Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

I wrote two or three lines to my cousin, by Mr. Hassle, and at the bottom of that shred of paper from you two lines to you, and expected two or three words with my cousin’s letter this last post, but suppose you had written by the carrier. Remember what I advised you, to be always employed in some lawful employment or other; sometimes in hearing good sermons, wherein you will have many opportunities; sometimes in attending my cousin at the Hall, and helping to lift or remove cloth, or any such thing wherein you can be useful or serviceable; sometimes in writing or drawing prospects (which will be a pleasant and innocent recreation), as that of the Monument, or of Bedlam, which might be taken very well in the middle of Moorfields; and I would have you, in a little book, which you may either buy or make of two or three sheets of paper, take a little journal of any thing remarkable every day, principally as to yourself, as, suppose, Aug. 2. I was at such a place; (or) I omitted such a duty; (or) such a one preached from such a text, and my heart was touched; (or) I was a negligent hearer, (or) otherwise, etc. I have thought this a good method for one to keep a good tolerable decorum in actions, etc. because he is to be accountable to himself as well as to God, which we are too apt to forget: but I have not room to say much.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations:

• ER: East Riding
• GM: Greater Manchester
• NR: North Riding
• NY: North Yorkshire
• SY: South Yorkshire
• WR: West Riding
• WY: West Yorkshire

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Original

Son Ralph,

I wrote two or three lines to my cousin, by Mr. Hassle, and at the bottom of that shred of paper from you two lines to you, and expected two or three words with my cousin’s letter this last post, but suppose you had written by the carrier. Remember what I advised you, to be always employed in some lawful employment or other; sometimes in hearing good sermons, wherein you will have many opportunities; sometimes in attending my cousin at the Hall, and helping to lift or remove cloth, or any such thing wherein you can be useful or serviceable; sometimes in writing or drawing prospects (which will be a pleasant and innocent recreation), as that of the Monument, or of Bedlam, which might be taken very well in the middle of Moorfields; and I would have you, in a little book, which you may either buy or make of two or three sheets of paper, take a little journal of any thing remarkable every day, principally as to yourself, as, suppose, Aug. 2. I was at such a place; (or) I omitted such a duty; (or) such a one preached from such a text, and my heart was touched; (or) I was a negligent hearer, (or) otherwise, etc. I have thought this a good method for one to keep a good tolerable decorum in actions, etc. because he is to be accountable to himself as well as to God, which we are too apt to forget: but I have not room to say much. Remember me to all the good family where you are, and to Mr. Thomas Dickenson, and with my love to and prayers for yourself, I am

Your truly loving father,

John Thoresby

297 words.

Tags

Tags are assigned inclusively on the basis of an entry’s original text and any comment. You may find this confusing if you only read an entry excerpt.

• Diary (4) ·
• 📌Leeds (235) ·
• London (74) ·
• Thoresby, John (?-1679) (1), officer under Fairfax in the Civil Wars, father of Ralph Thoresby ·
• Thoresby, Ralph (1658-1725) (11), Leeds-born antiquarian and its first historian, non-conformist, merchant, fellow of the Royal Society, diarist, author, common-councilman in the Corporation of Leeds, museum keeper ·

All tags.

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