The Watsons (1): Diplomatic Display New York Morgan Library & Museum, MS. MA 1034
The first winter assembly inof the Town of L L —D.1 –in Suſsexrry2 was to be held on Tuesday Octr .October yethe 13th, & it was was generally expected to be a very good one; a long list of Country Families was confidently run over as sure of
attending, & sanguine hopeswere entertained that the Osbornes
themselves would be there. —The Edwardes' invitation to
the Watsons followed of course. The Edward'swere people of fortune who
lived in the Town & kept their Coach; the Watsons inhabited a village about 3 miles distant,
were poor & had no close carriage; & ever since there had been
Balls in the place, the former hadwere accustomed to invite the Latter
to dreſsdine & sleep at their House, for on every monthly return throughout the winter. — On the presentoccasion, as only two of
Mr . W'sWatson's children were at home, & one was always neceſsary to him as one only of the Family f in Stanton Parsonage could
profit bycompanion to himself, for he was
sickly & had lost his wife 3 one only could profit by the kindness of their friends; Miſs Emma Watson was to make her first who was very recently
returned to her family from the care of an Aunt who had public appearance in the Neighbourhood; &
Miſs Watson drove herbrought her up
was to make her first public appearance in the neighbourhood – &her eldest
Sister, whose delight in a Ball was not leſsened by a ten
years Engage Enjoyment4, had & all her finery in the old Chair to D. on
the important morning of the some merit in
chearfully her eldest Sister
who had kindly undertookaking 5 to drive her & all her finery in Ball; without being able to stay & share
the pleasure herself, because the old Chair
to D. on the important morng .morning––– her Father who was an Invalid could not be left to spend the Eveng .Evening alone
Footnotes
- 1.
- JA appears to have named the town 'L —', deleted the 'L', reinserted an 'L', and altered it to 'D'. Back to context...
- 2.
- 'Sussex' altered to 'Surry' by writing 'rry' over 'ssex'. Back to context...
- 3.
- Caret deleted. Back to context...
- 4.
- 'Enjoy' written over previous word, possibly 'Engage'. Back to context...
- 5.
- 'undertook' altered to 'undertaking' by writing 'aking' over 'ook'. Back to context...