Tuesday 2 July 2013

"A POX UPON YOU!!....."

...Is the curse we have been using of late after finding this amusing letter addressed to Alexander Watt, merchant in 1768.


In it, Robert Sandison expresses amazement that a young woman of their acquaintance is to marry a 'Parched, sapless soldier' saying 'a pox upon you young cow hearted fellows to let so many pretty charmers slip into the arms of old, worn out powder.'

He then bemoans his hangover: ''must now draw to a conclusion my Caput (head) being in great disorder after a Debauch last night...some of us Youngsters had a private dance with some ladies of our acquaintance & after seeing them home we had a severe frolick...' What does THAT mean I wonder?


Orkney Archive Reference D1/437/1

2 comments:

  1. Danced by the light of the moon? swam in the "altogether" in a nearby pond? the mind boggles! :P

    Sue.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's the word 'severe' which alarms us. I picture some very angry dancing or extremely grumpy towel-whipping...

    ReplyDelete

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