Jane Attwater Blatch, Bratton, to Anna Jane Whitaker (and others), Bradford, Thursday morning, [undated].

Thursday morng

My Beloved Nieces,

   I cannot wn previously inform’d, let an opportunity pass by without Embracing it to Speak to my dear Friends.—It seems long since we have been fav’d with Intelligence of you – I hope you are both blessd with such a measure of health as to enable you to mutually enjoy your Friendly interview.—I rec’d a note from d.r Maria she does not say but she is as well as usual & tells me Anne Gardener is married. – Wilm has sold his property to Ld Radnor so we must now think of another place for ye Instruction of ye villagers at Bod’m  may all things be overruled by Infinite Wisdom for publick & private Good.—If we poor worms of ye Earth can be of use in a little way may we never be backward to perform our duty. I long to see you both.—to enjoy the sweets of unrelieved social intercourse.—O how dear to my heart is ye converse of a Friend constantly whom we so perfectly understand & who understand us – whose principles views & actions we are at no loss to develop because we have only to decypher our own for an Explanation but I have now no time for animadversion but must come to plain matters of Fact – wch I know will be interesting to your Friendly sympathizing heart as you so kindly share in our affliction.—

   Since I last wrote my heart have sunk very much under ye pressure of Fear & agitation at ye situation of my beloved afflicted Friend.  Some days ye appetite has been so totally gone yt not a morsel of any food could be taken of course extream weakness is felt.—but yesterday my dr Friend took a few mouthfuls of bread & Asparagus wch revived my depressed mind – to a more easy night in ye past does not feel this morning those excruciating pains with wch of late he has been so much excercised – & wch have produced such great debility – but now ye weather is warm Mr B feels so relaxed yt he is almost in a constant persperation – we are obliged again to have recourse to castor oil every 3 or 4 days.—So yt I feel constant anxiety – & stand in need of a kind Friend to advise console my sinking spirits – thus I endeavored to give you a just Idea how we get on – but I must not omit to mention the goodness & mercy of God in supporting the mind of my beloved partner for this blessing I cannot be sufficiently thankful  O may this calm & peaceful frame be continued & as our outward strength daily deserves may ye inward be daily renewed.—’till Faith is turnd into vision & Hope into fruition.—

   I trust dear cousin Head will soon bring you Home to stay with us Mr B unites with me in tender Love & good wishes to both – we shall if permited rejoice to see you.

   Please to buy for me a yard of ye same fustian you bought wn you was last at Bradford for a pillow case – please also to bring me some patterns of linen or muslin with ye ground colourd over with Laylock colours  I wd say more but expect our mutual Friend every minute adieu my beloved Relatives may ye best of blessings be yours is ye wish of your sincere Friend & affecte

                     Aunt J. B.

I rec’d a letter fm Mr T Gilbert wherein he kindly desires to be remembered to you & hopes you are better than wn he was here – but no Intelligence when we may expect to see his mother she is quite a keeper at home & often too nervous to venture on a journey.

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed. Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 8, pp. 187-88; Attwater Papers, acc. 76, II.A.10.(a.), Angus Library. Address:  Miss Whitaker | at Miss Heads | Bradford | fav’d by Mr John Whitaker.  No postmark. Maria Attwater (1783-1840) was the unmarried niece of JAB; Miss Gardner is unidentified. It appears that William Attwater (1772-1818), JAB's nephew, and others had established a Sunday School in Bodenham on some Attwater property she had now sold.