Mrs. Mary Martha Sherwood, Worcester, to Philip Whitaker, Bratton, [Friday], 9 August 1822.

My dear Sir

   I return you many thanks for the bill you enclosed & rejoice that you think your daughter improved I hope that you will be equally satisfied with what she may do with the divine blessing before Christmas.

   The bare signification of your wishes respecting the church of England Catechism is sufficient – I am aware that it has many defects I have therefore never used it in any case without a comment – but with respect to your daughter she shall use it no longer, but devote her spare hours on the sabbath to sacred history.

   I remain Dear Sir

                             Your much obliged

                                                     M. M. Sherwood

August 9th 1822

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 387-88 (annotated version); Reeves Collection, Box 21.4.(d.), Bodleian. Address: Mr Whitaker | Bratton | near Westbury | Wilts.  Postmark: Worcester, 10 August 1822.  Also written on the address page is ‘Mrs Sherwood’.  Apparently, Anne Whitaker (now 15) was receiving her final year(s) of education at Mrs. Sherwood’s establishment at Worcester, which, as the letter makes clear, was not a nonconformist school.  Reference above may be to Mrs. Sherwood’s Stories Explanatory of the Church Catechism (1817).