as my Own, And if the Advantages of a Liberall Education, some Knowledge and as much contempt of the world Join'd with the Endeavours towards a life of Strict Vertue and Religion, can qualifie Me to raise new Ideas in a breast so well dispos'd as Yours is, our days will passe away with Joy, and old Age instead of introducing melancholy prospects of decay, give us hope of Eternall Youth in a better life. I have but few minutes from the duty of my Employment to write in, and without time to read over what I have Writ, therefore beseech You to pardon the first hints of my mind which I have express'd in so little order.

I am, Dearest Creature,

Y' Most Obedient Most devoted Sernt

RICH STEELE.

Coleridge, we are told,1 "dwelt with much unction on the curious and instructive letters of Steele to his wife; and with much approval on the manliness with which, in the first letters, he addressed the lady to whom he was afterwards united."

Next we have a letter from Mrs. Mary Scurlock to her mother, addressed, "This-For Mrs. Scurlock, at her Lodgings in Carmarthen, South Wales," telling of the engagement with Steele. It is evident at once that Mary Scurlock was somewhat imperious and haughty. At the head of the letter some one has written "Aug. 1707," and the letter is endorsed, "Aug. 16, 1707;" the postmark, too, is clearly "16." The cousin Betty 2 was the daughter of Mary Scurlock's uncle John.

DEAR MADAM,

By a Letter I had from Coz. betty Scurlock I find youre resolv'd to Winter in Wales, wch is ye Cause of ys Speed in my Writing having kept a Secret from you through fear yt a Letter might (by y usual Impertinent Curiosity of people) make a discovery of wt is proper for y' own Ear only & not to divert any in yt tatleing place Where yt wretched impudence H. O. resorts who (Lest wee shou'd think god had not Wholy forsaken him) had y boldness to send me a Letter wch I had ye very last post. I tore it without once reading it he being beneath my scornfull Laugh.

1 Allsop's Letters, Conversations, and Recollections of S. T. Coleridge, 3rd edition (1864), p. 97.

2 After her marriage with William Bevan she had to come to her father for money.

VOL. I.

M

But the matter in hand is this. your frequent declarations of y' Earnest Wishes that I might happily please you in oblidging my self by my Choise of a Companion for Life, has Embolden'd me now fate has put it in my power to give so far encouragement as to promise Speedy Marriage upon Condition of y' Consent wch I dont question having W" I tell you I not only make use of y° Most Weighing Consideration I'm Mistress of but also hope my inclination is ye direction of providence, whose guidance in every particular of y3 nice affair More perticularly I Cease not to implore Continually. I Cant recomend y° person to y" as having a great Estate, Title, &c., wch are generally a parants Chief Care, but he has a Competency in worldly goods to make easie, wth a mind so richly adorn'd as to Exceed an Equivalent to ye greatest Estate in yo World in my opinion, in short his person is wt I like, his temper is wt I'm sure will make you as well as myself perfectly happy, if y° respect of a Lover with ye tender fondness of a dutyfull Son can make y" so, & for his understanding & Morals I refer y" to his Christian Hero wch I remember y" seem'd to approve, by this I believe y“ know his name, but least memory maint befriend me, tis y survivour of y person to Whose funerale I went to in my illness. Enquiries about him any farther yn I've made are altogether needless for I am fully satisfi'd & dont question but yu be so W business will permitt y" to be an Eye Wittness & pertaker of my happiness. in ye Mean time wt I desire is y' Consent & blessing to my putting it out of my power to delay & so perhaps to Loose my first & only inclination; for I shall never meet with a prospect of happiness if y" shou'd vanish. You doubtless wonder at yo assurance of my Stile, for realy I do my self but y" if y" Consider y necessity of it, 'twill paliate y boldness. for first, ye distance between us is so great yt y° Speediest answar to a letter terminates an Age of days, yn y Constant Visits, in ye form fitt for a Lover Make a Mighty noise in an idle prying Neiberhood, so will Cause yo uneasiness of an Endless nine-days Wonder as they Call it, but yo main Matter of all, since fate I belive has ordain'd him Mine, is his neglect of business wch his Coming in ye Manner he dose must Cause. these Considerations wth Several More w" known, tho now too tedious to Write, Will I hope Lessen y Censure this Comprehensive Letter may at first Sight Cause.

theres nothing I shou'd more desire y" y' presence at yo giving my hand wth yt part of my heart you Can Spare, but yo Misfortune of y Lameness if y" were here Wou'd deny Me yt happiness unless publick doings were intended, wch is wt I abhor, insomuch if y" Con

sent to my Changing y° Name of Lover for husband, it shant be in y power of y° town to more yn guess there may be such a thing, until y Affairs will permitt you to Come & be a witness to our Manner of Living & appearing in ye [world, which God Almighty direct us in ye Way of, & also1 this Letter to your dutyfull Molly... there being no room for Long Consideration . . . understood.

I am able to throw very unexpected light upon Mary Scurlock's relations with the "H. O.," of whose addresses she here speaks so indignantly. Mr. Rodman, of Somerset House, has kindly pointed out to me that in 1704 Henry Owen, Esq., of the parish of St. James, Westminster, brought a suit in the Consistorial Court of London against Mary Scurlock for breach of Contract of Marriage. The proceedings began on the 18th February 170, when the promoter's proctor returned the mandate to the Court, and an appearance was put in in response. On the 4th March the libel was prayed for by the respondent, and given; and on the 10th March the libel was admitted, and an appointment made for taking the answers; the judge decreeing a compulsory process against persons whose evidence might be required, and who might be unwilling to appear. I give an abstract of the Libel and the Answer.

2

The Libel stated-(1.) That in 1700, 1701, 1702, and more particularly in 1704, Henry Owen and Mary Scurlock were free from all matrimonial contracts, he being at that time and still being a widower, and she a spinster; and that they often treated of a marriage between them, as is public and notorious. (2.) That in 1703 they, having known each other for several years, became more particularly acquainted, and often frequented each other's company in Wales, at the Bath, &c., and in London. (3.) That he courted her, and she did not refuse, but in divers ways encouraged him. (4.) That while they were lodging in the same house in St. James's parish he became very much indisposed, and made a will, leaving a considerable estate to her; this will he gave sealed to her mother, who gave it to her daughter, who, by opening the cover or otherwise, found what he had be

1 The original MS. is here torn.

2 Consistorial Court of London, "Libels" (1704), 351 (Somerset House).

queathed. On his recovery he renewed his addresses, which were received with favour. (5.) That she accepted presents, some of value, and gave him presents in return; she also admitted him to her bed-chamber at twelve at night and other late hours, and declared to several persons her affection for him, saying that she would let him embrace her, and that they might tell this to another person who was supposed to be courting her. (6.) That in November, December, and January 1703 [O.S.], they, being in the same lodgings, frequently dined and supped together, and visited friends, and were often alone together for hours, early and late. (7.) That she would often resort to his bed-chamber, where they discussed plans for their future married life. (8.) That she freely agreed to enter into a marriage contract in the terms he might think most binding; and that about January 1703[-4] they contracted themselves in marriage, using the words from the Book of Common Prayer, and he put a silver ring on her finger, which she readily accepted, and they embraced. (9.) That she wore the ring for a considerable time, confessing that she received it from him, and the contract they had entered into; but that when it came to her mother's knowledge, Mary, by her mother's direction, threw the ring into the fire, and said that there was an end of the contract. (10.) That she, being sensible that the contract was really valid and obligatory, endeavoured to prevail with him not to insist upon it. (II.) That he was a barrister-at-law and J.P. in County Carmarthen, and had an estate of at least £500 a year, and was 30, 35, or 40 years of age at the most. (12.) That Mary Scurlock was and is within the jurisdiction of this Court.

This was, put briefly, the Personal Answer made by Mary Scurlock. She had known the promoter fourteen or fifteen years, they being of the same country, and she and her mother having several times lodged in the same house with him; they associated together in Bath, &c., and in London, but she had not been in Wales for the last four years. She said that for some years past, and particularly in 1703, Owen made his addresses to her mother in the way of marriage, and that he 1 Consistorial Court of London, "Answers" (1704), 33.