William Wilberforce, Deanery Wells, to John Ryland, Jr., Bristol, 28 September 1819.

My dear Sir

  Ever since I left Blaise Castle, I have been intending to write to you, but my dear and excellent Host has found so many Engagements for me at home & abroad that the time I have had at my own command has been wholly unequal to the claims on it, produced by a continual influx of letters. 

It was my full design to do myself the pleasure of calling on you when I should pass thro Bristol in my way to this Place   There were several other Friends also, whom I meant to visit, but when the day came, we found ourselves so stinted for time that it was impossible for me to wait on my other friends, & I feared I might give them offence if I called on you only – which also I was the less solicitous to do because I trusted you know too well the esteem & regard I entertain for you to have expected my not calling on you to any other than its true cause.

My general wish to see you was not a little augmented at that time by my having been informed by some Friends, if I mistake not by Mr Harford that I had omitted to return an answer to some letter which you had written to me.  I could not then, nor can I now recollect the circumstance to which Mr Harford must have alluded – and if he be correct, this is an additional instance of that decay of memory of which I am conscious of late years.  Let me beg you to be so obliging as to tell me frankly how the casee stands.  I am persuaded I need not assure you that if I am chargeable with any such omission, I can sincerely assure you that it was perfectly unintentional.  

I am sorry that I have never yet happened to meet with Mr Ward since his arrival in England and shall welcome any opportunity that may present itself for my forming a Perusal acquaintance with him.  I consider your Serampore Missions as one of the chief glories of our Country  I am called down to dinner & must hastily assure that I am with Esteem & regard My dear Sir

  your faithful Servt

  W Wilberforce

Revd Dr Ryland

Text: Wilberforce-Ryland Letters, shelfmark MS. G97a, Bristol Baptist College Library, fol. 7 (letter is not in Wilberforce’s hand, but signature is his).