William Wilberforce, Ampton, Bury St. Edmunds, to Joseph Butterworth, Jr., 5 July 1826.

My dear Sir,

   I feel some misgivings in obeying the strong impulse I feel to express to you the deep interest with which I heard and, with which indeed my dear Mrs Wilberforce read to me the account of the death of your excellent father but did any common friend occur to me who could convey to you the contents of the letter I would address it to him rather than to yourself.  And yet what indelicacy or impropriety can there be in giving you an assurance which I am persuaded you cannot but credit of my feeling sincere concern for the unexpected loss of so excellent a member of the community as your dear father¾I should say the untimely loss, were it not that if his life is to be remembered by the good he had done few Persons had gathered in a richer Harvest. I had so lately seen him at Bath engaged with his usual activity and feeling as promoting the best interests of the Community and engaging in a circuit of benevolence, that had it been the case of any one less ready for such a Summons, I should have been shocked to hear of his having been taken away. Bt it is indeed a blessed consideration that he was so habitually prepared for the great change that however little to be expected by others he was I doubt not completely prepared for it himself. May I beg you to desire some friend, for I would not impose the task on yourself whose time and thought must I am sure be more than sufficiently occupied favor me with a detailed account of the Particulars of your dear fathers latter days. I hope his health did not suffer from the fatigues of a contested Election.  However, whatever was the prominent cause of his removal he was on e of those of whom we may most confidently pronounce that all was sure to work together for his good.  I shall be glad to hear a good account of yourself also and of your family. I thank God my sons health is in a tolerably comfortable state, though any one like myself who is not naturally robust must feel languid in this Weather. My Eyes however are worse than usual, so that I am compelled to write to you by another hand. With every wish for your health and happiness, I remain My dear Sir

         W Wilberforce

Text: Wilberforce Papers, Series II (Microfilm), reel 16, fol. 56, Bodleian Library, Oxford. The occasion of the above letter is the death of Joseph Butterworth, Sr.