Mary “Polly” Doddridge, Northampton, to Mercy Doddridge, Jr., [at the Tozers, Billiter Square, London,] March 1753, with a PS. by Mercy Doddridge, Sr. 

Northn March ye 1753

Wendsday Night 9 oClock

My Dearest Sister;

             My Mama sends her kind love to you & thanks for your Letter just receivd to which she had orderd me to return this answer in the first place she greatly aproves of your Suit of Cloase being turnd into a Sack as you propose & I shall theirfore send it on the very first opportunity & mine will atend it to be more in to a Sack all so in order we may be Sisters in evry thing.

            2. Mama says that tho a full Sack might be very Gentiel for Celia yet (at Northampton) she greatly prefirs a Coat as allso she prefirs a Bombazeen to a Crape for Celia & should be glad if Mr Gregg would change the Crape for Bombazeen, Mama thinks their will be some defficalty in making the Suits of Cloase into Sacks & particularly as to the length behind & that thair will be many parts of the Cloase that will be of very little or no use to the Sacks which would be as good as that you should buy for the Coate & therefore that it would be of advantage to the Sacks that you should work an exchange of such parts & take some of the new Bambazeen for the sacks.

             You will p[l]ease to buy you a new Black Quilt & that also you will please to pur[c]hus 3 pair of the neatest Black Rough kid Gloves for Mama Celia & self. You can’t be much at a loss as to the Sizes for each but least you should I will add my Mammas 2 sizes biger than your own mine the exact size of yours & Celias one & less than mine.

            I know you are too good to make it necessary for me to make my apologies for this sad scrall I write in hast & the hight of my ambition is but to be understood

            I must only add our united best Complements to Mr and Mrs Tozer

I am

My Dearest Sister

with great sincerity & Affection

Yours Polly D.

& please to send the Tea with the other things

Postscript written by Mrs. Mercy Doddridge to her daughter, Mercy:

p.s. I find Polly has forgot tek the most important part of her Letter which was to desire that if you are not Gone out of town before you receiv’d this – you will stay till you can get your own Sack and yr Sisters made what is wrot[e] about Caelia['s] Coat is only Condisinal supposing Mr Gregg will take ye Crape again – and you find a nisessity for bying more Bambazen to make the Clothes into Sacks in t[hat] case I imagine there well be so much left out of the Clothes as go a considerable way toward making her a coat that it wd save expence to buy her wt more will do for that purpose therefore pray dont send the crape till you receive ye bambazen wh shall be with you if possible on Satterday 12 yard of half yard is full enough for Cealia Less therefore will do of ye bambazen as yt is half ell I hope you have paid for my grey silk which I beg may be sent with the other things you have bought for me – I shall hear inclose a bill for 12 Guineas which with my best complimts you will beg ye favour of Mr Tozer to receive when it becomes due – and give ye money to you wh I hope will discharge all ye things and answer all your demands till I have ye pleasure of seeing you at North[ampton] – which I begin to think long however I have no objection to your spending a little more time at Mr Hopkins as they are so very obliging to desire it My most respectfull thanks Compt & thanks attend ym & all my other Friends Say let me know how our excelent friend Mr Neal does as have not I heard from him since he informd me of [h]is bad cold wh gave me great concern   

I wish you could send a pattern or to of a cap yt wd be proper to wear with my Sack they must either be Mops or caps & hoods wh are the properest all I can further say is that I Love and thank you and am Most affect yours

M Doddridge

Address: To | Miss Doddridge

Postmark: none

Notes:   March 53

Text: Crew MS 50, fol. 38, Wren Library, Trinity College, Cambridge.