It is retold in Martha Washington An American Life by Patricia Brady J South -----Original Message----- From: Bearss, Sara (LVA) <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 8:48 am Subject: Re: Need help with a famous, venomous exchange This exchange is apocryphal (it does not appear in print until the nineteenth century) but is supposed to have occurred in some version between John Custis, of Williamsburg (1678-probably 1749), a member of the governor's Council, and his wife, Frances Parke Custis, daughter of Daniel Parke, governor of the Leeward Islands. (And the body of water in question is supposed to be the Chesapeake Bay.) Custis's letter book has been published by the Virginia Historical Society, and you'll find a biography in the Dictionary of Virginia Biography, volume 3, pages 636-639. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Sara B. Bearss [log in to unmask] Senior Editor, Dictionary of Virginia Biography The Library of Virginia 800 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23221-8000 Friends don't let friends split infinitives. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -----Original Message----- From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Craig Kilby Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 5:56 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [VA-HIST] Need help with a famous, venomous exchange I am hopeful that many of you will know the exact famous exchange I am looking for may be found, or just know it off-hand. I have read it many times and am drawing a blank as to the particulars. In fact there is a whole story about them I have read many times. It had to do with a very unhappily married couple. Please do not admonish me for completely butchering this incident, but hopefully enough of what I present below will ring enough bells for some one to correct me. This couple were driving along in a carriage one day, and as usual in their normal "harumph" attitudes. At one point, it goes something like this: (I know this is all wrong, which is why I ask to be corrected.) Scene. The man gets so angry he starts driving into a lake. Her: Sir, you are driving this carriage into a lake. Him: Yes I am. And I would sooner drive into the Gates Hell. Her: Drive on! Later in the story, she dies and he erects a tombstone with one last blast at her for all eternity. I know I am messing this whole thing up, but hopefully someone can direct me to the proper source. I can't even think of their names. Craig ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html