Sancho, Charles Ignatius (1729-1780)

Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, An African

London

Printed by J. Nichols

1782

"Your infants growing--with the roseate bloom of health--minds cultured by their father--expanding daily in every improvement--blest little souls!--and happy--happy parents!"

[...] Mrs. Sancho and her virgins are so, so--Mrs. Sancho--the virgins--well as youth and innocence--souls void of care and consciences of offence can be.--Dame Sancho would be better if she cared less.--I am her barometer--if a sigh escapes me, it is answered by a tear in her eye;--I oft assume a gaiety to illume her dear sensibility with a smile --which twenty years ago almost bewitched me;--and mark!--after twenty years enjoyment--constitutes my highest pleasure!--Such be your lot--with a competency--such as will make oeconomy a pleasant acquaintance--temperance and exercise your chief physician--and the virtues of benevolence your daily employ--your pleasure and reward;--and what more can friendship wish you?--but to glide down the stream of time--blest with a partner of congenial principles, and fine feelings--true feminine eloquence--whose very looks speak tenderness and sentiment.--Your infants growing--with the roseate bloom of health--minds cultured by their father--expanding daily in every improvement--blest little souls!--and happy--happy parents!--such be thy lot in life--in marriage;--but take a virgin--or a maiden--to thy arms;--but--be that as thy fate wills it.--Now for news.--Two hours ago (in tolerable health and cheary spirits) considering his journey not so fatigued as might be expected --followed by four superb carriages--their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Dutchess of Gloucester arrived in town. As to America, if you know any thing at Hull, you know more than is known in London.--Samuel Foote, Esq; is dead--a leg was buried some years since--and now the whole foote follows.--I think you love a pun.--Colman is the gainer, as he covenanted to give him 16001. per annum, for his patent;--in short, Colman is happy in the bargain--and I trust Foote is no loser.--I have seen poor Mr. de Groote but once--and then could not attend to speak with him--as I had customers in the shop.--I waited by appointment for Mr.----, to get your honor's address--and then three weeks before I could get the franks--a fortnight since for Mr.---- writing to you--I call this a string of beggarly apologies.--I told M---- you expected a line from him--be wanted faith.--I made him read your letter--and what then? "truly he was not capable--he had no classical education--you write with elegance----ease----propriety."----Tut, quoth I, pr'ythee give not the reins to pride--write as I do--just the effusions of a warm though foolish heart:--friendship will cast a veil of kindness over thy blunders--they will be accepted with a complacent smile--and read with the same eye of kindness--which indulges now the errors of his sincere friend,
(I.liii, pp. 157-60)

Plant::Culturation

Reading

Five entries in ESTC (1782, 1783, 1784). [Second edition in 1783, third in 1784.]

See Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, An African. In Two Volumes. To Which Are Prefixed, Memoirs of His Life (London: Printed by J. Nichols, 1782). <Link to text from Documenting the American South at UNC>

Reading Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, ed. Vincent Carretta (New York: Penguin, 1998).

07/11/2013