NRA-L-000014 / 1826

Family letter from Mary Sophia Coates to Thos Lane Esq / Solicitor, 1826-04-19

Private-collection record for a family letter dated 1826-04-19 from Mary Sophia Coates to Thos Lane Esq / Solicitor. Related places: Newport, Isle of Wight?, England, United Kingdom; London, England, United Kingdom. Source language: English.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000014

NRA-L-000014 image 1 showing the address panel, postal marks and exterior annotations for Mary Sophia Coates's letter to Thomas Lane, solicitor, in London.
Image 1Address panel, postal marks and exterior annotations.
NRA-L-000014 image 2 showing the first page of Mary Sophia Coates's letter from Newport, dated 19 April 1826, concerning her children.
Image 2Letter text - Page 1.
NRA-L-000014 image 3 showing the second page, closing, signature and postscript of Mary Sophia Coates's letter from Newport, dated 19 April 1826.
Image 3Letter text - Page 2 and postscript.

Transcript and readable English text

working scholarly aid

Address Panel

Original transcript

Thos Lane Esqr
38 Great James Street
Bedford Row
London
Solicitor

Address Panel

Readable English text

Thos Lane Esqr
38 Great James Street
Bedford Row
London
Solicitor

Letter Text - Page 1

Original transcript

April 19th 1826
Newport.
Sir !
This is the second post paid letter which
I have taken the liberty to address to you during this
last quarter - hoping according to your promise
that you would be pleased to favor me with an
account of the health, welfare, and residence
of my very unfortunate children -
I now beg leave to acquaint you, that on
Monday Morning next (if my daughter is
recovered from her slight indisposition) I shall
make these enquiries in person at your
office, and request you will do me the justice
to see me ,
Have the goodness to explain to Doctor
Coates, that without my children I cannot
live - therefore should they be in France ; we (myself
and child) will follow them - or if in England
state where we may live near them and we will
do so without molesting Dr Coates or teaching
Disobedience to the children -

Letter Text - Page 1

Readable English text

April 19th, 1826
Newport.
Sir!
This is the second post-paid letter which I have taken the liberty to address to you during this last quarter—hoping according to your promise that you would be pleased to favor me with an account of the health, welfare, and residence of my very unfortunate children.
I now beg leave to acquaint you, that on Monday Morning next (if my daughter is recovered from her slight indisposition) I shall make these enquiries in person at your office, and request you will do me the justice to see me.
Have the goodness to explain to Doctor Coates, that without my children I cannot live—therefore should they be in France; we (myself and child) will follow them—or if in England state where we may live near them and we will do so without molesting Dr Coates or teaching Disobedience to the children.

Letter Text - Page 2

Original transcript

I believe I can now guess how powerful
my opposers are & how futile, the efforts of any
real friends, (even if I have such,) to assist me!
You, too, Sir, have most unfaithfully broken
your voluntary promise to me! —
If Dr Coates is in "trouble, sorrow, need,
sickness, or any other adversity" - I am ready &
willing to perform my duty to him and my children
for which purpose I shall seek them! —
I am too anxious for my children's safety
in this just now, to [frame?] any other apology to
you, as their God father, for the present
occupation of your "time" —
I am Sir
Your Obt Servt
Mary Sophia Coates -
I have (as you will perceive) taken some
trouble to write as "clearly" as I can. that you
may not again be offended —

Letter Text - Page 2

Readable English text

I believe I can now guess how powerful my opposers are & how futile the efforts of any real friends, (even if I have such,) to assist me!
You, too, Sir, have most unfaithfully broken your voluntary promise to me!—
If Dr Coates is in "trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity"—I am ready & willing to perform my duty to him and my children for which purpose I shall seek them!—
I am too anxious for my children's safety in this just now, to [frame?] any other apology to you, as their God father, for the present occupation of your "time"—
I am Sir
Your Obt Servt
Mary Sophia Coates
I have (as you will perceive) taken some trouble to write as "clearly" as I can, that you may not again be offended—

Notes

Uncertain reading: The word transcribed as [frame?] remains uncertain. Liturgical quotation: The phrase "trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity" echoes the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. Abbreviation: "Obt Servt" means "Obedient Servant".

Discovery Terms

  • Historical correspondence
  • Private collection
  • Family letter
  • English language