C Y M R A E G

Margaret Williams to Iolo Morganwg, 1 January 1793

(NLW 21283E, Letter 604)


Margaret's unorthodox spelling gives us a taste of her Welsh regional dialect. These colloquialisms, in turn, intensify the poignancy of her letters to Iolo.

Margaret Williams to Iolo Morganwg


1 January 1793


Address: Edwd Williams, Mr Cox, No, 1 Star Court, Chancery Lane, London.

Postmark: obscured

Source: NLW 21283E, no. 604


1 January 1793
Dear Ned,

I am sorry to put you to the expence of two letters one after another. It true you gave at last your consent to sel the land, but I am not the better for I will not shew your letter as it will onley prevent peoble from biding for it. The prise you set on it is what was never giveen in that cunterey. If you will write to me by the firste poste and give your consente for me to sel it, so well as I can with what observations you pleas be sids that may be of survice to me unless it is to late. Every one knows that it is my interest to sel it so well as yours to make the moste of it and none put your self knows of our distres, which is more then I can manidg. Belive the truth, I know not how to find bread for your children a nother week. You could write to Mrs Bowdler after your character was toren to pieces and o hide yours self when you might have had asestance with credit. I suppose Mr Curre did not answar your letter in consequence of his consulting Mr Carne. I think you have bin misrepresented to him and that his pride has bin hurte at your not writeing to him and you have made a bad matter worste, I suppose, in writeing to Mr Curre and not to him. I wish you would make an apology to him and the truth is best, but let it be in such a maner as to convice him you have no desire on his pocket, nor contredict your self as you do to me. I was glad to here that you refused to joyn in bublishing the pamflet you mentioned and nothing never greeved me so much as to discover that you have wrote an ode in favour of Pain's opinion more warme then wise forever, all ways runing from one extreme to the other. Not long ago you prefered death, that is starveing, to writeing any thing of that nature and I was glad to here that now unhappely you have a minde to skeame your self into the good graces of the party. Thay will soon work on your violente pations and convert you to aney thing. For God sake have nothing to say to them leste you should repente to late, but be active in your own bisness and try som friend again that will enable you to returne home withe the pece of minde you left us.

You say providence has not forsaken you. It is saffer for you to truste in him for the futer then in your own skeams. How true it is that evel communication corrupts good manners. Perhaps you may yet for a little time but reflect what will becom of you afterwards, frendless as you des[uve] or supported by such as is likely to be the cause of drenching theyr cuntery with blood soonder then be so. I hope I shall here that your restless spirit is gon to the world of spirits, but I flatter my self that you will still presurve your inosence if it will do nothing for you in this world it will in the next. But to the pointe. Will you sell the land for what I can get for it? If I can keep sold and body to gether till that is don, if I can get assureheses. I ones could had you not triffeled with me. I am sorry to tell you that our situasion will admit of no delay for supporte one way or other and I thought I need not to have tould you so much and whateve we shall suffer in futer will ly at your doer, for I can venter to say that providence has not forsaken me. But you have acted in a very unaccontable manner all things considered. Be speedy in somthing, but do not send me the prese of blood.

If I have your free consent, let it be on the laste page that I may deside it from the rest. Remember now and your private sentiments on the rest. Do not waite for frank, but write by the firste poste. Whether you pay posteage or not no great diferance.

Your comeing to the country now will have a bad effect, but I hope soon to see you and that be fore you are put in confinement. [Y]ou desurve it. I am in poverty & distress, put not in creminality.

Yours affecty,

M. Will., Flimston
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