Sunday 30 January 2011

Tom Lefroy Quote - Week 5

I hope she does not mind telling our readers but Linda is celebrating a very special birthday today. Happy Birthday Linda!!
I have picked a Tom Lefroy quote, taken from his memoirs. It is from a letter written to his wife in the year of 1846 (when Tom was 70 years old).

Page 240 of the Memoir of Chief Justice Lefroy

To his wife

Parsontown,
Saturday Night.

I fly about, as you will see, with great agility. I slept in Cork on Thursday night, at Mitchelstown Castle last night, and here I am to-night nearly seventy miles on my way to Carig-glas. I hope to-morrow to spend a quiet day with Lord Rosse, and mount to the skies by the help of his wonderful telescope, but in a better sense also by a quite Sunday passed as it ought to be in thanksgiving and praise for all the mercies of the last five weeks.

We wanted to highlight Tom's great commitment to activity, both mental and physical. He was a very strong, determined man and an inspiration to many. In his positivity and grace, he never forgot to be thankful for what he had.

I hope that this year is very special for you Linda.

Pic: Thomas Langlois Lefroy, circa 1855

2 comments:

Linda Fern said...

Thank you so much, dear Rachel, for that lovely post! After reading that from dear Tom, I really don't feel 'so old' now. 70 just sounds so old, but it depends on one's state of mind, I suppose. I am required to be so 'active' every day that for today I am simply relaxing and resting, thank goodness!

Yrs most aff'ly,
Linda the Librarian

Icha said...

Happy 70th birthday dearest Linda!!! I'm so amazed at your agility and liveliness, you sure are a great example for us all!

Thanks so much Rachel for the quote as well!