The Cotman Letters 1834

April 3rd /34.
Do not forget to date your letters.

My dear John
You must think me mad as you proceed with this. I promise you I am, was and shall remain I hope perfectly sane although I am considered not to have acted sanely. What do you think all this preface lead[s] to? You know I suppose that after Tombland Fair comes that charming one held in the marlpit at Bishopbridge. You now learn, I have had for a considerable time an itching to ride in one of those Russian Roundabouts or Ups and downs. Two of those things were maliciously planted immediately in front of our windows, increasing my itching to such a pitch that it became at last quite insupportable. I had just determined on taking an airing early when lo – presto – they were gone to the marlpit – thither went I, at night and positively had a ride, was screwed up and down for one quarter of an hour, for three pence. Will you believe it? Mother won’t. More than that I really went to a peepshew, saw the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, a storm at Brighthelmstowe commonly Brighton. The railway was really managed very prettily, particularly the causeway over Chat Moss, there was also a representation of the loss of the vessel with the female convicts. That was not so good; but then “what can one expect for a penny.” I finished the evening at Brewers (he takes the place of Samwell, who is dead) where I saw Don Juan splendidly performed by a company consisting of three male and two female performers. All that was not considered odd, but that I should be ambitious of mounting thirty feet in an up and down That was the made trick. Oh it has caused such fun here!! A D… went almost distracted to think I was so silly.