Job Orton, Salop [Shrewsbury], to Mercy Doddridge, [Northampton], 4 August 1763.

Dear Madam,

            I am glad to hear of your safe Arrival at Tewkesbury, & comfortable Interview with your Relations there – but it gives me most pleasure, to have the Account I have received from several Hands, of your Son’s good Behaviour, confirmed from your self.  My Bror Smith informed me of his being at Birmingham on some Business of his, & spoke with Pleasure both of his Behavior and his attention to the business – May the Lord God of his Fathers confirm & increase our pleasing Expectations from him!

             I am thankful for your interesting yourself in the affair of Mrs Morgan’s Son – She thinks herself much obliged to you & Lady Ann. – I have filled up and inclosed the Receit & hope in a little Time to put the boy Apprentice with this money, to a good Master.

             I should be very glad to have an interview with you & the Family where you are – but I am grown quite unfit for travelling.  I have not been 6 miles from home of many months, except at Birmingham, where I spent a few Days & was obliged to go & return in a post Chaise – I have been for several years much afflicted with the Piles, and at present can hardly sit in any position – so that I am incapable of travelling any Way. – I wish you could contrive to make Shrewsbury in your Way to Northampton – It wd give me great pleasure to see you at least once again here, as it would to your other Friends here –

             I recd a Letter lately from my Cousin Miss Hudson who is at Bristol, by which I find she has been very ill, but I hope by her Account of herself, she is recovering. She tells me Dr Stonhouse & his Lady are at length got to Bristol & live near where she resides. I wish the Dr may be easy & comfortable there.  I think, since he wd leave Northampton, it is the most suitable Place for him.

             Please to let Mrs Humphreys know, that I procured admittance for — Buckle, whom she recommended to me into our Infirmary – that he was in a fair Way of being perfectly cured – but was discharged for Irregularity & I suppose is gone to his own Country, Cheshire, as he told me he would – I am sorry her Kindness & mine were so ill bestowed – but God is good to the evil & unthankful.

             Young Mr Mason is lately married to a Lady from Liverpool, who is a very amiable person, quite agreeable to all the Family, & will I hope be an Ornament to our Society.

             I hope Miss Mercy & Celia are well – With my kindest Respects to all your dear Connections & the best wishes for their Happiness,  I am

                         Dear madam Your affectionate and faithful

                                            humble Servant     

                                                                        J Orton

[Address page not visible due to having been glued into the bound volume.]

Text: Joseph Angus Collection, acc. no. Angus 168, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Due to its date, the letter does not appear in Nuttall's Calendar (1979) or his Philip Doddridge: Additional Letters (2001).