Transcription
Rhinebeck September 2d 1812
What a shabby gentlewoman you are to send on by John, such a miserable short epistle. you that live in the gay world ought to compassionate my solitude and raise my spirits by news and scandal of [sorry?] description instead of which I [receive] a few scolding lines because I have not written to you whom in fact I dispatched a letter some time since one that for length would make a dosen[sic] of yours now you see I can scold in my turn and my wrath is easily raised - however I must inform you that we are very gay here. I have had a famous large tea party (where did she put them all, I can hear you say) but no matter, so it was, also a small dinner party_ two days in succession have I been invited out to dine onse[sic] at McVickars, onsee at Mrs. Lewis's, but with my known inflexibility. I declined both, all this stir among us is for Mrs Lynch and a Mr.&Mrs. Mc.Vickar from New York, it will now go through with the whole Livingston tribe, I shall [meet?] them all and be off to Beverley_ the Cautious Joanna cannot partake of the dissipation, she is suffering with your complaint has the fever every day_ I must just take the liberty to inform you, that your Phil (as you call him) is no great things, not one night has he "kept with me", instead of coming under my protecting wing and taking possession of his old room, he has staid altogether at Mr. Sands's _ he left here last Saturday to be back the next, but doubtless you are better acquainted with his movements than I am ____ yesterday we were favoured with Stevens and his wife, Mrs Crawford, Jones and [Prise?] to dine with us. after dinner we made a party to tea at Mrs James Livingstons (who by the way has a second daughter) and returned here to supper, they left me after breakfast this morning_ Mrs Crawfoard and Mrs. Montgomery have within the last week returned from the Springs, where the latter had a fall through a trap door and half killed herself in her own imagination, but I believe was not materially damaged__ Jones has not been to the Springs, in that I was mistaken, her threatens to write you and contradict all false reports that I have forwarded respecting him_ he is positively to return with your husband, but you know I give no credit to what he says _ _ _ tell Miss Frasier I saw at Mrs.. James Livingstons. Mrs Swift. (formerly Mrs. Inman) who I think a stiff Bostonian ___ _ __ Mammy called and delivered your messages most faithfully, she shed many tears when speaking of George says she has not had one good nights rest since she left him__
John drank tea with me this evening, he came like a good [fellow] loaded with Peaches and Plumbs _ _ _ I hope my dear friend you do not forget that our correspondence is for ourselves alone, neither my writing or my composition will do, but for such partial eyes as yours. I scribble to you as I [?] indulge myself in talking to you quite without thought _ _ _ My best love to Miss Frasier and dear Catharine, I shall write to the first by Mr... Schuyler
Believe me my dear friend ever lamenting your diparture.
M.H.D_
[different ink & hand]
I hope, my dear Mrs Schyler, will not be so unjust as to impute my neglect of availing myself of the opportunity of adding a postscript to Maria's last letter, to [the want of indisatic?] . Believe me I estimate the privileges of thus occasionally addressing you at too high a value, to suffer any occasion of daining it ever to escape [my]; [But at the] time Maria wrote I was absent, & I thought you would perhaps consider it presuming too far, upon your kindness & your friendship had I ventured to intrude without the sanctity of her correspondence. The Present, they [possibly missing say] is the only opportunity which has been offered since your departure of addressing you, that the melancholy void your absence has occasioned, can never be repaired! as some alleviations of my individual suffering I had proposed visiting cambridge in the autumn, but I now find it impossible to execute my purpose. I trust however that the obstacles which at present prevent me will be removed before the [?] of this Winter & then whether Mrs.. Duer consents to accompany or not I am determined not to be Disappointed of the pleasure of seeing you with my best remembrances to Catharine & Miss Frasier_ believe me, my dearest friend, most sincerly yours, W.A.D.Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
