Cross-written letter from Prudence Nightingale (nee Hackworth), Albion House, Penrith to Jane Young (nee Hackworth)

My precious girl,

I was agreeably surprised on Tuesday last to recieve your very neat, kind communication. I certainly did not expect to be so favoured before the latter end of the week. The happy strains that ran through your entire letter very greatly pleased me. I am glad to hear that you are likely to spend Easter Sunday at Mrs Clerdon’s and shall be obliged if you will present my respectful regards to Mrs C. and say we all feel indebted to her for the kindness she has shewed you and I really wish Mr. Reynolds may visit Vilvorde during your Easter holidays but fear from what he said in his last note that it will be later on in the month. Should he however, and visit any of the places in the accompanying list and would kindly allow you to join him and his daughter in their excursions thither, I trust you will not fail to see all you can, at any rate I should like you to take a trip to Antwerp before you resume your studies even if you go alone, that is if the weather is propitgoux [?], if you should like so to do and see the cathedral (whose spire is the highest in Europe) in which is Rubens’ masterpiece “The Descent from the Cross”. I should dearly love to feast my eyes on this far famed painting. We are all anxious that you should have a little recreation this Easter and think at your age you may learn as much from objects (not languages) as from books. A day in Brussels devoted to sightseeing and calling upon Mrs Marguels would, I am sure, be agreeable to you and the knowledge of the fact of you spending a day equally so to us. By the by Mr Shearman knows and admires that lady, Mrs M, and desired you will present his kind rememberances to her and her husband when you next see them. I am amused to find how soon you heard that a parcel had been sent to you. I am afraid you will be disappointed when you recieve it as its contents are of such a trifling nature. Do not my dear girl forget to inquire if any duty had to be paid for it. Mr B has proved himself a true gentleman in the politeness he has manifested over it. In his last letter he said it was so small that if we choose to forward another one four times its size he should be happy to take it for you. Give my regards to Misses Reynolds and Newton and say I feel quite interested in them and hope you are initially comforted in each other. I shall write to Madame soon, if you wish me to name anything, it will be my pleasure so to do.

Ere your return home I should like you to visit Spa (near Liege), the most celebrated mineral watering place on the continent. In fact you must consult your pleasure and extend your acquaintances with places as much as possible. I have no idea of working you to death in a schoolroom. You may never see the continent again after you leave it and, therefore, I consider it desireable for you to see it all you can. I shall tell Madame what are our wishes on the subject. I am most heartily ashamed of this disgraceful scrawl and humbly crave pardon for it. I write in great haste and should not have written at all this week but feared as this is the day for me writing that you might imagine something was amiss if you did not hear from me on Wednesday. I certainly desired sister Holmes to say in her note of the first instant that you must not expect to hear from me until Easter week but I think she may have forgotten to deliver my message. We had our Missionary Sermons preached yesterday by Mr. Steward of Glasgow. The meeting is to be held on Wednesday. The Rev. Mr Selvers is to be our guest. I am literally over head and ears in cooking and confectionary operations. We shall have three separate parties on Wednesday to dinner, tea and supper and on the following day all the day pupils and our other young friends in the town and the vicinity will take tea and supper with us, so you may judge whether or not I shall be busy. I wish you could have been with us. On the Thursday evening we shall have dancing and masquing for our chef amusements. I have really been very gay during the last fortnight, out for tea and supper every evening (nearly) and have given two or three small parties. You are very much missed by all our friends wherever I go, and innumerable kind messages are daily given me for you. We close school at noon on Wednesday and open on the 14th instant. Misses Smith, Davis etc. etc. join me in warmest love to you. Entreating your forgiveness for this scribble, I remain my precious girl your devoted sister
Pru
Penrith April 5th/52