soul, how he has suffered from it! and you! You will perhaps scarcely believe how often and how tenderly I think of you, and how deeply I regret the distance between us, but it is nevertheless true. Pray dear Soul let me hear from you very soon and tell me truly how your health and spirits hold out the incessant claims upon them. I have got Cecilia home from school, she is very well at present, but to keep her well she must have sea bathing in the summer. Is there any place of that sort near Brynn Bella? if so, I shoud hope I might be able to see you sometimes. I have got a genteel well principled young woman as a Governess for her, and my family which would consist of seven or eight persons would perhaps be too large to be accommodated very near you. Oh that you were again at Streatham! Remember me very kindly to dear Mr Piozzi. God bless and support you my very dear friend. I am unalterably
Your affte
S. Siddons[61]
I lost in the fire a Toilette of the poor Queen of France, a piece of beautiful point Lace an ell wide and five yards long which having belonged to so interesting a person of course I regret more than all other things. It could not have cost at first less than a thousand pounds. I us'd to wear it only in the trial scene of Hermione in the Winters Tale, it covered me all over from head to foot. I suppose my losses could not be repaired for Twelve hundred pounds, but God be praised that the fire did not break out while the people were in the house!!!
LAST PAGE OF A.L.S. OF MRS. SIDDONS TO MRS. PIOZZI AFTER THE FIRE AT COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.