Courtesy of the Suffolk Records Office! Selena found out about it a while back when reading the Lucy Worsley book, and I tried to order it then, but the new SRO website wasn't set up for orders yet. Last week it was, and so here we go!
A Character of Lady Mary Hervey drawn by herself At Ickworth the 20th of January 1744
Although it is an opinion generally received that one does not thoroughly know oneself, I do not believe it. We conceal our faults from others, therefore it is believed; At least it sall be seen if I thoroughly know myself. For once in my life, I will humble myself (which I will not often do when I can avoid it) by saying what I know of myself.
I am little, but there are many less. I am strait, the shoulders low, the waist round and slender, tho' I am gracefull, the neck long, the throat frightfull, the head too large, the face flat, the complexion is the best thing I have, and that none of the finest but there is white and red ,the nose ugly, large at the end with round nostrils the mouth neither large or small, ugly or pretty, the teeth very strong, not of a brilliant white, but well enough and even, the gums flat and pale, the forehead ugly, large and too high, the eyes not very small, well enough made and placed, grey, yet soft and sprightly, as to my hair it has nothing to make it tolerable, it grows badly, not thick and of a pale and ugly brown. I have three moles, one on the forehead & two on one cheek, they become me. Thus much for my person, I shall only say that I love neatness very much, and that I affect an air of grandeur, which does not suit my stature and makes me appear haughty and disdainfull: I had forgot my eyebrows. Observe that they are not very handsome, but well enough and set off my face.
I am not silly, tho' it may sometimes be believed I am, but I have not one grain of solidity or judgmnet. I am too apt to believe the professions of friendship that are made to me, which makes me inclinable to love than hate, this proceeds not from a good heart but a weak mind. I am naturally gay and delighted with every thing, unless I have something to afflict me, in which case I have no moderation, and believe there is no person so unhappy as myself. I love people of spirit. Raillery is a very great pleasure to me, but I don't love those who slander every body and every thing that is done. I like better that they ridicule in general, than particular persons, to' the latter diverts me very much, at the same time that I feel some remorse for being so much pleased with it, and yet would not silence them if I could, nor be silent myself. This is another sign of weakness, also when I see any one much more ridiculous than the generality of mindkind, I cannot help laughing in their face. I detest lying, as well because it is mean and file, as because it is a crime. I am proud to the last degree, nothing equals it but my ambition, which is boundless, there is nothing so ridiculous or impossible in the world but that I have thought of to satisfy the one and the other. I shall find it a great misfortune to be so ambitious as I am, as there is no likelyhood I shall ever be able to satisfy it (it not being easy so to do) if it is not that I value myself for having such high thoughts, and sometimes I think myself almost worthy to be what I desire, because I cannot be satisfied with less. I greatly love pomp, magnificence of all sorts and ornament, but respect much more than anything else, as I think they can never shew me too much. I very much love persons who show me respect, but no one shews me enough, because they do not treat me with more than others of the same quality. I diverty myself very well when alone, and am never tired of myself. I am very passionate but don't let it appear. I find it beneath me, not to be able to disguise it. I am easily chagrined, which sometimes makes me suffer very much, whe nI am in an ill humour. I do not shew it, but if ever it is perceived that I answer only by monosyllables, be assured that I am the Devil within. I can disguise myself without much pain, I am bashfull, idle and fearfull. I love sleep, but upon occasion can sit up all night, or get up before it is day. When I am at home I amloth to leave my chair [to go] awalking, but when once I have begun, I like it very well, and am not easily tired, provided I walk slowly. Above all I like extremely to view the country. I never go out on horseback I am afraid. I had rather make use of a coach than my feet. I am very curious and awkward. I dance badly, write badly, know not how to play at cards or do any work. I love Musick infinitely. I mortally hate children and am uneasy when they are in the room and they also hate me in their turn. There is no difficulty I cannot surmount to please those I love. I am not ungrateful, it is a vice I detest. I had rather be hated than despised, it is the effect of my pride. I have a very bad memory for want of sufficient application. I love novels better than history. Geometry and astronomy please me infinitely. When I take an aversion to any one, I have an incredible desire to affront them.
Commentary-less for now because I have to get to work, but it was fascinating, and I can't wait to see what selenak has to say!
Transcription notes: the third page has some holes in the page, so I took my best guess. Also, I kept the spelling but left out the capitalized nouns for ease of reading. And her commas and periods are indistinguishable, so I took my best guess, largely by avoiding comma splices.
(Also, wowza, I knew this already from the British national archives, but British archives (like the Danish) charge so much it makes me grateful I'm doing German history. This cost £18.50, and would have been 1.50 euros had it been German. That's why I haven't ordered any material on the ship that took Peter Keith to Lisbon. Thank you, Germany! OTOH, no thanks for Kurrent OMG WHYYY. :PPP)
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A Character of Lady Mary Hervey drawn by herself
Date: 2023-05-24 11:48 am (UTC)A Character of Lady Mary Hervey drawn by
herself
At Ickworth the 20th of January 1744
Although it is an opinion generally received that one does
not thoroughly know oneself, I do not believe it. We conceal
our faults from others, therefore it is believed; At least
it sall be seen if I thoroughly know myself. For once
in my life, I will humble myself (which I will not often do
when I can avoid it) by saying what I know of myself.
I am little, but there are many less. I am strait,
the shoulders low, the waist round and slender, tho' I am
gracefull, the neck long, the throat frightfull, the head
too large, the face flat, the complexion is the best thing
I have, and that none of the finest but there is white
and red ,the nose ugly, large at the end with round nostrils
the mouth neither large or small, ugly or pretty, the
teeth very strong, not of a brilliant white, but well
enough and even, the gums flat and pale, the forehead
ugly, large and too high, the eyes not very small, well
enough made and placed, grey, yet soft and sprightly, as to
my hair it has nothing to make it tolerable, it grows
badly, not thick and of a pale and ugly brown. I have
three moles, one on the forehead & two on one cheek, they
become me. Thus much for my person, I shall only say
that I love neatness very much, and that I affect an
air of grandeur, which does not suit my stature
and makes me appear haughty and disdainfull: I had
forgot my eyebrows. Observe that they are not very
handsome, but well enough and set off my face.
I am not silly, tho' it may sometimes be believed I am,
but I have not one grain of solidity or judgmnet. I am
too apt to believe the professions of friendship that
are made to me, which makes me inclinable to
love than hate, this proceeds not from a good heart but a
weak mind. I am naturally gay and delighted with every
thing, unless I have something to afflict me, in which case
I have no moderation, and believe there is no person so
unhappy as myself. I love people of spirit. Raillery is a
very great pleasure to me, but I don't love those who slander
every body and every thing that is done. I like better
that they ridicule in general, than particular persons,
to' the latter diverts me very much, at the same time that I
feel some remorse for being so much pleased with it, and yet
would not silence them if I could, nor be silent myself.
This is another sign of weakness, also when I see any
one much more ridiculous than the generality of mindkind,
I cannot help laughing in their face. I detest lying, as well
because it is mean and file, as because it is a crime. I
am proud to the last degree, nothing equals it but my
ambition, which is boundless, there is nothing so ridiculous
or impossible in the world but that I have thought of to
satisfy the one and the other. I shall find it a great
misfortune to be so ambitious as I am, as there is no
likelyhood I shall ever be able to satisfy it (it not being
easy so to do) if it is not that I value myself for having
such high thoughts, and sometimes I think myself
almost worthy to be what I desire, because I cannot be
satisfied with less. I greatly love pomp, magnificence of all
sorts and ornament, but respect much more than anything
else, as I think they can never shew me too much. I very much
love persons who show me respect, but no one shews
me enough, because they do not treat me with more than
others of the same quality. I diverty myself very well
when alone, and am never tired of myself. I am very
passionate but don't let it appear. I find it beneath me,
not to be able to disguise it. I am easily chagrined,
which sometimes makes me suffer very much, whe nI am in
an ill humour. I do not shew it, but if ever it is perceived that
I answer only by monosyllables, be assured that I am the
Devil within. I can disguise myself without much pain,
I am bashfull, idle and fearfull. I love sleep, but upon
occasion can sit up all night, or get up before it is day.
When I am at home I amloth to leave my chair [to go]
awalking, but when once I have begun, I like it very
well, and am not easily tired, provided I walk slowly.
Above all I like extremely to view the country. I never
go out on horseback I am afraid. I had rather make
use of a coach than my feet. I am very curious and
awkward. I dance badly, write badly, know not how to play
at cards or do any work. I love Musick infinitely. I
mortally hate children and am uneasy when they are
in the room and they also hate me in their turn.
There is no difficulty I cannot surmount to please those
I love. I am not ungrateful, it is a vice I detest. I had
rather be hated than despised, it is the effect of my pride.
I have a very bad memory for want of sufficient
application. I love novels better than history. Geometry
and astronomy please me infinitely. When I take an
aversion to any one, I have an incredible desire
to affront them.
Commentary-less for now because I have to get to work, but it was fascinating, and I can't wait to see what
Transcription notes: the third page has some holes in the page, so I took my best guess. Also, I kept the spelling but left out the capitalized nouns for ease of reading. And her commas and periods are indistinguishable, so I took my best guess, largely by avoiding comma splices.
(Also, wowza, I knew this already from the British national archives, but British archives (like the Danish) charge so much it makes me grateful I'm doing German history. This cost £18.50, and would have been 1.50 euros had it been German. That's why I haven't ordered any material on the ship that took Peter Keith to Lisbon. Thank you, Germany! OTOH, no thanks for Kurrent OMG WHYYY. :PPP)