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Description
Maria E.P. Ricketts wrote from Otto House near Hammersmith, West London to Susan Niemcewicz in Elizabethtown, New Jersey. Maria’s parents, Sarah and James Ricketts, went to town to look for lodgings in town. Maria’s mother would not have time to write by the vessel but desired her to tell Susan everything for her. Seeing as how Maria was expected to detail the grand fête they had the Tuesday night, she was certain it would not be as well told. Maria had written a letter to Polly Dayton where she detailed the ball but wanted to repeat it to Susan. It was one of the prettiest balls she had ever been to that was put on by Mr. Jackson. There were upwards of three hundred people in attendance. Mr. Jackson had a temporary room built for the occasion to dance in. It was 75 feet long and proportionally wide and was decorated beautifully with artificial flowers and laurel mirrors all around. At the end of the room, there was a large mirror that reflected all of the company. The room was also remarkably well lit with variegated lamps and looked “quite like a fairy room.” The green house, which opened into the drawing room, had a beautiful effect. It was all rung in a festoon of colored lamps. A window in the drawing room opened to the grounds where a tent was on the green filled with refreshments and seats for the company. Besides the music they danced to, they also had the band of the 14th dragoons. They had another temporary covered way built in case of rain that was decorated with laurel and festoons of colored lamps, similar to the ones leading from the drawing room to the tent. Maria noted how crazy people in England were about a ball. She did not see the paper from the day before but heard that there was a long account of it saying it was the “handsomest thing” of its kind this season. Maria’s father cut out a pun from the newspaper that was made, which Maria did not think was too bad and enclosed it with her letter. Was surprised to receive a letter from Mrs. Bellasise where she claimed Susan said she had not heard from Maria and her family in a long time as they had written by every opportunity. Asked that Susan tell Julian that his little god daughter, Sally, was the wonder of all who knew her. She attended the ball and was awake until 3 in the morning and was the admiration of everyone. Maria asked Susan what she thought of that considering Sally was a 7 year old young lady. She also attended a children’s ball the other evening. George Brown gave her books to read with a lot of pictures in it. Based on the pictures, she the subject and says them word for word to the astonishment of every one who was not in on the secret. A child of her age reading so well was hardly possible. Mentioned mutual friends and acquaintances including Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy, Mr. Digby and Lady Ann, Col. Cunningham, and George Brown.
Author/Creator
Maria E.P. Ricketts
Recipient
Susan Ursin Niemcewicz, formerly Susan Livingston and Susan Kean (1759-1833)
Creation Date
4-26-1806
Document Type
Manuscript
Location
Otto House near Hammersmith, West London, England
Inventory Location
Series 2; 103 C
Recommended Citation
Ricketts, Maria E.. Maria E.P. Ricketts to Susan Niemcewicz, April 26, 1806. Manuscript. From Special Collections Research Library and Archive, Kean University, Liberty Hall Collection 1800s. https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/lhc_1800s/553
Rights
This collection is open to the public for research use. Copyright remains with Kean University. Credit this material. Personal photographs may be made for research purposes. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to the Special Collections Research Library and Archive at keanscrla@kean.edu.
Publishing Repository
Special Collections Research Library and Archive, Kean University
Collection
Liberty Hall Collection, 1711-1847 (bulk 1790-1830)