(Livingston Manor, May 27 and June 4, 1721)


May 27, 1721, in the Manor of Livinghston.

My Dear Husband,

I hope you will receive this in good health. I have received everything well from Tames. And our grain is quite better than over 14 days [ago], and our summer-grain is doing fine. We have hedged it in with corn-stalks in front of the door. And today [we] got done with the lime-kiln and [I] had 20 cart-loads laid upon it.
Jonas has dug 3 feet out of that mountain here and found both a vein going down into the rock and one going through the rock. What species it is I do not know. I believe it is copper, but it is not as rich as my brother’s. But I believe [that] if it were taken underneath1) it would be better. What it is I do not know; it smells of sulphur. I have sent it to you the way he brought it to me. I
A had taken Naetye’s sheet and 2 night-caps with me by mistake, and her chest-covering and a pillow-case. I am sending your silk cap and cane, and I had sent your golden buttons inside a letter with Pieter Winne on board.
B My regards to Naetye and Miss Veets and your son Robbert and our friends.
Herewith, be commended to the Lord.
I hope the Bever has come in, for which [I] long very much.
Your Beloved Wife,
Alida Livinghston.

I have not received the money from Krock2) yet. We could use single and double welding-irons and half a bale of good cotton. After the holiday I will send the yacht for planks and then for wheat.
June 4; no opportunity to send this letter. They are passing by with such a [hard] wind that they cannot call at the shore. The yacht is on its way for planks.

In the left margin:
- at the (A) mark: 2 pairs of white stockings.
- at the (B) mark: (our) son Van Hoorn.
Notes:
1) Alida writes: “as het van onder ghenome wort”. “van onder” means either: “from below” or “underneath”. I prefer the latter; in that case “it…underneath” would not indicate the “it” in the preceding sentence – viz. the copper-like species – but another mineral, embedded under the “copper”, and that would explain the next sentence much better than if “van onder” were translated “from below”.
2) = spelled “Kruck”.