The Sun. — London, England, 1824-12-25 00:00:00

**Thou 'hot struck the blow: let the consequences rest with thee and thine ! You will receive this on Thursday. I shall expect to have a plain short statement from you on Friday, and also a decided assurance as to whether you are certain of your situation.at to shaving another living claim on me." MISS YOOTE TO COLONEL BERKELEY. " Thustlay, Dec. 11, 1823. " My dearest Berkeley,—How canet thou imagine I have plated my affections elsewhere ? Setting aside every other feel. mg, consider my present situation, which is certain ; and then canst thou doubt ? 1 solemnly assure thee. that my affections are, as they have ever been, firmly fixed on thee ; and that I have no wish in the world but to become thy wife. As to my plans and intentions, what can they be under existing circum stances ? That' lam wretched thou mayest suppose. It is in thy power and thine only to restore me to happiness, and no thing shall keep me from.thee, if thou wilt write to me and tell me that thou wilt marry me, and name the exact time when it shall take place, and which must be before there is another liv ing claim on thee. ltlithotit this assurance from thee, there is nothing. that.would induce .me to see thee agaih : foe 1 shall feel convinced, if you hestlate in giving it to me, that you will never make me your wife ; and, all the misery I have endured and still endure, I might again - have to cncouuter. '.Chou wilt 'find me firm in my resolution. Thou wilt also find that lam firm in my 'attachment to thee. Do not doubt . me, dearest Berkeley —ever, ever.thifie' ArROM COLONEL BERKELEY TO MSS FOOTE. " Saturday eve, Dec. 13. " Thy affections are not as they ever have been. Thy own letters and thy actions prove the contrary. How many n ights have the horses been in waiting till thou wert released from the theatre, that nu time might be lost in bringing thee to my arms ? And row, days after days elapse, and thy affection is so much on the wane, that no attempt is made to come to me, • though there is no obstacle to prevent it—a line of conduct as heartless as it is unwise. How dolt thou ever hope to accom plish the main object of thy wishes ? Thinkest thou that ab sence from me will carry the point ? Alas! the first four days that I passed here without thee were weary, sad, and nothing partook of the contentment and happiness which thy presence was wont to throw over the scene. Each object presented to me the ghost of a departed pleasure.' But even now lam ‘much more reconciled to the loss of thee than I thought I should be. I feel now, the conviction, thatif it became neces sary I could part from thee for ever, which I always doubted when under the habitual influence that thy presence, time, and .-nay own honest love, combined to render so powerful. So 'much for the present state of my mind and sentiments. Now -• to thepoint. On the Thursday that I last saw thee, I ex. 11l i ned myself most fully and most satisfactorily to thee as to time, circumstance, &c., and thou hast never known me depart . -from my resolutions, nor will I now. Come here, then. For . five years halt thou been present on my birth-day. Do nut thou absent thyself from the 6th. If thou dust, we may never meet again, for I shall not come to London unless it is solely for thy sake, and to give thee satisfaction, which shall never be unnecessarily delayed. If thou meanest to come, write on .111orulay to William Reynolds, saying that thou wilt be here on Tuesday, and he will have the rooms ready, as I may be at Lord Ducie's, - and not return much before thou arrivest. Write also to me, and mistrust me not.—Thine." An answer (of which there is no copy) to this letter was sent by bliss Foote to Colonel Berkeley to say she would go, and trust in him. _ . . Miss Foote, with her mother, and a young lady (and servants .as usual), went to the Castle on the 19th of December. She .was received by Colonel Berkeley with every kindness; and her mother, &e. with every respect, just as ever. Ile was par. ticularly attentive to them, never more so ; and the remainder of the month, which was the extent of their visit, passed away without the subject of their marriage having been mentioned, •which Miss Foote most patiently though anxiously expected each day would be entered upon by him. On the last day (Dec. 31), however, he repeated that the ceremony should take place before the birth of the child, and that if it was a boy the marriage must be made public, and it was then settled that she should go to the Castle in February, which she did. Mr. and Al rs. Foote, with the young lady before..mentioned, being of the party ; and they remained there until the 24th of that month (February last), when they all returned to London, Miss Foote with the expectation that Colonel Berkeley would follow leer to redeem his promises; since which time Miss Foote has . never seen Colonel Berkeley. • How Miss Foote conducted herself at the theatre during the „period of nearly ten years may perhaps be best represented by . the tbllowing letter from Mr. Fawcett, the manager, on being :informed by Mrs. Foote of her daughter's determination of either being married to Colonel Berkeley, or for ever separat. ing herself from him, and of her leaving expressed that resolu. lion to Colonel Berkeley; and being ill from uneasiness of mind,. ke., it was also necessary she should withdraw herself .:from the theatre : " Theatre Royal, Covent-garden, Jan. 12, 1824. My'dear Maria--(for so I hope you will permit me to call you without affectation, or the least pretence to feeling which I do not possess)—Most heartily do i regret your absence on the score of illness. The loss of an good and useful an actress as you are, would, I have no doubt (by our proprietors), be re gretted under any circumstances; but I confess I feel a sort of parental regard for you, which supersedes all Selfish considera tions, and I acknowledge there might be a cause for your abandoning the stage, which would give me great delight; that your virtue and your merit deserve what I hint at, I shall never cease to think. But if your absence be only temporary, be assured the doors of Covent-garden Theatre will he always open to you with a joyous welcome. if permanent, it would he the acme of ingratitude not to declare you to have been one of the best subjects that ever did honour it. To my love Mrs. ..Fawcett desires me to add hers, and:to believe me " Most affectionately yours, " To Miss Foote. "JUAN FAWCETT." The following letters form part of the correspondence which then ensued between Colonel Berkeley and Miss Foote . COLOWEL.DEA.XELEY TO MISS FOOTE. " Sunday, Itth March,.lB24. . ' " I ant uncertain as to mycoming to London for many rea sons. lam in' daily expecuition of a letter front my solicitor, which wilt bring rne , up, and I do not wish to move W I can avoid it till that time, iv:being so troublesome and expensive the moving backwards and forwards. At all events, do thou fi x t h e time f or leaving• London, and the probability iv, that I .shall be there before that day.—Thine." IbtISVFOOTE TO COLONEL IllittrELE v. sth Mardi, MX. " My . dearest Berkeley—The letter I have received from thee to-day in reply to the one I sent thee on Thursday, is extreme ly unsatisfactory to me. Thou thinkest there is only a proba bility of thy coining to town on business before I leave it, on the 25th. lam anxious to know' ir. what manner, and where, thou intended to make me thine before a -certain evimt, which is very fret approaching, for it will be either the beginning or *lune time during the next month. I confess I expected that tilt3t< wouldest have come to 'London during this month for the purpose of marrying me, for there is no tune to be lost now; but when I. read thy letter, in which thou appearest to consider that there is no other call for thy presence in hondon than to see thy solicitor, and only mention the probability of being here before I leave, I. am induced to mention a subject which thou treatest with too greata silence to satisfy my antic 'l must,therefore, entreat, my dearest Berkeley, that thou wilt be less reserved, and communicate to me thy intentions, &c.; for, wider existing circumstances, thou canc. not he sur prise& at my dire to be made acquainted with them, and to be reteaved from the terrible state of imapense that I am at pre sent in. " nun, " ' COLONEL BEILICELEY TO )(T 'FOOTE! _ " Tuo4day, March 16, 1824. " The latter , which 1. have received from thee to-day has brought recollections to my mind which I had hoped never to hsve retailed, because they must tend to destroy happiness he tamer thee and me. I can neither come to London tortnetliate ly, nor can t. 6i rho day on which f shall come. Thou 'oldest nte in December that thou couldat make up thy mind to leave vie (thvr having lived together for five years • and a half), anti that thou couldet be content ,never to behold me more. And yet for too years irrovietts thou wined letters constantly that thou. hatist no other wish than to leave the stage and live con tinually with met thus proving, that in the course of two years there tares UM an increase, hut a very lit eattleercate of *traction. To what am 1 toatuibute dais circumstance ? Two persons extretu oly objectionable to inc, and with avow ed pretatancaw to your favour, nave been in the habit of coating to you house (dm ..1.4 4 i2 this fact was roost studiously concealed from me); and your father anti mother unit moot intimate friwde have htfill likewise is the habit of receiving ikon. (hem beats far tVir tlatze, ?kr. and have runnel line of conduct on that head. which shall nut torninciton. I have no doubt that thou wilt cot dealt 1144 letter ambits ctory but at pretont 1. can write .nothing dust will he .131 fir eV). rOtrrit COLD/Mt. VEX-111MM • Loadoo, March 17. 18t4, It is very cridest to nte, from the tete T. have thht daY reeeived, that *boa bast no intention of makitre me tby wife betare a roat.sin event takes pu ce , „ d ?ally expected, from the letter tbou wroteat w ea t previo u s to ray mint. to the Gude in December, and from a esv m ,,,,, t i on I h a thee d ur i ng ra y %ilk thee. I a u afraid. 1 have beett.deteiTell, but the least thou canst do now is to give me a decided answer on the subject, for I car e 9t be trifled with any longer.—Thine" COLONEL BERKELEY TO MISS TOOTE. "'Thursday, IN:larch 18, 1824. " I have never deceived thee nor trifled with thee, and I doubt much whetherAhou canst with truth say thou has, al ways acted in the same manner by me. I have no answer to give further than that which I have already given ; and if I had, the tone of thy last letter would preclude it." MISS 'FOOTE TO COLONEL BERKELEY. " March 19,1024. " Since thon art determined not to give me an answer, it is in vain for me any more to treat for one. I can only therefore forth my own opinion on the subject. Thy treatment of me in the distressing situation in which I am placed, and in Which I have not one consolatory feeling, is more unjust, and more unkind than any thing I could possibly have imagined." COLONEL BERKELEY TO MM:FOOTE. " Sunday, March 91,-1024. " I utterly deny . that I have ever done an unkind act by thee. For nearly six years I have loved thee with , the truest affection. Thou bast not repaid that affection with the truth and love • that it has deserved. I know more than thou supposeat.' MISS 'FOOTE TO COLONEL EEIIKELRY. " London, March 22, 1824. " If thou imaginest thou bast any just charge to make against me, I should like to be acquainted with it. All these accusations are only made as excuses for thy not fulfill ing thy promises, and yet thou cast deny that thou art behav ing unk►ndly to tae. I did intend to leave London on Thurs. day, but I fear I cannot go at all now, for I have not the means, and my helpless situation renders it impossible for me to provide for myself. I do not like the disgrace that will fall upon me from the publicity which must inevitably attend a certain event taking place here, but I must endeavour to struggle through it. It will be the last misfortune of that de. scription that I shall ever be exposed to. " Fare thee well, dearest, for that thou still art, and ever wilt be, to thine own " MARIA." COLONEL BERKELEY TO MISS FOOTE. ( Tuesday , March 23, l 824. )—(24th delivery post.in ark. ) " I have just received thy letter. I will write more fully to. morrow, and fairly tell thee what charge I have to make : the object of this is merely to say that thou knowest thou mist command the means for leaving London, for I will send thee what money thou wantest if. thou wilt let me know what it is.—Thine." MISS FOOTE TO COLONEL BERKET.ET. (Extract.) " Wednesday, March 24, 1824. " I shall be anxious to receive thy letter to-morrow, but I have no fears from the threatened charge against me." (then, alluding to the approaching birth of the child) " It might have been a very happy event, but now all hope is over; mid when I think that lam about to bring into this world another unfortunate being, who like the last, will be totally unprovided for, my heart aches, and I wish that I had never seen thee—the cause of all my miseries and anxieties. I am getting into a strain of reproach that I would avoid; there. forel shall only assure thee that whatever thou art induced to to think of me, I am thine ever and ever, &c." COLONEL. BZUKELEY TO MISS rooTE. " Wednesday, March 24, 1024. " Having hinted yesterday I had only time to say that what money may be wanting for thy removal, thou mayest com mand, if 1 have it.—ln answer to thy letter of Monday, I deny that I ever made a promise to thee that it was not my intention to fulfil, unless prevented by circumstances which I could no . controul, or thy own conduct. This is my answer to tin charge, and Io defy thee to disprove it. Now, to my charg: against thee. After having lived with thee and loved the!. faithfully, more than five years (during the three last of which thou ditist repeatedly urge me both orally and by letter to tak thee off the stage, and permit thee to live with me openly and avowedly as my mistress), thou callest on me to make thee my wife, or (mark the alternative) thou statest thy determination to quit me altogether. I will not stop to inquire generally into the justice of such a demand, but I must be permitted to I examine the particular and relative situations of each other n' the period this demand was made. It is quite clear, that a compliance with this demand could only result from th. strongest nffection on my side, and a conviction that thy loye for me flourished, at least, in all its former vigour, and that is was not on the wane. Co u ld suc h a fact evenliere have bee:a suspected, thou must have presumed on my being one of de. most abject and weakest of men, to have acceded to thy . pro. proposal. And yet I defy the most ingenious sophister to prow that thy airection is equal to what it was. It was strong enotiO to induce thee to wish for an open avowal of an Intercours r. which, at most, can only be suspected. It is now weak enough to enable thee to propose a total separation ; so much for af fection. Now for conduct. &person callin himself Mr. ratio Clag ge tt h a d ( as was a d mitte d b y thyself, thy father, and mother) some kind of pretensions towards thee. That thee: were what is called' honourable,' is a farce to suppose, as thou knowest that he went to the kitchen to inquire how long thou ; hadst been my mistress, and when I was , going out of to w n ; ' and in consequence, such a letter was written by thee to him• as to preclude all intercourse, direct or Indirect, between you. , Yet this very person (with avowed designs on thee) was fre-' quently admitted to thy house within this year (without my knowledge) and thy mother and most intimate friends were re ceiving boxes at the play from him, and pursuing a line of conduct debasing to thee, revolting to me, and which was ab solute encouragement to this Mr. Claggett. A. similar plan was pursued to a Mr. Pen Green Bayne..._ If the facts I have here stated are incorrect, thou canst easily show me how or where. If correct, I humbly submit that thou hest no right to complain of my conduct." suss rooTz -TO COLONEL DEIIICELEY. " Th charge " March 25, 11324. y me I against pronounce to be unfair, on this , principle :- When &at our intimacy commenced, it was under an idea that I was to become thy wife. Year after year passed away, and wearied with the solitary and unprotected situation lin whidi was placed, insulted by the world, from the sup posed intimacy with thee, I felt that I would rather have be come thy mistress, and to have been protected by the insults I was daily receiving, till circumstances would lilac permitted thee to have made me thy wife. But when I found that thou. wouldet neither make me wife nor mistress, and that there ap peared to be no chance of a termination to the miseries of my:: situation, and a circumstance occurring a second time which , fully authorised my claiming to be thine without any further' delay, I resolved to separate myself from thee, if thy affection , was not strongenough to induce thee to marry me under such' circumstances. All this I told thee in November: and when you urged something about Mr. Cl4ggett as an excuse for slot doing that which I asked, I wrote and told thee I would not see thee again, unless thou didst promise to make me thy wife immediately : to which thy answer was' If I come to thy house it will he to accede to thy request.' Thou earnest, and on the evening I promised to tallow thee to the Casdei but, on re tioctioth not feeling fully satisfied of thy intentions, I wrote and told thee I should not go to the Castle, unless thou gayest me a certain promise to make me thy wife before a certain event. This you answered in a manner that left no doubt on my mind of your intention to marry the immediately; and in consequence I went to the Castle in December, and I repeated my visit in February, under the idea that I was to become thy wife, which was strengthened by what thou saidst during my stay with thee. . Now, when I ask thee to perform thy' promise, thou urgent as an excuse for not fulfilling it, my conduct with respect to Mr. Clat,Tett, &c. not thou * Mdse not have decehred me about it, and have led me from Decemlier to this time with an idea that liras to because thine (which thou must have known was the impression of roYinintl), when it aPoeers that thou hadst really no intention of marrying. It i% that of which I now complain. If the things you charged tue with were such that thou couldst nut overcome, thou shouldst have told me so b e f ore I went to the Castle in December, and not have deceived me i nto meet ing thee there, with an idea that I was to be nurae thy with int. mediately. It would have been marl more itonouretA e artiestin thee, end I should have hatl lett cause to complain. , In the *mine of the above correspondence Colonel Be r k e l ey s peaking of his own duns at Christmas time, trays -- " Ba t can trust thee well for that, for extravagance was never thy fault," Miss roete, with a b presentiment that Colonel Berkeley did not inte •J to marry her, notwithetanding all he had said and written, so minimed all her pride and resolution, and once more left London for Tunbridge-wells, on the 2ilth of March, where she again took up her abode under a feigned name,'aud resign. ed herself to aolionle and secrecy, with her mother for her only e voaresnion, until she might return to London free from fur thin. &Iva of such another d isgrace. The following are some the country, h er answers:_ • his /alas to her whilst in ot COLONEL .11TAILZLET 10 strut FOOTE. • " Friday A pril 1C24. 441 h ave nothing particular to say, nor a.; think that thee bast snu ck reason to he autprised that I have not written b e f ore , vehze Bence knowest that there must be xconvintion pressed on my m i n d, t h a t thou hest not the same affection for me that, thou hut ferraelly:" . cocoxv. . BrEZELET TO MIS FOOTS. my char,aYntiAtrouil i vainate"v7 1 ,o.7i nd e. 11° An t d d i e f n al l Y acclgation were true, thy conduct to we was w justificatiau for all thou haft laid a t my d oor.. L tepee.? then eras re d, it s zleca sucit au "nutmeat* continued, rove and confidence as in my conduct to thee. But my affec tion has not entirely dastrpyea my understanding." mos FOOTE TO COLONEL BEREELBY. (Extract) " Thursday, April 22, 1824. " I received thy letter to-day, and I have only to say in reply to it, that thou canst bring no charge against me to justify the ill conduct I have elperienced from thee in not malcing,me thy i ( wife before a certain event, after the' ate assurances I received' from thee. I had determined nev to write on this subject again, for the last letters I receive rom thes,previous to my Laving London, convinced me that thou hadst no intention of fulfilling thy promises to tne, and therefore there could no longer be a communication on the subject that could, giye any, pleasure or satisfaction totither." COLONEL BERKELEY TO MISS FOOTE.. (Extract.) " Saturday, April 24, 1024. " I have received thy letter of the 22d. .If thou callest an encouragement of two men, notwithstanding thy connexion with me, nojustilication, I admit that I can make none that will appear sufficient in thyeyes." miss roaTE TO COLONEL BEIMELRY. (Extract.) " April 28, 1824. " I write to acknowledge the receipt of thy letter, (yesterday) &c. &c. ` • • • " I deny most firmly having encouraged two men, or any man, during my en. gagetnent wan thee, though ,I feel convinced that thou dost not require such a denial from me." COLONEL BERKELEY TO MISS FOOTE. Berkeley-House, Thursday, May 13, 1824. " I left Cheltenham last Saturday week, and arrived here last Tuesday. I have never made an excuse respecting thee.— I have spoken downright truths. I have ever loved thee ho nestly and faithfully, and I never kept a secret from thee in my life, even concerning those affairs which concerned me and my family most nearly. This place makes me feel thy absence se verely, but thou abandonest me,—not I thee." COLONEL BERKELEY TO aIISS FOOTE. Thursday, May 27, 1824. " I wish I could cheer thee, and that I do not is thy own fault. I wish to ask two questions. The first is of much im portance to me, if thou thmkcst that hereafter any sort of con nexion or communication is to be kept up between us : the se cond (though but of little consequence in comparison with the first) relates to a matter, which if true, ',did expect to have been made acquainted with. To the first then. Arc you aware that your father has borrowed a sum of money from one of those tvo persons whose pursuit of you has been notorious ?' The se:ond is—Have you authorized Mr.. Moore to make proposals to Drury-lane Theatre for an engagement ?" MISS rooTE TO COLONEL BERKELEY. " A lExtract.) " Friday, Mar 28, MA. though I cannot for a moment suppose that any thing relating to me can really be of the least interest or importance to thee now, 1 will so far satisfy thee as to reply to thy letter of to-day. I know nothing of the circumstances thou hast men tioned. I never had an idea of making proposals to Drury lane Theatre for an engagement." COLONEL lIEBEELEY TO MISS FOOTE. (Extract.) " Monday, May 31, 1024. " You have not replied clearly to the important part .of my letter, viz. the money borrowed by your father. If you know nothing of this circumstance, 'tis time you should, and of its consequences. But, from the nature of the transaction, and your manner of writing, I suspect that you do know. The time is fast approaching when some decisive step will be taken between you and me. It may, probably, involve my happiness for a time; it must your welfare to the extremity of your life." COLONEL VERKELEE TO 31TBS FOOTE. (Extract.) " Friday, June 11, 1024. " My principal object now is, to ascertain from you what in tercourse and what communication you wish in future to exist between us. Am Ito consider that my society and my protec tion are no longer either agreeable or serviceable to you i • or do you conceive that) , ou.still have claims on me, (I do not allude to the living ones=-they undoubtedly have) ; and if so, what line of condUct do you mean to adopt•with regard to me ?" alts 3 1 7:09TE To COLoNDL . BERIMLEY. " Sunday, June 13, 1824. " Yesterday morning I received your letter, written in a style of Which I have latterly had too many. O n t h e I answered two questions that you asked me, by say. int, that I knew nothing of the circumstances you mentioned. This Fainkidered sufficient to have satisfied you on both points. There was a dine when it would have done so; and I am now weary of being faiselynccused. You have refused me the pro. tection 1 wished from you—that of a husband. During our engagement, I could not call myself protected by you : you separated yourself too mudsfrom me to be a real p ro t ector . Your society was ever most dear to me —which on reflection you must be convinced of, and what have I not sacrificed to enjoy it P—my health,,mysest, =Trepidation every thing! Dad I known that you were so hound by uncontroulable circumstances, and could not havenuule me your wife, before this last event, ['Might have been reconciled; but the excuse you made for nut performing your premise to do so, made to me in Novem ber and again repeated in December, convinces me that you have no real and ;defier affection for me; and if yo u conc e ived it to be true (which I cannot believe) that I had given oncou. :agement to two other men, and which supposition prevented our fulfilling yfiur promise of making me your wife before— pray what happiness could I anticipate from your society after ' that ? I was contented while I thought that circumstances con. fleeted with your family delayed your making me your wife; but I must beg to decline the honour of being a suspected mistress. I shall Make no claim on yOu ; but it is a duty I owe my children to claim a provision for them—to enable me to educate and bring them up as gentlewomen, and which I am sure you will not refuse. I sun also reduced to the neces. sky of entreating you will send me bOl. to defray my expences here, as I am anxious to discharge my doctor and nurse as soon as possible, they being expensive to me, and I cannot dismiss them till I receive a further supply of money. I suppose you do not intend to relieve me from the debts I mentioned to you Well ! if you do n in a former letter, o f t or fe jo in u cl l i i n av ed e to no a t mi re s i t il s ted to ie, Y e b r u e ( t 1 u one resource, and that I told you when I made the appea to you. When next you write, direct your letter to Miss Foote' Keppel•street, and it will be forwarded to me wherever I may be." -- COLOIf.EL BERKELEY TO 311113 FOOTE. " Wednesday, June 16, 1824. , "Do not complain of the style of my letters; you adoptet that style first, because I dial, not comply with a demand the. uncontroulable circumstances, and your own conduct, did not authorize you to make. When I say your own conduct, I do not apply the expression so much individually and personally to you, as to your father and mother: but you have identified yourself with them,, and have given me up, to follow their counsels. They presumed to ask me to make you my wife, at the same time that they gave positive encouragement to two other men; and you yourself told me that, even to become my wife, you would not give up their society. I think I am warrant;d, then, in including.you as responsible for some of the acts which they have committed. As for your father; his conduct has been such a compound of folly, knavery, anti in delicacy, as 1 defy you to match under any circumstances, or in any situation ante. That you may not hereafter say that you are ignorant of the conduct he has pursued, I will place before you two or three facts, and leave you to form your own judgment on them. I shall confine myself simply to that which has passed between him and Mr. Ilayne. I take it for granted that you will oot think me as exacting too much in a determination, that if I were your accepted and acknowledged lover, no other person with the same pretensions should be re. ceived ov countenanced by yon, or your family. Now, Mr. Hayrte is openly and avowedly a lover of yours luso. He has a miniature Of you —(how he obtained it I do not know, but for the fact I pledge myself)—which he does not scruple to phew to moat ot bit acquaintance. Now, mark, during the very period that your family were Making the modest request that you should become toy wife, (the demand at least should have been sustained by patect correctness of conduct on their part), your father went .to this other lover, Mr. Bayne, and naturally enough, what his bor rowed a sum of money from him. What has been the con . :t_e quence ? This fact is uoiversally known, and Mr. you; and he naturallyenough I)!l t il he Fie t d h —te in ia' if :n6 ' f . t: iwe ta rulmet a e k i e rl y l o pe u e T t o. kla. s e;l m i ) istr ' ess, if a settlement would do ~_ I know this to be the fact. Your father last week gavel mner to' Ur. Hayne, and this week he went down to Awith I • • mer cenary 1 ~.,.. hum. If I had looked you in the light of a mei , • ••, try only, I would not have endured this. D oes totistity ..-- , lon, 7: u .ae, nal . , , e )r aban wli d a en t o tti ther iue in , a ri i i mi gni t t h ies e d w egr ould Pm h 3 ve , 4 real and t„,. yoYrOPLT affection' submit to? I never have abandoned 1 P"Pueed in November last is approaching Yo'llidativianal. heavy stridcs ! With regard to the children, your last letter ImplitA which that they are both girls, though you did not do me the honour which the im pr obability place . in society mon ing m ay rower rather and fit w hold that c o a f t e d mak l ng s g t en ha ti t ow .°3lll o : l 7ortiinalcPeCiallYl siy.lau . all: olliveyylih alit: have ' " a , h n . ja c r tant _, One ; but wbdher --- arge ui their education, is not alto, !Other tio F r. min. Certainly not, if they a re to _s„. 7i alto to the society of bream. Claggett and Hare, and Nor if they are to remain with you, w abode or occupation a mystoryi os your imply; but I will have free anti constant ge ntlepe.B of either class. in I nave your last letter seems to nstant access to them when ever I please. It is neither my wish nor intention to do any thing harsh by you, and to you I should not fear to intrust the education of the girls to a certain point ; but your father and mother Jand the society which I foresee they will fall into, end drag you with them) shall not be the guardians and com panions of my daughters, even though I should be obliged to resort to legal means to obtain charge of them myself,— This, however, I hope , you will not drive me to do. I send 501. s iistitg As to the London bill I shall determin - ore when I hear more from you. I c 'dub , . of pa he expellees of that house, if it is to b toe a c ing sh : for 3lr. . Hayne. One word more wit tegart iii- lis gent an be fore I have done. I have heard that he (Mr. Hayne) has actually made written proposals of marriage to you through your father.' Deal with me honestly : if it is so, and you think your happiness would be consulted in accepting such pro posals, I pledge my word that I will not only not throw any obstacle in the way, but I will further the accomplishment of your wishes by every means in my power. Tell your father and mother this from me, and that if they shew me these pro posals, I can give them that advice, without which your father is wholly incapable of bringing the business to an honourable conclusion. But if there is no truth in the report that such proposals have been made, I insist that Nothing further is heard of Mr. Hayne, as connected with you—that is, if you mean to have any thing to do with me, or the children. Is not this fair ? And do not fancy, that in offering to assist in mak ing a marriage for you, that I have ceased to love you. I love you tenderly: but I hold myself bound in honour to give way to a man that really will marry you, if circumstances (f what ever nature they my ba) prevent my doing so. Let me know where you picture is ; I feel the want of it now that there is a probability of losing you." MISS FOOTE TO COLONEL BERKELEY. " Friday, June 10. " I received your letter this morning, and am much obliged to you for the 50/. enclosed in it. But there are many things in that letter that I wish you had spared me the pang they gave me to peruse. I think you have heaped miseries and dis tresses enough upon me already, without insulting me. The indelicate observation you made in November on my future prospects if I separated myself from you, I had not forgotten. You need not have reminded me. If 1 cannot make up my mind to.be your mistress, depend on it 1 shall not be tho mis tress of any other. I think you must have mistaken me; for when I asked you about my debts, I certainly did not expect you to pay any debts contracted by me after our engagement is at an end. You might have refused it, without making use of such an indecent and insulting expression. But do not fear : I shall not any longer be a burden to you. I never shall again apply to you to pay those debts ; for 1 would rather go to prison and remain there the remainder of my wretched life. %Vith respect to the children, I shall consider it my duty to give you every opportunity of seeing them at all times, and of your pro. !noting their future welfare and prosperity ; but I can never consent to their being entirely separated from me ; and I am sure you could not be so unfeeling as to propose such a measure. I shall only remain here as long as it is neces sary ; and my future occupation will be the profession 1 have been for a time driven from by most unfortunate circumstances, and which, though 1 ever disliked, affords me the only means of supporting myself and family. Whatever I might have said in my last with regard to the direction of your letter to Keppel.street, I had no intention whatever of concealing my abode from you. The points in my letter respecting my father land Mr. Rayne, Ido not feel competent to answer. I can only lay, that I merely look upon him as a friend and acquaintance or my father's. 1 cannot help what the world may choose to consider him, and Ido not consider that my father (whom I have only seen once for these last three months) would consider you were now entitled to make inquiries, having refused to marry me yourself. I must, however, say, in justice to my father and mother, (whose conduct you so much condemn), that I am convinced they never did, nor ever would wish to encourage or introduce any person to me on a dishonourable footing. My picture is at Mr. Lupton the engraver's; I for get the name of the street, but it is somewhere near Burton crescent. As to the minature you have heard is in the posses sion of Mr. Hanes, I know nothing of, nor how he came pos sessed of it. You say you still love me tenderly ; you must forgive me if I doubt that-_I have had no proofs for a long time of such a feeling, and a man never would insult a wo man whom he loved tenderly." COLONEL BERKELEY TO MISS FOOTE. " Sunday, June 20. " I utterly deny that I have heaped misery or distresses' on you. The distresses that are about to come are of your own creating, and not of mine; neither have I 4 insulted' you. But I have written plain truths, which are disagreeable because they are undeniable. One circumstance I must again take the liberty to notice, without any intention, however, of insulting.' In November you told me that no power on earth should induce you to return to the stage, stating as one reason for such determination, among many others the insults you were there exposed to. 'W'ill those insults become fewer when it becomes generally known that the intercourse between you and me is at an end ? And does not this vacillation of purpose warrant me in concluding that some other very good resolutions which you now entertain may also from circum stances be changed, and render you an unfit guardian for the girls ? To the youngest they may not immediately appl y but the eldest is already of an age when first impressions will with difficulty be erased ; and with regard to her I shall very speedily adopt some decisive measures,—with your consent—l hope, but without, should I deem it necessary. I never charged your father or mother with wishing to encourage any one on dishonourable terms; but the absurdity and indelicacy of their conduct will always induce your followers to try to have you on such terms, to say nothing of your name having been already coupled with mine and Lord Worcester's. By the by, the mention of that nobleman's name prompts ins to ask, what honourable purpose your father and mother c ould have !nut in view in encouraging his attentions (then a married man), and in suffering him to carry these to such a point, that I, and nine• tenths of tha world, firmly believed that you were his mistress ? R I re I may then be acquain ted with the': proposed residence and gluleiastvetonobtehini,giiii,lromwedfurwtrerntoyoturouarlbeveyoiun with, but that that future plan of life for the girls, which must be determined on with an convenient speed. I quite agree with you that I have no right to inquire into the pretensions of any one to wards you, and that you are as completely independent of me as you can possibly wish to be ;—that is, if you give up the children, which Iliad rather you did at once. But if I suffer them to remain with you, I shall take upon myself to examine the pretensions of every one with the strictest scrutiny ; and I give you fair notice, that I will not be trifled with,• either on the subject of Mr. Uwe or any one else, nor be put off with the subterfuge of theiebeing your father's friends; and therefore I peremptorily repeat my demand of being informed of the nature of the proposals mentioned in my last letter. If this de mand is not complied with, I shall, without loss of time, apply to have the children given up to me." MISS FOOTE TO COLONEL BERKELEY. " Tuesday, June '22, 1824. " If I am well enough, I intend to be in London in a few lays, when 1 shall have an opportunity of speaking to my Father respecting Mr. Hayne. The result of our communica tion you shall be made acquainted with. There are other points in your letter which I will then also reply to." MISS FOOTE TO COLONEL BERKELEY. " Monday, June 28, 1824. " I write this in Keppel-street, where I have returned with Undine—the other I have left in the care of the nurse. The enclosed letter from my father will, I trust, satisfy you as to the nature of Mr. Hayne's proposals. Now, to some points in your last letter, which are yet unanswered. My breaking my resolutions respecting my return to the stage, will be from ne cessity and not entirely from choice. But I cannot think you are justified in concluding that I may render myself an unfit guardian for my children, by also changing those principles and feelings of propriety which I trust will ever regulate my future conduct ; and believe me I shall never shrink from your strictest scrutiny into my conduct at all times." ma. FOOTE TO COLONEL nEaxEr.EY. 46 Monday, June 28, 1824. " Sir, —Having considered you as the plighted husband of my daughter for these six years past, 1 did not communicate to her the many honourable and advantageous overtures made to me during that period to obtain her - hand in marriage; but your conduct having lately taken so very unexpected a turn, I have, since her return to town, promulgated to her the pro posals of Mr. Hayne, which proposals are of a petfectly honour able nature—viz. —marriage, with a good settlement; and it will consequently remain for her consideration whether she will accept them or not. These circumstances (at her particular request) I now make known to you; and shall only add, that the comfort and respectability of an only . daughter are naturally objects most dear to a tond and devoted father; and these mo tives alone influence the conduct of, Sir, your very _obedient humble servant, 4, SAMUEL FOOTE." It is here worthy of remark, that Colonel Berkeley never made any provision whatever for Mr., Mrs., or Miss Foote, w nor as he ever asked to do such a thing, nor did ho ever make any offer of the sort; neither had Miss Foote any allowance whatever from hire, nor has she now; and the presents which have been given to her by him, from time to time, do not ex. teed in value 1001. In the whole. On Tuesday, the 29th of June, while Miss Foote and her mother, ts.c., were preparing to meet Mr. Bayne, at the Opera, at eight o'clock, according to appointment, two letters were I brought to her house from CO/012e1 Berkeley—one addressed to Mr. Foote, and the other to Miss Foote,—of which, with the answers thereto, the following are copies : _ _ COLONEL BERKELEY TO MR. FOOTE. h fo o r vo the expected last ec te s d ix that years, " Berkeley : house, Spring.gardens, June 29, 1824. " Sir—l have received your letter of yesterday's date. I f you did consider me as the • plighted husband' of your daughte r ou l t u b .o in tii4 k I h m ov ig e h c t o , m i m n uthoaictaqteudaltio m ty,,fae theirly fact of those many • honoufable and advantageous overtures' which were made for her hand during that period, and likewise the various times and opportunititts which the said ovetture. makers must have er&yed in cultivating her acquaintance and obtaining that knowledge of her good. hualiues which most overture-makers have, before they ask the hand of a lady in marriage. " I can only account for your having totally omitted to se. quaint.me with this, the information having reached yo u (as John Thornhty er say s ' at sonic of your hours not set apart for business.' However, to the proposal now in question. I have loved your daughter sincerely. That affection is not one jot abated, and though I may lament her conduct , end cen sure yours, you shall find that I will work as zealously for her future and permanent welfare as either you or her pother- You have stated that 31r.liayne has actually proposed marriage, with a good settlement. If this be the case, and illaria thinks that her happiness would be furthered by accepting his preP°' gals, I pledge myself most solemnly to you, that intead of throwing any obstacle in the way, I will do all in my T ower to bring the affair to so honourable a conclusion. yet will ro t t be trifled with. I never lithould have abandoned her. She ' the mother of my two girls, and I will be consulted, and made acquained with all steps relative to her, till my authority shall cease to exist by , her contracting a marriage with some other man, and as I have said before, that end I will endeavour to promote. But to speak candidly on the present proposal, I doubt Mr. llayne's intentions, and I will not suffer hint to fol low her, unless you can convince me of the sincerity of his pro. posals. I do not in the least distrust your anxiety , to have llaria honourably settled; but I fear that you may be deceivcd by your hopes and wishes. I take it for granted, that Bayne is wholly unacquainted with the intercourse betwe• . me anti Maria, and that it the inarriage takes place, he mus. re. main still ignorant of it. However, on this point and Some others it will be necessary that you and I should meet with as little delay as possible. I had rather not see Maria at present. I will either come to your house, or you shall come here; or we will meet in Henrietta-street, or any other place you shall fix, to night, at eleven o'clock, or at any hour to-morrow, from three to six. " I am, &c. A RDINGE BERKELEY," " W. FITZh. , _ " To S. F. Foote, tsq., 34, Keppel-street." COLONEL BEMIELEY TO lilBs FOOTE. Tuesday. " You arrived in Keppel-street on Thursday last, and yester da afternoon Mr. Bayne paid a visit there , whic h he re p eated at ni ght. I merely mention this to show the inutility, as well as bad taste and feeling, in endeavouring to keep secret, or at least not to acquaint me with those circumstances which I have a right and am determined to know. It can answer no good purpose thus to treat me, and may be p roductive of unpleasant consequences to you. You have kno w n me now long and welt enough, I hope, to be aware that I am not inclined to act rashly', or to make empty threats ; but if these visits go on widieutmy, sanction, and unless the gentleman's marr i ag e with y ou is Pl o ac"! f beyond the possibility of doubt , I shal l take the liberty ! . giving the company the benefit of my pre sence and good b ons" at one of these same visits, when certain motives Shall e .o.t. plained whether to the satisfaction of all parties or not will remain . to be proved. Do not think me harsh ; 1 love y ou now sincerely , and the deep interest I take in y o u an d the g irls maXe‘ me thus decided in m conduct, and impels me to try to sale you from the fate whic h isis impending. The business 15 now re.. duced within a small compass. In a letter which you enclosed. openly and honestly : consult w and m pos e firtilvt e L l ou p r ro fa p th ose er d , m he ar st i T a tes_ ge , tothaytotl.r. Do o ny y n o e u has glea lie n ttuoaslciy. cept it? In justice to me, to Mr. Hayne, and toy oursef , AC C ever:keenly I may suffer at the idea of an eternal soars your own happiness; and„ boo t twill again solemnly pledge myself to stifle all selfish feelings, had an! co-operate with you by every means in my power. I ,' tended to have seen you ; but now I had rather not : but ping father I must see. I have been informed that you intend goog to . the play, or Opera, either in company with i'tlr. Ilityllei °Y. 1 1 his box ; I would advise you not to do that till I have the fu ll explanation I have asked for from your father. If you do , Y oit will immediately place me under the necessity give me an an. o f seeking th e 1 explanation from Mr. Hayne. On this point, swer by the bearer : the others you can answer a t y our leisure. , MR. FOOTE TO COLONEL BERKELEY. " Tuesday, June 29. , t+ Sir—Under all c i rcums t a nces which have taken place, cannot entertain any doubts whatever of Mr. Ilayne's honour' able intentions, which 1 will more fully explain to you to.mer• row in your own house at Spring-gardens, at half-past three o'clock, according to your appointment. To -night lam goiog with my wife and daughter to the Opera, in a box which Dlr. Rayne has procured me certainly, but not in his own los; be has given that up, and Sams has the lettingef it. Mr. BAY" e'e last two visits (N.B. Monday evening and Tuesday morning) have been to make the offer of his hand, &c., to my daughter, which had before been made to me , and I h ave onl y endquest that you will do me and my family the jus tice to susp yoo when, judgment or interference until you see me tomorr shall have upon all the other points that you have allude d to, I no objection whatever to consult with you, &c. This I hop you will deem a su ffi cient answer to your letter, without MI daughter's reply (at this moment); and I can only repeat our united request that you will not take any steps whatever before our interview, when I feel assured that I shall be able to Cl' plain every thing satisfactorily; and am, Sir, yours., " S. F. FOOTE." MISS TOOTE TO COLONEL BEREICLEY. " We are going to the Opera, but I must entreat you will wait till the interview with my father to-morrow." These letters were immediately succeeded by another fruity Lail concluding uponhimhwini Colonel Berkeley to Miss Foote, saying, that something Ws s planationa te ly seek b o lf r. his li intentions , sy n e, and due to his feelings on the occasion, and that he should come $ 0 the Opera; adding, that if she was there, he should initnetli* " You can feign illness." Miss Foote, with her father and mother, after having been detained more than an hour and a half beyond the time nP' pointed to meet Mr. Hayne at the Opera, arrive ther e ,: when they were informed him the cause of their delay, an" that they had been occupied in a repeated correspondence with Colonel Berkeley, who, from his threats, he WaYll e i might expect would trouble him with a visit. C?locnceti Berkeley came to the pit of the Opera, "Pied h is ;r e i j end, I th sel t f he f s o e r s t u h r e tl as-: of his search, and shortly afterward sen t . f . i „ - , i , ne to give Mr. Masse, into the box, with a request to Au' Ha y ne . Mr. a meeting to Colonel Berkeley', then waiting in the lo y , _ op . Hayne, with Mr. Foote, left the box for that purpose. (fi r e ! Iterkeley then introduced himself to Mr. Llayne, and de ir..: meeting the following day. Mr. !Jayne said it had bee 0 1 , 11 _. ranged for him to leave town, but that he would make : p ales of remaining for the purpose of meeting him. Colonel Stor,lt,.;!!, then signified his desire that Mr. Hayne would be p ‘ ,T . r i : inten ded to orP 0 ' with a friend, for that he (Colonel Berkeley) one on his own account, and the rrted I • .„ , Jun e) _ Mt , On the following morning 1 ednesdaY, ou ch ley :' Foote received the following letter from Colone l Berke _,,,n, ``Berkeley -house, Spring-gardens, IVetinestlaY au" June 30, 1824. to o. ~ sir—ln spite of the repeated warnings that I gave , I and your ill-advised daughter, your want of candour eafi tha t dealing has reluctantly forced me to call on Mr. Ilayne 'v' i n to explanation which I wished to have received from you_ me : what detail that may lead it is impossible for me to ! ° `, l ii t , you heard me make an appointment with him fur foll' en ona• this afternoon. If, therefore, you have any thing to., s gies. nicate which may avert an exposure of you r daugote,e't, that tion, you. must be here by half-past two. But recoll,tor be r er and unless you are prepared to give up all mysterh isit vi i I own sake to act as 1 have entreated you to 40 . y our c wholly useless. " I am,. ELIS a " W . FITZ/lARDINGB BERK " P.S. You had better send an answer about 12. ! "ToS. F. Foote, Esq. 34, Keppel.street." MR. FOOTE TO COLONEL BF.RIOELEYA, 1824, " Wednesday. morning, Jun e tw o, " Sir—l will be with you unctually at half - P M ' . wh o en n myou partsh a 1 1 : nu t an d fir d am s ny t ft, ' dour or . plant dealin g' °Zhoial you request, the ~ n ei ther suppose that I have not observed them ; at trust that I shall be enabled to convince you that r'i r ' r , has been (nor w ill . be on our interview) any Want °` • "Sir, your obedient humble servant, v ocr.E.- " SAMUEL r• ' "To Colonel Berkeley," &c. &c. ,t, Pe i °. Mr. Foote met Woad Berkeley according to --e 3 - he thoug h t tal went, and again explained Mr. Ila ne's intentions. (Mr. Foote) did not think Colonel ' Berkeley en tided snd e l/ i such explanation , he having broken all his promi ses - Ber k gagetuents With 'Miss Foote, by which he (Colonel Bathe iii. had released her from his cootivol or interference',., l „i n vres led „ terview with Mr. Foote, Colonel Berkeley repeated ly - 41 itvyasontrroyf can tu. time , his unabated love for Miss Foote, and circumstances that prevented his marrying her, saYa l L t of her would go to Mr. Bayne, and speak in such a 113 _,. g an— ast -011 "t; as 111 r. lia/netnight congratulate himself on th e l'''''', %, . 0 Mug -1 a woman e (Colonel Berkeley) should resign vut" it 01 01 ' 1 regret—a woman so worthy his admiration, and so vie'" lamented the u t i o , e f f to: Ct' for chi' jut pia pi, lac in% be sill MC ha • b