Celia Doddridge, at the Burkitts' in London, to Mercy Doddridge, Sr., at Rev. Mr. Thomas’s, Henley, Warwickshire, 29 September 1767.

Dear Madam

            I am extremly obliged to you for your very kind & Truly affectunt Letter wich gave my Great pleasure & for which I return my most Greatfull thanks I am very glad my Letter gave you so much satisfaction & can truly say that I am that I sincearly rejoice that I have know [sic] quit[e] don[e] with the afare since I recv’d you[r] Letter Madam I have seen Mr C & told him I was quit[e] determind to brake off the affar so that I hope you will not have anny more Trouble on this acount

  I sopos you Madam have heard of the d^e^ath of the duke of Yourke & that thear will be a general morning [mourning] Mrs J. thinks that I may send for my morning hear but I think that if you aprove of it I had beatter go home as I think I may make shift with many things thear that I cannot do hear I wold have whent home this week but Mrs J [Jennings] thought I had beatter stay till I heard from my Dear mamma again I am very sorry to hear that my Dear Mercy is ill agine as I was in Great hop[e]s that the journey & chang[e] of air wold quit[e] have recoverd her & am the more surprisd as the last Letter I had from her she say’d that she is puer will [pure well] & seems to writ[e] in very good spirts I am much concernd that my Dear Sister contiuies so indiferent I beg my kind Love to her & sincerely wish that the next acount may be better I hope Mrs H [Mary Doddridge Humphreys of Tewkesbury] & my brouther [Philip Doddridge, Jr.] & the Dear Children are will I think Madam you dont mencion them in your last but hope you will not forgit them in your next which I hope will be very soon as I whant much to know what I must do with my self

  I take it for grantid I must not go to see Mrs Hirrons [Hirons] as I cold not be thear without going in the morning I have not yet heard anny think [sic] from her so that I sopose Mr C is still theare

  Mrs & Mr Burkitt are come home & are both very will & desire theare complements to you Madam & my Sister I hope my Dear Mamma will not think me extravgint when she knows how I have spent my monny in the first place my gown which I bout bought a great while a go cost me five & fifty shillings besids the lining & the making which come to a 11 shilling you know Madam what you desird me to give Mrs B [Burkitt's] servents & Mrs Adistons Little gown & besides this I have pa[i]d 15 shillings for glovs for my Sister & Mrs G I should be glad to know Madam if you woud have me b[u]y anny threads or tape or anny thing of the sort before I leve town

  My gown is a blue & wite flower’d & stript Mrs B['s] choice & I think very pretty so does Mrs J so that I hope you will & my sisters will like it

    I should be very glad to know Madam what you will plese to have me give Mrs Jen[nings] servents

  Mrs J willham beg her kind respet of to you Madam I am afriad my letter will be to Late or else should be very glad to wright more

I am my Dear Madam

Your Dutifyll & Affict Daughter

Celia Doddridge

I have not yet heard from my sister but hope to hear very soon

Sep 29 67

Address: [---] Thomas’s | [---] in Arden | [---] kshire [page is cut off]

Postmark: none

Note on address page: none

Text: Crew MS 50, fol. 7, Wren Library, Trinity College, Cambridge.