Despite all the proposals my transcription has prompted, I have incorporated most of them by consensus. That is the reason why three words are still displayed in brackets since such expressions require further analysis. Therefore, I would be glad of subsequent suggestions.
My dear Sister ye 14th of feb
1766
I intended you a longer letter tonigh
but behold M ss Carter at my elbow, looking as if
she had a great deal to say, which is certainly
singularly malicious, as she is of all Womankind
the most silent. I will certainly take care about
M ss Larghornas son. When I had written this in
came Lord Lyttelton (so/as) I was obliged to lay down
my pen, for she Mss Carter with it disposed to
talk to me, just when the company increased
to three persons, I knew tho she can (……) or
dwells she wd not venture to engage in a trio
(….) poor Lord Lyttelton must have
furnished more than his share of the
conversation whereas when we parted she
Dear beayjulio22,
My transcription is like yours except a few differences which are In the first sentence ‘tonigh’ instead of your (wrigh), and further in
Line 4: Womankin(d)
Line 7: Lord Lythelton
Line 8: for ‘she’ Mss Garter looked disposed to
Line 10: tho she can sing a
Line 11: duette she used not venture to engage in a trio
Line 12: as poor Lord Lythelton
Dear beayjulio22,
Although our transcriptions are very similar, I also agree with Maaike1952 about tonigh (l.1) and womankind (l. 4).
I think line 7 should be Lord Lyttelton (see http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2914523?uid=3738736&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21101091064523) and after Lord Lyttelton I read the word ‘as’.
I agree with Maaike1952 about line 8.
Then in line 9 I read ‘just when the company increased to three persons …’
Again I agree with Maaike1952 about line 10 and then in line 11: ‘duette she wd not venture to engage in a trio …’
The rest I agree with.
Dear beayjulio22,
Although our transcriptions are very similar, there are a few differences.
Line 1 and 4 I agree with Maaike1952: tonigh and womankind.
Line 7 should, I think be Lord Lyttelton (see http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu/oasis/deliver/~hou01749).This refers to a certain George Lyttelton,
Then after Lord Lyttelton I read the word ‘so’.
Then again I agree with Maaike1952 about line 8 and then in line 9: ‘just when the company …’
In line 11 again the same as Maaike1952 and I agree with you that line 11: ‘she wd not ‘
regards