Nano Nagle writing to Miss Fitzsimons

UCB/04282 Corke may 13 yr 1770

Dear Miss

I am glad to profit of any oppertunity to assure you, how pleasing its to me, to acquaint you with any thing I thought wou’d be agreeable to you, and as I am serten will be to hear that I hope we have got a very desirable subject in the young lady I mention’d to you some time agoe, recommend’d by Mr Austen, I wish I cou’d transmit to you that part of his letter in respect of her, that he wrote to Mr doran as it was not convenient to give it me, I shall give you a full account of her, and some conjectures of my owne in her regard, as you may be surpriz’d I shou’d not have insist’d, on a better fortune, if you did not now how matters stand, I have done nothing in it only with the approbation of our worthy friend, and his uncle, her father will give only two hundred pd to the house, he is to pay fifteen pd a year in terest on it, while she lives, he is to give her a pen sion for herself, that he does not choose to name

{Left} at present, his indignation I believe is so great against her, for being an Nun, he offers her two thousand pd if she will marry, her inclination, I find was to go to the same convent, where she was broath up in, he wou’d not consent to it, as he says there is a probability in france they may Demolish all they monasteries. He consented she shou’d go to Flanders and Liege was the place he chose for her I suppose being under an ecclisiastec prince, he thought it wou’d long’r subsist, all these objections mead her determine, I beleave, on taking on here, and says she is greatly plais’d to amonge them that has been educat’d in france, when he gave her leave to come here, he desir’d she shou’d leave Dublin, in July and goe to a convent in gallway, to remain till things are fixt here, I have beg she shou’d come here, and stay with me in first plase she cou’d be of great servise, and it wou’d be a great comford to me to have her, and its thought more advisable for many reasons, by his odd manner of acting in her regard, at least I imagine he dose not see her, so as the footing I request is put on being less expense for her going to gallway than coming from thence wou’d cost him more, if he thought it wou’d be agreeable to her, I dare say he wou’d let her come, I fancy youlle admire to hear she is his only child and I believe the same we mention’d to you about too years agoe, as every thing corroborates with what I hard then, only her being so very young as they told me she, was, if its the same the father is a very relegeous man, and has mead a very good fortune, and retir’d from business lives in the country, there is a great apperence beside her wealth she will be of vast servise to the house, her name I dont now, she has had a mind to be an nun, since a child is mighty devout nobody can write better than she dose, or better orthography this what Mr Austen mentions of her, in his last letter when he first speak, of her he said she had great talants, providence has order’d every thing for the best, in her regard to keep her for this place, me mortified

{Right} it mortified me that she did not join you, and had she I am sure she wou’d have met with the same feat that others did: Even Mr Austen heard so much to the prejudice of this foundation, that I believe he did not indever as much to prevail on her as he wou’d had he known how matters were, ever since Mr halloran has being here who was inform’d of the truth of every thing, nobody can interest him self more than he dose for its success; we must think the almighty permits every thing for the best, youlle see with his assistance every thing promises well and his divine hand will uphold us in getting your former mistress the house she is [in] in my opinion bring a judgment on them if they hinder her, from being the mains of saving so many souls, Mr Moylan desir’d me to assure you of his most affectionate compliment he is so hurri’d that he has hardly time to eat his meals, since the jubilee he attempted several times to try to get and hour to sit down to write to you it was in vain it mortifies him he cant, as I dont know any body he has a higher esteem for: his health is so much impair’d since this great fatigue that he told me him self yesterday as he cou’d [?] to [?] any ease here to relieve on your account his friend with [?] [?] afread it wou’d have now weight with him self [?] if it was not in regard of this foundation, he thinks you wou’d chuse to finish your noviceship there and as soon as leave is got for that other lady to come away immediately [?] [?], he expects his sister every moment and will have time to write to you and to the superior at the same time as the jubilee will be soon over, I was surpriz’d when he ask’d me if I wrote to the Mistress of novices I never did I know I ought have done it and to [?] not [?] writing the French prevent’d me, as I am very unfond of being trouble some to persons that have not time to spare, and I could not entrust any body else, I hope your fortitude will bring you true all crosses and put a happy conclusion to this foundation and never be discourag’d from, chusing any young lady you think proper, I have often being asham’d for fear you would have thought I was any way flattering you with the success of it I met so many disappointments and that very young lady I now mention, I was sorry that we ever spoke of her to you, tho we were sure of her when we did, and afterwards she was resolv’d to goe to france you see

you and they injoy as I wish you may alway perfect good, it gives me a vast Dale of trouble, to find them too young lady that wan to learn, can have now advantage if it cou’d be permit’d them to have any body to teach, them any thing you thought wou’d be hereafter an advange to the house, dont spear any expence youlle be best judge in that and ever thing else in there regards they are happy to have a person of your good sense to direct them, and can with truth say you are under God the chief support of this good work, which I flatter my self you will see prosper far beyond what wan has a right to expect in such a country as this I am my Dear Miss your most affctn friend Nano Nagle

{Vertical text} Madmoiselle Fitzsimons au monastere des dames Ursulines rue St. Jacques post paid [?] Paris

we have got her back again: and if Miss smith is not enter’d into any other convent, Mr Moylan think he will prevail on her to come, here I sincerely wish he may. I beg youlle be so good as to present my compliments, to the superior your mistress and your former wan who I love and reverence, and Mr Fitzsimons my best wish’s attend the young ladies, all the family of Barry Court are in perfect healths, and Miss Nagle family are also very well I hope