‘I am glad to profit of any opportunity to assure you how pleasing it's to me to acquaint you with anything I thought would be agreeable to you, as I am certain [it] will be to hear that I hope we have got a very desirable subject in the young lady I mentioned to you some time ago, recommended by Mr. Austin. I wish I could transmit to you that part of his letter in respect of her, that he wrote to Mr. Doran. [But] as it was not convenient to give it to me, I shall give you a full account of her and some conjectures of my own in her regard. As you may be surprised I have not insisted on a better fortune if you did not know how matters stand, [let me tell you that] I have done nothing in it only with the approbation of our worthy friend and his uncle. Her father will give only £200 to the house, he is to pay £15 a year interest on it; while she lives, he is to give her a pension for herself that he does not choose to name at present. His indignation I believe is so great against her for being a nun [that] he offers her £2,000 if she will marry. Her inclination, I find, was to go to the same convent where she was brought up in. He would not consent to it, as he says there is a probability [that] in France they may demolish all the monasteries. He consented [that] she should go to Flanders, and Liege was the place he chose for her; I suppose, being under an ecclesiastical prince, he thought it would long subsist.
All these objections made her determine, I believe, on taking on here; and [she] says she is greatly pleased to [be] among them that has been educated in France. When he gave her leave to come here, he desired that she should leave Dublin in July and go to a convent in Galway, to remain [there] till things are fixed here. I have begged [that] she should come here and stay with me. In [the] first place she could be of great service and it would be a great comfort to me to have her; and [secondly] it's thought more advisable for many reasons by his odd manner of acting in her regard. At least I imagine he does not see her, so as the footing I request is put on being less expense for her going to Galway than coming from thence would cost him more. If he thought it would be agreeable to her, I dare say he would let her come. I fancy you'll admire to hear she is his only child and, I believe, the same [person] we mentioned to you about two years ago, as everything corroborates with what I heard then, only her being so very young as they told me she was. If it's the same, the father is a very religious man and has made a very good fortune, and retired from business lives in the country. There is a great appearance [that] beside[s] her wealth [?] she will be of vast service to the house. Her name I don't know. She has had a mind to be a nun since [she was] a child, [and she] is mighty devout. Nobody can write better than she does or [has] better orthography— this [is] what Mr. Austin mentions of her in his last letter. When he first spoke of her, he said she had great talents. Providence has ordered everything for the best in her regard to keep her for this place.
It mortified me that she did not join you; and had she, I am sure she would have met with the same fate that others did. Even Mr. Austin heard so much to the prejudice of this Foundation, that I believe he did not endeavour as much to prevail on her as he would [have done] had he known how matters were. Ever since Mr. Halloran has been here, who was informed of the truth of everything, nobody can interest himself more than he does for its success.
We must think the Almighty permits everything for the best. You'll see with His assistance everything promises well. And His divine hand will uphold us in getting your former mistress. The house she is in will in my opinion bring a judgement on them if they hinder her from being the means of saving so many souls.
Mr. Moylan desired me to assure you of his most affectionate compliments. He is so hurried that he has scarcely time to eat his meals since the Jubilee. He attempted several times to try to get an hour to sit down to write to you; it was in vain. It mortifies him he can't, as I don't know anyone he has a higher esteem for. His health is so much impaired since this great fatigue that he told me himself yesterday as he could...any ease here to relieve on your account his friend with.... afraid it would have no weight with him...
If it was not in regard of this Foundation he thinks you would choose to finish your noviceship there, and as soon as leave is got for that other lady to come away immediately....[lines scratched out]. He expects his sister every moment and will have time to write to you and to the Superior at the same time as the Jubilee will be soon over. I was surprised when he asked me if I wrote to the mistress of novices. I never did, I know I ought have done it and to....; not writing the French prevented me; as I am very unfond of being troublesome to persons that have not time to spare, and I could not entrust anybody else.
I hope your fortitude will bring you through all crosses and put a happy conclusion to this Foundation. And never be discouraged from choosing any young lady you think proper. I have often been ashamed for fear you would have thought I was any way flattering you with the success of it. I met so many disappointments; and that very young lady I now mention, I was sorry that we ever spoke of her to you, though we were sure of her when we did and afterwards she was resolved to go to France; you see we have got her back again. And if Miss Smith is not entered into any other convent, Mr. Moylan think[s] he will prevail on her to come here; I sincerely wish he may.
I beg you'll be so good as to present my compliments to the Superior, [to] your mistress, and [to] your former one who[m] I love and reverence, and [to] Mr. Fitzsimons. My best wishes attend the young ladies. All the family of Barryscourt are in perfect health, and Miss Nagle['s] family are also very well. I hope you and they enjoy, as I wish you may always, perfect good [health].
It gives me a vast deal of trouble to find [that] them two young ladies that want to learn can have no advantage. If it could be permitted them to have anybody to teach them anything you thought would be hereafter an advantage to the house, don't spare any expense. You'll be [the] best judge in that and everything else in their regards. They are happy to have a person of your good sense to direct them. And [I] can with truth say you are under God the chief support of this good work, which I flatter myself you will see prosper far beyond what one has a right to expect in such a country as this. I am, my dear Miss Fitzsimons, your most affectionate friend, Nano Nagle’..[1]
[1] T.J. Walsh, Nano Nagle and the Presentation Sisters (Dublin, 1959), p. 350.
‘I was sorry it was not in my power sooner to tell you how much I am obliged to you for not standing on ceremony with me and being so good as to write to me so often of late, though I could not answer your kind favours as punctually as I wished to do. I believe you'll attribute my silence to the real cause, which is want of time.
I can't express the joy I had to hear of Miss Kavanagh['s] resolution and that she had joined you. It was what you ambitioned this long time past. If once we were fixed, the object in view is so great that I dare say many would follow your and her example. I had little reason when first I thought of this Foundation to expect the success it has already had met. I must say, every disappointment we have had the Almighty has been pleased to make it turn out to our advantage; though my impatience very often made [me] not submit to His divine Will as I ought. I believe we are obligated to your worthy friend for this young lady['s] [determination] to come here. We are happy, I think, to have one of the sisters. I am not surprised at what you mention to me in regard of Mr. Kavanagh, for he and his lady by some conjectures of their own was sure Miss Nano intended coming here. As for my part, I could not say anything that gave the least notion that she was [so] inclined; nor did I flatter myself by what the clergyman then told me of her that she would; and I must do her brother and sister justice, they did not seem at all angry with her for it. I dare say she will be still of great service to us by her prayers.
I can't avoid telling you how eager Mr. Doran is for your coming over soon, as he forsees [sic] they will every day be starting some new difficulties on account of the French lady—which is already the case and was made an objection when Mrs. B. got leave to come. And he wrote to his nephew [Dr Moylan] the many reasons by which it makes it so necessary to have this establishment begun as soon as possible, as he and I are sure by the character you give of this lady that she is not one of those modern religious persons who think every inconveniency such a cross that there is no bearing it. She that makes such a sacrifice for the good of souls will have fortitude to make light, I hope, of not having everything settled as comfortably as it ought to be.
One could not imagine in a house so lately built that the walls would be so dry as they are, nor can one judge of them till they are plastered, and when the plaster dries immediately, it's owing to the walls being so. Had I not seen it had this effect on it, I could not have believed it. You'll find it will be very habitable this winter, which I did not think it would be. And when you are settled there, I shall be to blame if I don't get every necessary that is thought wanting, as there is nothing in my power I shan't endeavour to do. And I hope you'll be so good as to excuse, in the beginning, all, and consider we are in a country [in which] we can't do as we please. By degrees with the assistance of God we may do a great deal. As I think by what your …..[1]
[1] T.J. Walsh, Nano Nagle and the Presentation Sisters (Dublin, 1959), p. 354.
‘I had the pleasure of receiving your kind favour and hope my last letter has convinced you that it was no neglect on my part not answering you sooner as nothing can give me more real pleasure than hearing often from you, till I have that of seeing you. And that longed-for sight, I hope, is not at such a distance as I some time ago imagined it to be.
I can't too much admire your zeal and great trust in the divine Providence, which I always looked on as the most settled beginning any foundation of this kind could have. And I build more on the success of it from that poor way [in which] it first took its rise than any means it has pleased God to give me at present to carry it on. I can't express how much I suffer to think of all the severe trials you have gone through, and am sensible it's more painful to meet them where [you] should expect everything to forward such a good work. Yet the Almighty permits this to try your patience and to hasten this establishment, and to draw a future benefit from it, as the faults we disapprove in others we take generally to mend in ourselves. I dare say it will be the peculiar care of them that begin this foundation to inspire always to others to do all in their [power] to forward other establishments, as in all appearance several may spring from this. It's in this light [you should] look on their odd manner of acting in both convents. And as to myself it does not disedify me, as I believe it's all for our good. It's certain others might not think as I do, which makes me sometimes imagine the disappointments I have met about the foundation going abroad to have happened for the best, as very probably they might have lost their vocations had they seen their behaviour in our regard.
As to what you mention to me about being professed here, as your worthy friend and his uncle approves of it and as it's your own decision, it's highly pleasing to me also. And I think it would be going to a very unnecessary expense, as you could not reap any advantage by it hereafter and I suppose would be very disagreeable to the ladies you are with that anybody intended for this place should profess among them, as they may always have a dread of their returning back to them. On the whole I hope you have come to the best resolution in every respect.
There is nothing in Mr. Moylan's power he won't do to endeavour to get leave for your former mistress coming over. If he can't succeed by writing, he is so good as [to] be resolved to go over himself, though he can hardly be spared even for a few days from this place, his presence is so necessary here. Yet he has it so much at heart to see it once fixed [that] he does not think anything a trouble [which] he can do to serve it. We all admire that amiable lady's zeal and fortitude to leave her own country. I flatter myself that you and she will be amply recompensed when you see all the number of souls you'll be the means of saving, and the universal good not only to this country and very probably to others. I beg you will tell her I should have wrote to her to acknowledge my thanks and gratitude to her when I heard of her consenting to come here, only the want of not writing the French, or more the fear of my letter being read before it came into her hands as with the help of one of my friends I could have sent [?] a French letter. And at the same time assure her of my respectful compliments.
It gave me a vast deal of trouble to hear my cousin had such a violent fit. You may well imagine if I thought she had hysterics, I never would have been such a fool as any way to think the nuns would ever permit her to receive the habit among them. It makes me uneasy to think how disagreeable it must be to them to have her in the house, as they have a notion it's a disorder that is taken. We can't foresee what sickness it's pleased God to afflict us with or at what time. I wish her native air may agree better with her for her own sake and ours, for a better mistress for the poor children I fancy won't be easy to get. She was indefatigable about...
P.S. As [I am] informed Miss Coppinger has been also very uneasy at not hearing from any of her family, I must beg the favour of you to tell her I heard yesterday from them, and they are all well and [so are] her cousins in this town; and at the same time assure her of my affectionate compliments. Adieu, dear Miss’.[1]
[1] T.J. Walsh, Nano Nagle and the Presentation Sisters (Dublin, 1959), p. 348.