Your affectionate sister, ELIZA S. BOWNE.
Miranda Southgate.
Rockaway, August 24, 1804.
Dear Girls:
I enclose you a piece of Mr. Blovell’s poetry on the Miss Broomes’
country seat at Bloomingdale; as you both know him, I think it will
amuse you. I expect Eliza and Jane Watts down here in a few days and
should be delighted if you could be here at the same time. I wrote to
you, Octavia, on Monday last a long letter,—answer it soon and tell me
how far you mean to comply with my proposals. I spent several days at
Flushing last week; they all enquired very affectionately for you; but
I don’t know but Miranda is your rival—she is a monstrous favorite
among some of them. I believe Mary Murray is engaged and all matters
settled. I met the Murrays and Mrs. Ogden at Miss Curtis’s; they came
up from New York the same day we did from Rockaway,—very fortunate
meeting them, for it rendered my visit doubly pleasant. ’Twas the
season for peaches, we feasted finely. I shall attend to your
memorandums as soon as possible. Give my best love to Horatio and
Nabby, if I may be allowed to connect the names, and tell him my plan.
Mr. Bowne says I must write another letter to urge it more strongly;
it must be so.
Yours ever,
E. S. BOWNE.
[New York, November 9th, 1804 (?).]
I have been in daily expectation of a letter from you ever since my
return and none has yet come. I have not heard a word from Isabella,
tho’ I have been very anxious. The trunks arrived yesterday with an
old letter for me enclosed by Horatio in a _blank_ cover, not a word
to say how all the family did, particularly Isabella. We are still at
our Mother’s, and shall probably remain a fortnight longer; the house
would be ready in a few days, but we think it is too damp at present.
Every body expected you back, for the Murrays had told most of our
acquaintance you were to return with me. John and Hannah Murray came
to see me the day after I arrived. John rattles as usual, talks much
of getting married—his old tune, you know: he has completed his
thirtieth year now since we have been gone; he says, “I begin to feel
the approach of old age.” Mr. Newbold called to enquire particularly
after your ladyship, and Mr. Rhinelander[68] spent last evening with
us; I think he improves fast; he told me a deal of news. Miss Farquar
and Mr. Jepson[69] were married last night, Miss Blackwell and Mr.
Forbes, and one or two others. Rhinelander says half the girls in town
are to be married before Spring. Maria Denning for one; and the world
says Amelia and James Gillispie will certainly make a match,—that I
was surprised at. Miss Bunner[70] and John Duer are married; Sally
Duer is soon to be; and Fanny is positively engaged to Mr. Smith, whom
you saw several times last winter, of Princeton. So you see all the
girls are silly enough to give up their fine dancing days and become
old matrons like myself. Mrs. Kane is in town; looks older, paler, and
thinner. She has got a charming little girl,[71] fat and good-natured
as possible. Mrs. Ogden stays out of town all winter. We are engaged
at Mrs. Bogert’s this afternoon, but it storms so violently I believe
I shan’t go. She regrets very much your not coming, and Lucia
[Wadsworth] she would be delighted to have. Our things arrived
yesterday, but are not out of the vessel yet. At present there is no
gaiety, quite dull; there will be a revival soon, I suppose. Mr.
Poinsett has been to see me several mornings; he goes on Monday to
Carolina. Miss de Neufville spends the winter in New York with her
Aunt Stowton. I meant to call on her this morning, but it was stormy.
The few days I was in Boston I was constantly engaged. We dined at
Sheriff Allen’s with a very large party,—Lady Temple,[72] Mrs.
Winthrop and daughters, Mrs. Bowdoin, Mrs. G. Green, Mrs. Stouton and
daughter, and many others,—about 30; and we were at Mrs. G. Blake’s at
a tea-party, she enquired particularly after you; she is a very fine
woman I think. Our journey on was tolerably pleasant. We arrived
before Uncle and Aunt. Eliza Watts told me she had a letter from you
after I left home. Adieu; write me soon and tell me all the news. Give
my best love to Father, Mother, and all the family. I am very well and
grow fat; everybody says I am wonderfully improved. Write me soon.
Yours ever,
ELIZA S. BOWNE.
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