[Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to her sister, Ann Upshur Eyre, December 28, 1817]

Princess Anne. December 28th '17 My dear sister I received your's 2 weeks ago and have omitted to answer it, I can't tell how –unless the pork, and sausages worked all my thoughts to the exclusion even of the duty I owe to you – which was won't to be paramount, for fifty good reasons, and an uneasy necessities. – Since you wrote I have had the pleasure to see Wm State who spent an evening here, and delivered your message to me – He thinks you will be able to come in a fortnight; for I beg'd him to make some calculation, and give me his opinion, since you are so uncertain. – I hope to hear defini tively from you on Thursday. Poor Mr. State! Is it his natural look to be so [?], and [?] or have your preictions been, indeed, verified? He came here early in the afternoon, and we soon became acquainted (I had only seen him once before for a short time). We talked

a great deal about the beauties of N– the charms of the society generally – and particularly of those of Eyre Hall – Mr [?] Gabe had dined here that day and were, when he came at Mrs Dennis – they return'd to tea, and every one of them fell, disheratily, in to a kind of sympa thetick, pensive love for him; and all [?] [?] abused the cruelty, the [?], of all Savages – Who cou'd still up, and eat up the happiness of so amiable and intelligent a victim, in cold blood – I am not sure that La fells Savage will get away without a dose of poison from Somerset, where the girls in particular look [?] hearts be no better than a cannibal – for, say they how can it be in woman – dear, civilizer loving, soft-woman, to be so abominable, barbarous, vindictive, and hard hearted – and from all who are sacraficed on the altar of Belle they wou'd be too happy to glean even the [?] and one of the fore [?] (that [?] marrying hand. If any of her []

devotes – whose hearts she makes nothing of although offer'd up as burnt offerings to her. Doctor Addison call'd on me as he went own – I offer'd him no more advice, although he own'd that he was sorry he had not taken that which I gave him at first; – I saw that he was best on another voyage even if shipwrecks inevitable awaited him. his search after that "Elyrin which I wed on a beautiful heart" – He informed me of Captain Finlay's going down – for my part, I wonder, that being warn'd by to many fatal examples, any such adventurer shou'd be mad enough to tempt the dange rous coast where so many [?] [?] he found it very hard to escape and cathe[?] even with Minerva herself to be his guard The name of Euchares resounded through the valley, and echo Multiplie'd the sound. [?] the whole air was felled with [?] and with every breath he drew, he inhale'd [?] in the thrilling soun of her name–

As the voice of Minerva is no longer [?] to by the [?] of the present day, I wou'd advise them not to go where they can hear no word but the name of Eucharis – Where is or shall in it – which heaps them in the magical circle of her facinations – better for them to precipitate themselves from some rocks, even an oyster rock – and fairly swim to another shore. Now the affairs of the young one shou'd so much occupy me and my precious baker, is strange – But I have such a comprehensive sympathy that I can feel intersted for the affairs of the heart long after mine has settled own on the right side – I can snatch a thought of the dear infants from the momentary concerns of the smoke home – where swine so bleed – and smoldering flames to burn – Elizabeth has unfortunately [lost?] one black apron and one White collarette both of which are in your neighborhood. She begs of you to bring them to her

I don't know why one should be so anxious about them unless she wishes to keep them in remembrance of the happy period when she kock'd the young gentleman down with the candlesticks and then jumped over him. – I sent you by Louisa the manuscript I promised you – and the deed I promised my brother. I believe I have not written to you since. I order'd Joseph to send you the Ivy which he was to have done a week ago – I wish you to have some of it, as it is not only a beautiful but a [***ical] creeper. It would be the very thing to run over that tree which Mr Gibbon had to much malice against being very hardy. It be ing no trouble to tack it up – Poor cousin Molly is yet in great distress – and not well otherwise – Her affliction seems to be renew'd every time she sees one of her friends – she has never been out of the house, and her chief occupation is reading Betty's letters over and over again – Her grief is unaffected, no one can doubt; but I think she does wrong not only to [indu-] but to encourage it – It has been []