[1]I fear her strength will give way when the excitement of grief abates –Hitherto ever since the death, she has been busy about him & his wishes & so on & has had all her children about her — Of Lady Gurney[2] I know at first only that she is calm. They were married 48 years & were still married lovers- But excuse my talking to thee of persons you only know by name.
I am now every moment expecting to hear of the death of a dear youth whom everybody that knows him loves, his age 17 who with a sister of his has been for a fortnight hanging between life and death her & his complaint ^is> measles followed by his fever
His parents are dear friends of mine & they are rarely out of my thoughts — The dear girl may recover but the boy, the mother’s darling & her eldest boy is, I as I dread to hear, dying or dead! –
I hope & trust you are all as well as I wish you to be-
Ever dear Lady
Truly & affecly thine
Amelia Opie
Source: King and Pierce
Address: None
Postmark: None
[1] Based on context, this letter possibly references the death of Sir John Gurney, placing the date of the letter in 1845. John Gurney (1768-1845). See J. A. Hamilton. “Gurney, Sir John (1768-1845).” Rev. Catherine Pease-Watkin. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, 2004. Web. 6 Aug. 2013.
[2] Likely Lady Maria Gurney née Hawes. See J. A. Hamilton. “Gurney, Sir John (1768-1845).” Rev. Catherine Pease-Watkin. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, 2004. Web. 6 Aug. 2013.
The Amelia Alderson Opie Archive 