Mary “Polly” Doddridge, Northampton, to Mercy Doddridge, Jr., at the Tozers, Billiter Square, London, Tuesday, 20 February 1750.                      

                                                                                                            Northn Feb. yc 20 17[50]

                                                                                                                       Tuesday Morning

My Dearest Sister,

            I am in the first place to informe you that my Momma is much concernd that you have not reciv’d a very Long & important Letter that she sent you by Tuesdays post, in the which she has expressd her whole mind with concerning the Silk & the Lennin you mention & sewing Silke & Thread & pins & fifty more ands, of which I know nothing at all & now my Dear with My Momma[s] most affectionate Love to you she does Desire & beg that you would make diligent Inquiry amoungst Mrs Toziers Servants & if it be not forthcoming from amongst them that one of them would make inquirey at the post Office least peradventure it may have remaind thare untill this time, furthermore, my Mamas Desire is that you woud write by the very next post to inform her whather you have receiv’d the very important Letter aforesaid, & also if you have not receivd it & in it her full Directions that you would not take any Methods to procure the Grey silk till you have [heard] farthers from her, so much for Mamma, O but I have not don[e] yet now I recolect thair still remaineth one thing, it is this that Mama is much afraid she shall not be able without (or even with) much Pains Labour & Study to write ^another^ Letter so pirtinant & so much to the purpose as that now in Question, this last Circumstance (by order I assure you) I mention that you may reduble your Diligence in your inquires after it & you have my best wishes that you may be successful in your inquiries (I hate the ^ugly^ word so often & did not design to have put it in thare so you may put it out if you please & this for reasons of state.[)]

            Well but now a Word or 2 for my self I thank you kindly my Dear for your Letter, I & all of [us] are very much Concernd at the Complaint you mention in your head & Face Mama fears London does not agree with you & wishes you were well out of it; so do I, I have a Thousen things to say to you – but must not now as I long to get a Seal on this Sacy Scrap least Mama should ask to see it & if she whould I should have it most Gloriously but be it as it will I must tell you I shoud that I should have wrote you a long Letter last week but Mama wd not let me & instid of writing made me sit down to make Shifts &c at which I was not greatly Delighted you may be sure; we wash this week & the shifts are not done so when I may write to you again I know not but if I can help it it shant be long.

            Adeu my Dearest I rely on your goodness to excuse this strange ––– I leave you to fill up blanks for I know not what to call it be assurd that whather Sacey or Civell I am & ever will be

                                                                        Your Most Affectionate

                                                                                     Polly Doddridge

Address:  To | Miss Doddridge | at Mr Toziers Mercht | in Billiter Square | London

Postmark: 21 February

Note:  Feb. Recd 21. ansd 22. | 1750 [note in Philip Doddridge’s hand]

Text: Crew MS 50, fol. 28, Wren Library, Trinity College, Cambridge.