Tag: Sancho Ignatius

• Letter IV to Mr. M—

  Ignatius Sancho Sept. 20, 1768

  OH! my M——, what a feast ! to a
  mind fashioned as thine is to gen-
  tle deeds! —could’st thou have beheld
  the woe-worn object of thy charitable
  care—receive the noble donation of thy
  blest house!—the lip quivering, and the
  tongue refusing its office, thro’ joyful
  surprize —the heart gratefully throbbing
  —overswelled with thankful sensations

  — I could behold a field of battle, and
  survey the devastations of the Devil,
  without a tear— but a heart o’ercharged
  with gratitude, or a deed begotten by
  sacred pity—as thine of this day— would
  melt me, altho’ unused to the melting
  mood. As to thy noble, truly noble,
  Miss ——, I fay nothing—-she serves a
  master—Who can and will reward her as
  ample —as her worth exceeds the com-
  mon nonsensical dolls of the age;— but
  for thy compeers, may they never taste
  any thing less in this world—than the
  satisfaction resulting from heaven-born
  Charity ! and in the next may they and
  you receive that blest greeting —”Well
  done, thou good and faithful,” &c. &c.
  Tell your girls that I will kiss them
  twice in the fame place—troth, a poor
  reward; —but more than that —I will
  respect them in my heart, amidst the
  casual foibles of worldly prejudice and
  common usage,—I shall look to their
  charitable hearts, and that shall spread
  a crown of glory over every transient
  defect.—The poor woman brings this

  in her hand ;—she means to thank you
  —your noble L—— , your good girls—
  her benefactors —her saviours. I too
  would thank —but that I know the op-
  portunity I have afforded you of doing
  what you best love, makes you the
  obliged party — the obliger,

  Your faithful friend,

  I. Sancho

  ---

  Sancho, Ignatius (1782) Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, An African. to which are prefixed, Memoirs of His Life. London : J. Nichols. pp. 14-16

  Copy of original can be found at at:
  https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=bc.ark%3A%2F13960%2Fs2k7fnrzrwp&seq=82
  Genre: Epistolary
  Language : English

  September 6, 2023

  Sancho Ignatius

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• Letter III to Mr. M—

  Ignatius Sancho Sept. 17, 1768

  I am uneasy about your health —I
  do not like your silence — let some
  good body or other give me a line, just
  to say how you are — I will, if I can, see
  you on Sunday ;—it is a folly to like
  people and call them friends, except they
  are blest with health and riches. —A very
  miserable undone poor wretch, who has
  no portion in this world’s goods, but
  honesty and good-nature in the article of
  covering, has applied to me.—I do
  know something of her—no greater
  crime than poverty and nakedness. —
  Now, my dear M——, I know you have
  a persuasive eloquence among the women
  —try your oratorical powers. —You have
  many women — and I am sure there must
  be a great deal of charity amongst them
  —Mind, we ask no money —only rags
  —mere literal rags—patience is a ragged
  virtue—therefore strip the girls, dear
  M——, strip them of what they can spare
  —a few superfluous worn-out garments—.
  but leave them pity—benevolence— the
  charities— goodness of heart —love —and
  the blessings of yours truly with affec-
  tion, or something very like it,

  I. SANCHO

  ---

  Sancho, Ignatius (1782) Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, An African. to which are prefixed, Memoirs of His Life. London : J. Nichols. pp.13-14

  Copy of original can be found at at:
  https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=bc.ark%3A%2F13960%2Fs2k7fnrzrwp&seq=81
  Genre: Epistolary
  Language : English

  September 6, 2023

  Sancho Ignatius

  ---

• Letter II to Mr. M—

  Ignatius Sancho, Aug. 7, 1768

  Lord ! what is Man ?— and what
  business have such lazy, lousy,
  paltry beings of a day to form friend-
  ships, or to make connexions ? Man is
  an absurd animal —yea, I will ever main-
  tain it—in his vices, dreadful —in his
  few virtues, silly —religious without
  devotion —philosophy without wisdom —
  the divine passion (as it is called) love
  too oft without affection — and anger
  without cause —friendship without rea-
  son —hate without reflection —knowledge
  (like Ashley’s punch in small quantities)
  without judgement — and wit without dis-
  cretion.— Look into old age, you will
  see avarice joined to poverty —letchery,
  gout, impotency, like three monkeys,
  or London bucks, in a one-horse whisky,
  driving to the Devil.— Deep politicians

  with palsied heads and relaxed nerves—
  zealous in the great cause of national
  welfare and public virtue—but touch
  not—oh ! touch not the pocket— friend-
  ship —religion—love of country—excel-
  lent topics for declamation !—but most
  ridiculous chimera to suffer either in
  money or ease—for, trust me, my
  M——, I am resolved upon a reform.—
  Truth, fair Truth, I give thee to the wind!
  —Affection, get thee hence! Friendship,
  be it the idol of such silly chaps, with
  aching heads, strong passions, warm
  hearts, and happy talents, as of old used
  to visit Charles Street, and now abideth
  in fair G—h House.

  I give it under my hand and mark,
  that the best recipe for your aching head
  (if not the only thing which will relieve
  you) is cutting off your hair — 1 know it
  is not the ton ; but when ease and health
  stand on the right— ornament and fashion
  on the left—it is by no means the Ass
  between two loads of hay —why not ask
  counsel about it ? Even the young part
  of the faculty were formerly obliged to

  submit to amputation, in order to look
  wise, —What they sacrificed to appear-
  ances, do thou to necessity.—Absalom
  had saved his life, but for his hair.
  You will reply, ” Cæsar would have
  been drowned, but his length of hair
  afforded hold to the friendly hand that
  drew him to shore.” Art, at this happy
  time, imitates Nature so well in both
  sexes, that in truth our own growth is
  but of little consequence. Therefore,
  my dear M—, part with your hair and
  head-achs together; —and let us fee you
  spruce, well shorn, easy, gay, debonnair
  —as of old.

  I have made enquiry after L—— ‘s
  letter. My friend R—— went to de-
  mand the reason for omitting to publish
  it, and to reclaim the copy. The pub-
  lisher smiled at him, and bid him examine
  the M. C. of J. 13, where he would
  find L. and the same paper of the 20th
  instant, where he would also find P——
  B——’s very angry answer. —Indeed the
  poor fellow foams again, and appears as
  indecently dull as malice could wish him.

  I went to the coffee-house to examine
  the file, and was greatly pleased upon
  the second reading of your work, in
  which is blended the Gentleman and the
  Scholar, Now, observe, if you dare to
  say I flatter, or mean to flatter, you
  either impeach my judgement or honesty
  —at your peril then be it.—For your
  letter of yesterday, I could find in my
  conscience not to thank you for it—
  it gave a melancholy tint to every thing
  about me. Pope had the head-ach vilely
  —Spenser, I have heard, suffered much
  from it — in short, it is the ail of
  true geniuses. — They applied a thick
  wreath of laurel round their brows — do
  you the fame — and, putting the best
  foot foremost — duly considering the
  mansion—what it has suffered through
  chance, time, and hard use—be thank
  fully resigned, humble, and say,
  ” It is well it is no worse !”
  I do not wish you to be any other
  than nice in what new acquaintance you
  make— as to friendship — it is a mistake
  — real friendships are not hastily made

  —friendship is a plant of slow growth, and,
  like our English oak, spreads, is more
  majestically beautiful, and increases in
  shade, strength, and riches, as it increases
  in years. I pity your poor head, for
  this confounded scrawl of mine is enough
  to give the head-ach to the strongest
  brain in the kingdom — so remember I
  quit the pen unwillingly, having not
  said half what I meant ; but, impelled
  by conscience, and a due consideration
  of your ease, I conclude, just wishing
  you as well as I do my dear self,

  Yours, I. SANCHO.

  Your cure, in four words, is

  CUT — OFF— YOUR —HAIR !

  ______________________________________________________________

  Sancho, Ignatius (1782) Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, An African. to which are prefixed, Memoirs of His Life. London : J. Nichols. pp. 8-12

  Copy of original can be found at at:
  https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=bc.ark%3A%2F13960%2Fs2k7fnrzrwp&seq=76
  Genre: Epistolary
  Language : English
  

  September 6, 2023

  Sancho Ignatius

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• Musical Interlude – Minuet No. 5

  by Ignatius Sancho

  From : Minuets Cotillons & country Dances for the Violin, Mandolin, German Flute, & Harpsichord. Composed by an African. London 1775. pp. 6-7

  Original score can be viewed at:

  https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/minuets-cotillons-and-country-dances-by-ignatius-sancho

  September 6, 2023

  Sancho Ignatius

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• Letter I- To MR. J — W—— E.

  Ignatius Sancho, Febr. 14, 1768

  Charles St., London

  MY WORTHY AND MUCH RESPECTED FRIEND,
  

  POPE observes,
  “Men change with fortune, manners change with climes;
  “Tenets with books, and principles with times,”
  

  Your friendly letter convinced
  me that you are still the same— and
  gave in that conviction a ten-fold pleasure :
  — you carried out (through God’s
  grace) an honest friendly heart, a clear
  discerning head, and a soul impressed
  with every humane feeling. — That you
  are still the same — I repeat it — gives me
  more joy — than the certainty would of
  

  your being worth ten Jaghires : — I dare
  say you will ever remember that the
  truest worth is that of the mind — the
  blest rectitude of the heart — the conscience
  unsullied with guilt— the undaunted
  noble eye, enriched with innocence,
  and shining with social glee—
  peace dancing in the heart — and health
  smiling in the face. — May these be ever
  thy companions ! — and for riches, you
  will ever be more than vulgarly rich —
  while you thankfully enjoy— and gratefully
  assist the wants (as far as you are
  able) of your fellow creatures. But I
  think (and so will you) that I am preaching.
  I only meant in truth to thank
  you, which I most sincerely do, for your
  kind letter : — believe me, it gratifies a
  better principle than vanity — to know
  that you remember your dark-faced
  friend at such a distance; but what
  would have been your feelings — could
  you have beheld your worthy, thrice
  worthy father — joy sitting triumphant
  in his honest face — speeding from house
  to house, amongst his numerous friends,
  

  with the pleasing testimonials of his son’s
  love and duty in his hands — every one
  congratulating him, and joining in good
  wishes — while the starting tear plainly
  proved that over-joy and grief give the
  same livery ?
  

  You met with an old acquaintance of
  mine Mr. G——. I am glad to hear
  he is well ; but, when I knew him, he
  was young, and not so wise as knowing :
  I hope he will take example by what he
  sees in you — and you, young man, remember,
  if you should unhappily
  fall into bad company, that example is
  only the fool’s plea, and the rogue’s excuse,
  for doing wrong things : you have
  a turn for reflection, and a steadiness,
  which, aided by the best of social dispositions,
  must make your company
  much coveted, and your person loved.—
  Forgive me for presuming to dictate,
  when I well know you have many friends
  much more able, from knowledge and
  better sense — though I deny— a better
  will.
  

  You will of course make Men and
  Things your study — their different
  genius, aims, and passions : — you will
  also note climes, buildings, soils, and
  products, which will be neither tedious
  nor unpleasant. If you adopt the rule of
  writing every evening your remarks on
  the past day, it will be a kind of friendly
  tete-a-tete between you and yourself,
  wherein you may sometimes happily become
  your own Monitor ; — and hereafter
  those little notes will afford you a rich
  fund, whenever you shall be inclined to
  re-trace past times and places. — I say
  nothing upon the score of Religion — for,
  I am clear, every good affection, every
  sweet sensibility, every heart-felt joy —
  humanity, politeness, charity — all, all,
  are streams from that sacred spring ; —
  so that to say you are good- tempered,
  honest, social, &c. &c. is only in fact
  saying, you live according to your
  DIVINE MASTER’S rules, and are a
  Christian.

  Your B— friends are all well, excepting
  the good Mrs. C—, who is at

  this time but so, so. Miss C still as
  agreeable as when you knew her, if not
  more so. Mr. R— , as usual, never
  so happy, never so gay, nor fo much in
  true pleasure, as when he is doing good
  — he enjoys the hope of your well-doing
  as much as any of your family. His
  brother John has been lucky — his
  abilities, address, good nature, and good
  sense, have got him a surgeoncy in the
  batalion of guards, which is reckoned a
  very good thing.

  As to news, what we have is so
  incumbered with falshoods, I think it, as
  Bobadil says, “a service of danger” to
  meddle with : this I know for truth,
  that the late great Dagon of the people
  has totally lost all his worshipers, and
  walks the streets as unregarded as Ignatius
  Sancho, and I believe almost as poor —
  such is the stability of popular greatness :
  “One self-approving hour whole years outweighs
  “Of idle starers, or of loud huzza’s,” &c.
  Your brother and sister C — d sometimes
  look in upon us ; her boys are
  fine, well, and thriving; and my honest
  cousin Joe increases in sense and stature ;
  he promises to be as good as clever.
  He brought me your first letter, which,
  though first wrote, had the fate to come
  last ; the little man came from Red-Lion-Court
  to Charles Street by himself,
  and seemed the taller for what he
  had done ; he is indeed a sweet boy, but
  I fear every body will be telling him so.
  I know the folly of so doing, and yet
  am as guilty as any one.
  

  There is sent out in the Besborough,
  along with fresh governors, and other
  strange commodities, a little Blacky,
  whom you must either have seen or
  heard of ; his name is S — . He goes
  out upon a rational well-digested plan,
  to settle either at Madrass or Bengal, to
  teach fencing and riding — he is expert
  at both. If he should chance to fall in
  your way, do not fail to give the rattlepate
  what wholesome advice you can ;
  but remember, I do strictly caution you
  against tending him money upon any
  account, for he has every thing but —
  principle ; he will never pay you ; I

  am sorry to say so much of one whom I
  have had a friendship for, but it is needful;
  serve him, if you can — but do not
  trust him. — There is in the fame ship,
  belonging to the Captain’s band of music,
  one C— L— n, whom I think you have
  seen in Privy Gardens : he is honest,
  trusty, good-natured, and civil ; if you
  see him, take notice of him, and I will
  regard it as a kindness to me.— I have
  nothing more to say. Continue in right
  thinking, you will of course act well ;
  in well-doing, you will insure the favor
  of GOD, and the love of your friends,
  amongst whom pray reckon

  Yours faithfully,

  IGNATIUS SANCHO.

  ______________________________________________________________

  Sancho, Ignatius (1782) Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, An African. to which are prefixed, Memoirs of His Life. London : J. Nichols. pp. 8-12

  Copy of original can be found at at:
  https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=bc.ark%3A%2F13960%2Fs2k7fnrzrwp&seq=76
  Genre: Epistolary
  Language : English
  

  September 6, 2023

  Sancho Ignatius

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