[Letter from Ann Upshur Eyre to her sister, Elizabeth Upshur Teackle, November 1, 1817]

November 1^st, 1817

My dear Betsey

You are pretty much like myself, I think in your eternal necessity for bustling. My occupations of this kind seem to gain upon me the more I do. Something like Penelope's web, forever doing and undoing, so that if you wait to put a finish to an endless job, I shall expect to meet you in millennium, instead of Eyre Hall in three weeks. You so often promise and so often disappoint, dare I believe or anticipate the joy of seeing you, Littn., and sweet Elizabeth. Often as you have cheated me, why am I such a goose as to trust you still? Tis like Kilmallocks¹ love for the pleasure of the pain.

I am concern'd you should again have had your pleasure and comfort mar'd by indisposition in your visit to the city. The agony you seemed to suffer on your daughter's account was quite enough without catching the complaint yourself. I hear from various sources your excessive maternal solicitude. Our best affections require regulation, or they degenerate into weaknesses, which rather procure for us misery than heart felt satisfaction. I have felt this truth in the heyday of my ardent feelings. You must then

love this good little girl as much as a [torn page] mother accepts to love so excellent and affec[tionate] a daughter. But our religion forbids us to worship earthly idols. The accounts from Norfolk of poor Betsey Upshur's state as been truly distressing to her friends here. The last advices to us were slipt into a letter from Mrs. Taylor to us. I enclose it. I suppose her mother is duly informed of her situation. Abel has, I understand, written to request Juliet or Leah to go to his assistance, but I have not heard whether they have gone.

Our friends have all returned in fine health and much charmed with their trip. The young ladies have been spending several days with me, and they have amused me very much with their accounting adventures.

It is probable if you do not make us such a flying trip as usual, you will see that long wished for raree shew² Gen^l Taylor. Mr. E expects him over to hunt bucks in the neck after the fourth Monday in the present month which is the period of one of his courts. Ann Upshur is also expecting her mother, sisters, and some of her brothers about the 20^th. She and Arthur are very busy preparing for them. They are all in good health. The children have entirely escaped

[torn page] fall. I think his place must be unusually healthy. If judging from the better health of his family than any of his neighbours.

I am much obliged to you for attending to my memorandum concerning the shoes. If you should have a good opportunity before you come, I will thank you to send them. If I should have to entertain any strangers in the meanwhile I have scarcely a decent pair to wear. Mr J C Wilson is expected here every day by his brother. If he will take charge of them, I dare say he might be trusted [torn page] even so valuable a mark of confidence. Elizabeth, I hope will be much pleased with the young ladies of her own age that she will meet in N-. Miss Stratton is a charming girl and has been much admired I hear in her late excursion. Poor Mr. N, you will probably see also as he wrote us he was coming over "Richard being himself again," he wishes to renew the former ties among his friends. He says "ten months here spinkled a comfortable phylosophy upon his heart," which has moderated its ardours, and left him at ease to endulge friendship." Present us affectionatley to Mrs. Dennis and her children with