vii Wedgwood's Marriage 67 



of the week. Can you write two letters of congratula- 

 tion on one joyful occasion ? " 



The long-awaited marriage took place at the parish 

 church of Astbury, in the county of Chester, on the 

 29th of January 1764. Four months later Wedgwood 

 wrote to Bentley : " Accept the best respects of 

 two married lovers, who are as happy as this world 

 can make them." The marriage indeed proved a 

 very happy one. Sarah Wedgwood was one of the 

 tenderest and best of wives. She was a woman of 

 whom any husband might well be proud. She was 

 beautiful and gentle, and the two loved each other with 

 depth and fidelity. Her mind unfolded itself leaf by 

 leaf in the society of her husband, always displaying 

 new sweetness. 



She was not only tender but helpful. The rectitude 

 of her mind was intuitive. Though gentle, she was 

 active and strong. While Wedgwood was ill, as he 

 often was through the pain in his diseased knee, she 

 was his devoted nurse. None other cherished and 

 helped him in his anguish as she did ; and this con- 

 tinued until the amputation of his leg some four years 

 after their marriage. 



During Wedgwood's occasional illnesses, she learnt 

 his system of cipher or shorthand, took down notes of 

 his thoughts and ideas, and conducted his correspond- 

 ence. What a noble wife she was ! Her time was too 

 useful now to be occupied in spinning, and her 

 spinning-wheel was banished to the garret. Other 



