Lady Morgan’s Memoirs
Sydney Owenson to Lady Margaret Stanley, 28 September 1808
September 28th, 1808.
I have this moment reached town (for I live at the Black
Rock), and am seated at dinner with Olivia, and dinner and
Livy are all thrown by till I tell my own dear kind
mamma of Penrhôs how much her charming and affectionate billet delighted
me. Mr. Atkinson is not the only one who
longs to know and see you. A dear family, Judge
Crookshank’s, are languishing to have you at their
beautiful seat, and many others worthy of being known to you, long to have you
amongst them. Do, do come; it is Sydney (and
never call me odious Miss O.) who requests it.
Why not come and live amongst us? We are full of
heart—we have some talent, and we should idolize you.
I go off the 8th to the Bishop of Ossory’s, and shall ![]()
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remain
till the plays at Kilkenny are over (three weeks). Then I go to Cork, to
General Graham’s, who commands
there, and proceed with him and Mrs.
Graham to Killarney; so that I shall not return to town till
December. Oh, if you would meet me there, I should have such a nice house ready
for you, and on such reasonable terms! Do, do think of
it, it would be worth coming to a “creature who knows
how to love so well.”
I am just sending my maid over with this to Daddy Atkinson and to Lady Asgills, with whom I return to meet the
commander-in-chief at dinner to-morrow, meantime the poor book lies
by—heart still taking the lead of the head in the old way,
Ever yours,
Lady Jemima Sophia Asgill [née Ogle] (1770-1819)
The daughter of Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle; in 1790 she married Sir Charles Asgill who was
posted to Ireland during the Rebelion of 1798. She is said to be the model for the
flirtatious Lady Olivia in Maria Edgeworth's
Leonora.
Joseph Atkinson (1743-1818)
Irish playwright educated at educated at Trinity College, Dublin; he was a friend of
Thomas Moore and Lady Morgan.
Alexander Crookshank (1736-1808 fl.)
Of Newton Park; he was MP for Belfast (1777-83) and Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
(1784-1800).
Jane Grahame [née Ferrier] (1767-1846)
The daughter of James Ferrier, writer to the signet; about 1804 she married General
Samuel Graham. Robert Burns addressed a copy of verses to her when she was young.
Samuel Grahame (1756-1831)
Scottish military officer who fought in the American and French Revolutionary Wars; he
was for many years deputy governor of Sterling Castle.
John Kearney, bishop of Ossory (1744-1813)
He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he was provost (1799) and kept a
literary circle that included Thomas Moore; in 1806 he was appointed bishop of
Ossory.
