Single Letter

HAM/1/2/48

Journal-letter from John Dickenson to Mary Hamilton

Diplomatic Text


6.

10 Sept 1813[1]

                             Exeter Friday
10 Sepr[2]
I was extremely glad to see the Paynters set off on Acct. of the
appearance of the oldest as I think he may die very suddenly -- The
younger
has an uncommon red face as far as his Eye brows like Mrs
White
& is so near sited that he comes into a room with his Eyes
closed & when he has advanced two or 3 yards his Eye Lids begin to
Twinkle & you can perceive that he has Eyes -- by Candlelight
they have uncommonly brilliancy & look beautiful -- when he came
to breakfast this morning he said his Nose had bled twice yesterday

& this morning he awoke wh- his Mouth full of blood -- he is a
very clever young Man -- They disappointed us of setting out
to day as they seemed undecided & therefore I could not give a hint
that we were going the same way -- When they went I took my
fishing rod but the water was not in a proper State & then I
went out with my Gun for an hour but could not fin[d] ------
Thursday -- The morning was very wet & kept us in susp[ense]
about 12 it cleared & as soon as yr- 3d. letter arrived we set
out & stopt to feed our horses at Brickleigh[3] where Bamfield
More Cerew
was born & buried -- in our Way to this place we paʃsed
Mr. Worth's of Worth[4] whos wife committed a faux pas with a
Footman & was packed off -- Mr. W. is a very handsome Man &
has a large fortune & was made very miserable by the miscon-
duct
of his Wife who had several Children -- We also paʃsed the
House at Washfield where Hatfield lived & flourished away for
a Year with a beautiful Wife before he married Mary of Buttermere
& was hanged for franking a Letter -- We paʃsed at a Miles distance
Killerton the Seat of Sir T. Dyke Ackland & saw Sir Stafford Northcotes
place -- The Vale from Tiverton is very fine & at Brickleigh
it begins to expand thro very rich land & forms a wide Valley
with the Ex[5] in the middle of it & the sides of the hills covered



at intervalls with fine Woods -- adjoining every House & Cottage
is an Orchard -- this year wearing a melancholy appearance as there
is great dependance on Apples for Cyder, the great beverage of the
Country -- these Orchards when the Trees are in bloom in the
spring must have a charming Effect as few things equal in
beauty the Apple bloʃsom -- Miʃs Parkin promised me
great pleasure from the prospect from 3 mile hill near
Exeter & said so much that I fancied the imagination was
already satisfied & expected the natural Consequence -- but
my Admiration of the Scene far exceeded all expectation &
I was in raptures -- The View is bounded in various
parts by the horizon at such distance that a further
extent could not gratify the natural sight & the Mind
remains satisfied -- this enchanting Scenery consists
of /an immense extent of the richest Land & the Green
is so thickly interspersed wh- the Yellow that it increases
the gratification by a conviction of the plenty produced
by the Cultivation of so rich a Soil with the bleʃsing
of providence -- the Hills rise to a considerable
heigth & are either clothed wh- fine Woods or cultivated
to their Summits -- on what side soever you look the
Scenery is equally fine -- When we arrived at the Summit
of the hill we looked down upon Exeter & Exmouth & the
Country beyond these places cannot be exceed in beauty
any where -- We got to Exeter at 6 & immediately began
to take a view of the City we saw before it was dark almost
every part -- We went to the Cathedral just at the moment when
they were concluding a Rehearsal for Monday when Catalani is
to sing & we fixed wh- a young Man to play the Organ for us tomorrow --
There is a walk near the the Castle called Northonly[6] -- where there are



several broad Walks midst lofty Elms that conceal the Rays of
the Sun & where several thousands may walk at a time -- here on
a Sunday aʃsemble the whole people of Exeter who are inclined to
walks & there are stationed 2 or 3 bands of Music at different
parts -- You can form no idea of the beauty & luxury of this
place without seeing it -- We dined as soon as it became dark
& in course of time went to bed --
Friday -- This morning I sallied out before my Companion was
up & went to see the House of Correction which has cost an im-
mense
sum -- I measured 600 feet in front & then I went to
the Barracks which are very extensive -- A Cart load of Lime Stone
paʃsed containing a beautiful red Stone striated wh- white that gives
it an appearance of Marble -- After breakfast -- at wch. John Mrs. P.s
youngest Son partook -- a fine boy of 12 -- I did not forget the Schoolboy[7] --
we went to Mr. Leakey to see his pictures -- his portraits are
good & his likeneʃses strong & his Landscapes have great
Merit -- We then went to the Cathedral to hear a little of the
Organ & to inform the young man that we could not stay to day to hear
him -- I saw the Bishop sitting in his magnificent throne & he
saw me -- Parkin ran up to the Organ to make an excuse & the young
Man
took an Oppy during the Chant to give a delicate expreʃsion of
the full Organ which astonished[8] me -- There is a separate Arrang-
ment
of pipes of prodigious thickneʃsdiameter that produces a Sound unex-
ampled
-- We set out for Exmouth & I disputed wh- James that he was going a wrong way
he said he had been repeatedly at Exmouth so I submitted -- when we had proceeded a
mile we met some of his acquaintances who laught at him & set us right, by his wrong
headedneʃs we lost 3 miles -- we came into the right road again at Sir J. Duckworth
at Wear 2 miles fm. Exeter a pretty place -- When Sir J. was on a Voyage he
observed a Pig had fallen into the Sea -- he immeadiately ordered the Ship to wear[9]
the poor pig he cried out will be drown lower a boat directly & take it up -- Some
one unfortunately said the pig belonged to a Midshipman -- Sir J. then said Oh
poor pig must be drowned -- we can't stop the Ship for a pig!!! One day meetg
several poor Women going to his House he asked them where they were going -- They
answered My Lady had ordered them to come for some Broth -- Broth Broth
said the Niggard You shall have no Broth here -- Go about yr- busineʃs -- !!
A Gentn. in the Neighborhood went to dine wh- him -- there was no Hay or Corn for
the horses & after dinner the Meat was put away & Nothing for the Servants



upon this the Servants took the horses to Exeter & when they had fed both parties
they returned in time to take their Master home. who wrote to Sir J. the next
day that he should[10] visit him any more -- The road turned short[11] at the town
of Topsham & we rode thro the town & had great difficulty to keep our horses
the right side upermost & when we got out of this dreadful place we miʃsed
our way again -- We did at last get to Exmouth from whence there is the
finest view of Sea & Land that can be imagined -- the Sea was covered with
Small Craft & acroʃs the River is seen Lord Lisburne's fine place Mamhead
& Powderham Castle -- the Wretch[12] who belongs to it is said to be ------
in America --




Saturday 1 OClock -- I must[13] over all yesterday for this letter -- At 10 we went to
the Cathedral -- as soon as the Bishop saw me he sent by one of the Choiristers
for the Youth who was playing the Organ to come & join in Te Deum Laudamus com-
posed
by Jackson & afterwards he spoke to him previous to his singing an Anthem
Soleas by Kent[14] except the concluding Chorus -- I was perfectly enchanted with
the Anthem -- his Voice is the finest I ever heard & the Organ is reckoned the
grandest in Europe -- the pipes being 2 Inches in Diameter wider than the Organ
at Ulm -- We staid after the Service to hear the beginning of the Rehearsal for
Monday -- The Bishop came in & was very friendly asked me how I liked the Anthems
I said I was delighted he tapped me on the Shoulder & said I shd. be ungrateful if I did
not as he ordered it on purpose as soon as he saw me, I lamented that I could not
hear the full Organ -- he instantly ordered it to be played & the Choir sung that noble

Chorus of the Horse                & his Rider[15] & it was truly mag
nificent
-- We are just setting out on our return
& I am delighted wh. every thing I have seen & heard -- Adieu -- God bleʃs you
                             you must make this out as well as you can -- [16]

Present my dutiful Love to Ly Cecilia & Comps
to Mr. Johnston
[17]

                             1813[18]
                             Single Sheet

To[19]
      Mrs. Dickenson
32      Devonshire Place
                             London[20]

(hover over blue text or annotations for clarification;
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)


Notes


 1. Moved date here from left side of the top of p.1, written vertically in margin.
 2. This dateline (NB. for the letter as a whole) is left stranded within the upside-down writing added subsequently at the top of p.1, with a box drawn around it on three sides and two of the added lines interrupted by the box. The subsequent account, up to the first full paragraph of p.3, actually concerns Thursday 9 September.
 3. Dickenson's repeated spelling Brickleigh appears to be an error for Bickleigh.
 4. The present Worth House is apparently built on the site of the Georgian house. It is located at Lower Washfield, close to Tiverton, about halfway between Oakford and Bickleigh.
 5. River Exe.
 6. A different form is given in HAM/1/2/54, also incorrect: the walk is actually ‘Northernhay’.
 7. Perhaps a reference to the opening line of Blake's poem of that name, ‘I love to rise in a summer morn’.
 8. Short lines above and below the first 3-4 letters of astonished may perhaps represent a sort of crescendo of emphasis.
 9. ‘To come round on the other tack by turning the head away from the wind’ (OED s.v. wear v. 2, 1).
 10. Probable omission of a negative.
 11. ‘Abruptly, suddenly’ (OED s.v. short adj., n. and adv. 5.a. Accessed 26-02-2021).
 12. Dickenson chooses not to name William Courtenay, 9th Earl of Devon, once ‘the most beautiful boy in England’, who spent time in exile in America and France after public revelations in October-December 1784 about a homosexual affair with a relation of Hamilton's, William Beckford. Beckford is mentioned a number of times in The Mary Hamilton Papers before the scandal broke, when he too fled abroad.
 13. A verb such as hurry or pass probably omitted here.
 14. James Kent (1700-1776), organist of Trinity College, Cambridge and Winchester Cathedral.
 15. From Handel's Israel in Egypt (1739).
 16. Moved section of 5 lines here from top of p.1, written upside down.
 17. Moved postscript here from right side of address panel in centre of p.4 when unfolded, written vertically.
 18. Year appears above the address when unfolded.
 19. Postmark 'EXETER 11SE11 1813 17' split to left and right of address panel when unfolded.
 20. Moved address panel here from centre of p.4 when unfolded, written vertically.

Normalised Text




                             Exeter Friday
10 September
I was extremely glad to see the Paynters set off on Account of the
appearance of the oldest as I think he may die very suddenly -- The
younger has an uncommon red face as far as his Eye brows like Mrs
White & is so near sighted that he comes into a room with his Eyes
closed & when he has advanced two or 3 yards his Eye Lids begin to
Twinkle & you can perceive that he has Eyes -- by Candlelight
they have uncommonly brilliancy & look beautiful -- when he came
to breakfast this morning he said his Nose had bled twice yesterday

& this morning he awoke with his Mouth full of blood -- he is a
very clever young Man -- They disappointed us of setting out
to day as they seemed undecided & therefore I could not give a hint
that we were going the same way -- When they went I took my
fishing rod but the water was not in a proper State & then I
went out with my Gun for an hour but could not find ------
Thursday -- The morning was very wet & kept us in suspense
about 12 it cleared & as soon as your 3d. letter arrived we set
out & stopped to feed our horses at Brickleigh where Bamfield
More Cerew was born & buried -- in our Way to this place we passed
Mr. Worth's of Worth whose wife committed a faux pas with a
Footman & was packed off -- Mr. Worth is a very handsome Man &
has a large fortune & was made very miserable by the misconduct
of his Wife who had several Children -- We also passed the
House at Washfield where Hatfield lived & flourished away for
a Year with a beautiful Wife before he married Mary of Buttermere
& was hanged for franking a Letter -- We passed at a Miles distance
Killerton the Seat of Sir Thomas Dyke Ackland & saw Sir Stafford Northcotes
place -- The Vale from Tiverton is very fine & at Brickleigh
it begins to expand through very rich land & forms a wide Valley
with the Ex in the middle of it & the sides of the hills covered



at intervals with fine Woods -- adjoining every House & Cottage
is an Orchard -- this year wearing a melancholy appearance as there
is great dependence on Apples for Cider, the great beverage of the
Country -- these Orchards when the Trees are in bloom in the
spring must have a charming Effect as few things equal in
beauty the Apple blossom -- Miss Parkin promised me
great pleasure from the prospect from 3 mile hill near
Exeter & said so much that I fancied the imagination was
already satisfied & expected the natural Consequence -- but
my Admiration of the Scene far exceeded all expectation &
I was in raptures -- The View is bounded in various
parts by the horizon at such distance that a further
extent could not gratify the natural sight & the Mind
remains satisfied -- this enchanting Scenery consists
of /an immense extent of the richest Land & the Green
is so thickly interspersed with the Yellow that it increases
the gratification by a conviction of the plenty produced
by the Cultivation of so rich a Soil with the blessing
of providence -- the Hills rise to a considerable
height & are either clothed with fine Woods or cultivated
to their Summits -- on what side soever you look the
Scenery is equally fine -- When we arrived at the Summit
of the hill we looked down upon Exeter & Exmouth & the
Country beyond these places cannot be exceeded in beauty
any where -- We got to Exeter at 6 & immediately began
to take a view of the City we saw before it was dark almost
every part -- We went to the Cathedral just at the moment when
they were concluding a Rehearsal for Monday when Catalani is
to sing & we fixed with a young Man to play the Organ for us tomorrow --
There is a walk near the Castle called Northonly -- where there are



several broad Walks midst lofty Elms that conceal the Rays of
the Sun & where several thousands may walk at a time -- here on
a Sunday assemble the whole people of Exeter who are inclined to
walks & there are stationed 2 or 3 bands of Music at different
parts -- You can form no idea of the beauty & luxury of this
place without seeing it -- We dined as soon as it became dark
& in course of time went to bed --
Friday -- This morning I sallied out before my Companion was
up & went to see the House of Correction which has cost an immense
sum -- I measured 600 feet in front & then I went to
the Barracks which are very extensive -- A Cart load of Lime Stone
passed containing a beautiful red Stone striated with white that gives
it an appearance of Marble -- After breakfast -- at which John Mrs. Parkins
youngest Son partook -- a fine boy of 12 -- I did not forget the Schoolboy --
we went to Mr. Leakey to see his pictures -- his portraits are
good & his likenesses strong & his Landscapes have great
Merit -- We then went to the Cathedral to hear a little of the
Organ & to inform the young man that we could not stay to day to hear
him -- I saw the Bishop sitting in his magnificent throne & he
saw me -- Parkin ran up to the Organ to make an excuse & the young
Man took an Opportunity during the Chant to give a delicate expression of
the full Organ which astonished me -- There is a separate Arrangement
of pipes of prodigious diameter that produces a Sound unexampled
-- We set out for Exmouth & I disputed with James that he was going a wrong way
he said he had been repeatedly at Exmouth so I submitted -- when we had proceeded a
mile we met some of his acquaintances who laughed at him & set us right, by his wrong
headedness we lost 3 miles -- we came into the right road again at Sir John Duckworth
at Wear 2 miles from Exeter a pretty place -- When Sir John was on a Voyage he
observed a Pig had fallen into the Sea -- he immediately ordered the Ship to wear
the poor pig he cried out will be drowned lower a boat directly & take it up -- Some
one unfortunately said the pig belonged to a Midshipman -- Sir John then said Oh
poor pig must be drowned -- we can't stop the Ship for a pig!!! One day meeting
several poor Women going to his House he asked them where they were going -- They
answered My Lady had ordered them to come for some Broth -- Broth Broth
said the Niggard You shall have no Broth here -- Go about your business -- !!
A Gentleman in the Neighbourhood went to dine with him -- there was no Hay or Corn for
the horses & after dinner the Meat was put away & Nothing for the Servants



upon this the Servants took the horses to Exeter & when they had fed both parties
they returned in time to take their Master home. who wrote to Sir John the next
day that he should visit him any more -- The road turned short at the town
of Topsham & we rode through the town & had great difficulty to keep our horses
the right side uppermost & when we got out of this dreadful place we missed
our way again -- We did at last get to Exmouth from whence there is the
finest view of Sea & Land that can be imagined -- the Sea was covered with
Small Craft & across the River is seen Lord Lisburne's fine place Mamhead
& Powderham Castle -- the Wretch who belongs to it is said to be ------
in America --




Saturday 1 O'Clock -- I must over all yesterday for this letter -- At 10 we went to
the Cathedral -- as soon as the Bishop saw me he sent by one of the Choristers
for the Youth who was playing the Organ to come & join in Te Deum Laudamus composed
by Jackson & afterwards he spoke to him previous to his singing an Anthem
Soleas by Kent except the concluding Chorus -- I was perfectly enchanted with
the Anthem -- his Voice is the finest I ever heard & the Organ is reckoned the
grandest in Europe -- the pipes being 2 Inches in Diameter wider than the Organ
at Ulm -- We stayed after the Service to hear the beginning of the Rehearsal for
Monday -- The Bishop came in & was very friendly asked me how I liked the Anthems
I said I was delighted he tapped me on the Shoulder & said I should be ungrateful if I did
not as he ordered it on purpose as soon as he saw me, I lamented that I could not
hear the full Organ -- he instantly ordered it to be played & the Choir sang that noble

Chorus of the Horse                & his Rider & it was truly magnificent
-- We are just setting out on our return
& I am delighted with every thing I have seen & heard -- Adieu -- God bless you
                             you must make this out as well as you can --

Present my dutiful Love to Lady Cecilia & Compliments
to Mr. Johnston


                            
                             Single Sheet

To
      Mrs. Dickenson
32      Devonshire Place
                             London

(consult diplomatic text or XML for annotations, deletions, clarifications, persons,
quotations,
spellings, uncorrected forms, split words, abbreviations, formatting)



 1. Moved date here from left side of the top of p.1, written vertically in margin.
 2. This dateline (NB. for the letter as a whole) is left stranded within the upside-down writing added subsequently at the top of p.1, with a box drawn around it on three sides and two of the added lines interrupted by the box. The subsequent account, up to the first full paragraph of p.3, actually concerns Thursday 9 September.
 3. Dickenson's repeated spelling Brickleigh appears to be an error for Bickleigh.
 4. The present Worth House is apparently built on the site of the Georgian house. It is located at Lower Washfield, close to Tiverton, about halfway between Oakford and Bickleigh.
 5. River Exe.
 6. A different form is given in HAM/1/2/54, also incorrect: the walk is actually ‘Northernhay’.
 7. Perhaps a reference to the opening line of Blake's poem of that name, ‘I love to rise in a summer morn’.
 8. Short lines above and below the first 3-4 letters of astonished may perhaps represent a sort of crescendo of emphasis.
 9. ‘To come round on the other tack by turning the head away from the wind’ (OED s.v. wear v. 2, 1).
 10. Probable omission of a negative.
 11. ‘Abruptly, suddenly’ (OED s.v. short adj., n. and adv. 5.a. Accessed 26-02-2021).
 12. Dickenson chooses not to name William Courtenay, 9th Earl of Devon, once ‘the most beautiful boy in England’, who spent time in exile in America and France after public revelations in October-December 1784 about a homosexual affair with a relation of Hamilton's, William Beckford. Beckford is mentioned a number of times in The Mary Hamilton Papers before the scandal broke, when he too fled abroad.
 13. A verb such as hurry or pass probably omitted here.
 14. James Kent (1700-1776), organist of Trinity College, Cambridge and Winchester Cathedral.
 15. From Handel's Israel in Egypt (1739).
 16. Moved section of 5 lines here from top of p.1, written upside down.
 17. Moved postscript here from right side of address panel in centre of p.4 when unfolded, written vertically.
 18. Year appears above the address when unfolded.
 19. Postmark 'EXETER 11SE11 1813 17' split to left and right of address panel when unfolded.
 20. Moved address panel here from centre of p.4 when unfolded, written vertically.

Metadata

Library References

Repository: John Rylands Research Institute and Library, University of Manchester

Archive: Mary Hamilton Papers

Item title: Journal-letter from John Dickenson to Mary Hamilton

Shelfmark: HAM/1/2/48

Correspondence Details

Sender: John Dickenson

Place sent: Exeter

Addressee: Mary Hamilton

Place received: London

Date sent: 11 September 1813

Letter Description

Summary: Journal-letter from John Dickenson to his wife Mary née Hamilton. He provides an account of his time while he was in Oakford, and his journey to Exeter.
    Original reference No. 6.
   

Length: 2 sheets, 1577 words

Transliteration Information

Editorial declaration: First edited in the project 'Image to Text' (David Denison & Nuria Yáñez-Bouza, 2013-2019), now incorporated in the project 'Unlocking the Mary Hamilton Papers' (Hannah Barker, Sophie Coulombeau, David Denison, Tino Oudesluijs, Cassandra Ulph, Christine Wallis & Nuria Yáñez-Bouza, 2019-2023).

All quotation marks are retained in the text and are represented by appropriate Unicode characters. Words split across two lines may have a hyphen on the first, the second or both fragments (reco-|ver, imperfect|-ly, satisfacti-|-on); or a double hyphen (pur=|port, dan|=ger, qua=|=litys); or none (respect|ing). Any point in abbreviations with superscripted letter(s) is placed last, regardless of relative left-right orientation in the original. Thus, Mrs. or Mrs may occur, but M.rs or Mr.s do not.

Acknowledgements: XML version: Research Assistant funding in 2014/15 and 2015/16 provided by the Department of Linguistics and English Language, University of Manchester.

Research assistant: Isabella Formisano, former MA student, University of Manchester

Research assistant: Carla Seabra-Dacosta, MA student, University of Vigo

Transliterator: Isabella Formisano (submitted May 2016)

Cataloguer: Lisa Crawley, Archivist, The John Rylands Library

Cataloguer: John Hodgson, Head of Special Collections, John Rylands Research Institute and Library

Copyright: Transcriptions, notes and TEI/XML © the editors

Revision date: 2 November 2021

Document Image (pdf)