Do Madeleine Smith's Letters Convict or Acquit?

Presented at the Historical Association

Transcript

1. Do Madeleine Smith’s letters convict or acquit? The Historical Association, 14 February 2013 Marc Alexander, Richard Binns
2. Interpreting the Letters Two perspectives, as put forward by the prosecution and the defence: the letters are “Borgiaesque”, cold and despairing in turn; or the letters are records of a standard love affair, of just rising and falling interest on the part of a young girl, who “breathed nothing but gentleness and propriety”.
3. Similarity measures John Burrows, “Delta” measure between documents
8. Madeleine to Emile, 4.7.1856: Mitchell Library D135 ...I hope, darling, you won’t think that, because there are three military men with us, I shall flirt. Indeed Emile, I shall not. This I promise you. So don’t be annoyed about me. I shall be quite civil, but not flirt. But you will say, “Ah Mini you make fine promises, promises which you break,” but really do believe me for once...
10. [...] the house is to be full on Saturday - there is a Captain Browne (From London) to be here I think. I hope [ ] darling you wont think that because there are three military men with us I shall flirt. Indeed Emile I shall not. This I promise you so dont be annoyed about me I shall be quite civil but not flirt.
11. Madeleine to Emile, 4.7.1856: Mitchell Library D135 ...I hope, darling, you won’t think that, because there are three military men with us, I shall flirt. Indeed Emile, I shall not. This I promise you. So don’t be annoyed about me. I shall be quite civil, but not flirt. But you will say, “Ah Mini you make fine promises, promises which you break,” but really do believe me for once...
12. Madeleine to Emile, 4.7.1856: Mitchell Library D135 ...I hope darling you wont think that because there are three military men with us I shall flirt. Indeed Emile I shall not this I promise you so don’t be annoyed about me I shall be quite civil but not flirt. But you will say “Ah Mini you make fine promises, promises which you break,” but really do believe me for once...
14. Historical Thesaurus: 02.02.22.14 n: p.1087
15. 18570321 149: 18570305 121 18570304 117: 18570303 115 18570227 113 18570209 105 18570202 101 18560704 D135 18550720 9 come to me, come to me imperative believe me imperative adieu, with kisses and much love substantive believe me imperative with love [...] believe me imperative and substantive past tense SVO no longer in love past tense SVO my love increases daily substantive with my kind love and good wishes [...] I love you substantive and active
16. Key Points Clusters of letters Ambiguity of expression Breathless punctuation Orders to believe, rather than offers
17. Key Points Clusters of letters Ambiguity of expression Breathless punctuation Orders to believe, rather than offers
18. The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. Oscar Wilde