Harriet Martineau letter
Transcribed by Deborah Logan, 2005
To Edward Moxon
Tynemouth
11 June 1844
Dear Mr Moxon
I think I must ask for one more copy of “the Sick-room,” for “Mr Harrowin, Ironmonger, Kingsland.”
This looks odd, - but a rather pleasant tale hangs thereby. He is the father of a housemaid of ours, a great reader; & partly through pleasure in my works, partly from my making him my trumpet maker, - & so, to all the deaf aristocracy, - he not only will never let me pay for a trumpet, but is never so pleased (being a benevolent man) as when I point out to him a poor person who is deaf, whom he may supply gratis.
We find ourselves baffled, however, by poor people choosing to use a trumpet purely for ornament, - sticking it up over the fireplace or on the pump for show! - I hear today that Mr Harrowin is anxious to learn some tidings of me; & I think this book will gratify him, & be in no way lost upon him. Yours very truly
H. Martineau.
P.S. I have been shown a letter from a lady visiting in the highest literary
circles in London now; as she did at Xmas, when also on a visit; & she writes
(not knowing that I shd hear of it) that she now finds my vol still talked of,
to the exclusion of newer books, wherever she goes. - And I still have anonymous
letters, & letters from strangers, - here & there of brutal abuse from
high & mighty Christians of the Bp of Exeter’s sort, - but almost all
of a very opposite kind; & [page is cut off]
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