Joseph Dear, Chelwood, to Maria Grace Saffery, [Wednesday], 11 August 1824.

Dear Madm

   Your letter, dated Augt 9, I this morning received with pleasure, especially as it assures me of the continued friendship of yourself and Mr Saffery; and I sincerely hope that, no event will ever take place, which will have any tendency to diminish that mutual esteem, which has subsisted between ourselves, & the various members of our families, since we became acquainted with each other.  To give you a reason, for all the transactions and measures which have been adopted at Chelwood, during the last year, may not be necessary; but as it will tend to shew you that, I have been actuated by no feeling of disrespect, or unkindness, I think it desirable; to explain a little some things, which may perhaps appear stranger.

   You are aware of the effect which was produced upon my circumstances, as well as upon my mind and body by the death of a wife whom I tenderly loved. Absorbed in almost continual reflection, upon this single subject, & having that sort of affection for her children which was inspired by the recollection of their being here; I overlooked the imperfections of my dear Mary, in her character of housekeeper, for which experience taught me, at length, she was not well suited: – and the decline of my school forced me to adopt the expedient of sending her from home  similar reasons operated in the case of Joseph.  And, though the separation was by no means pleasure to our feelings, necessity enforced it’s propriety and the event has proved the advantage of the plan.  They are both satisfied with their stations, are able to maintain themselves, and thereby ease me of an expence which at this time would be very inconvenient to me.  Sarah saw the advantage, which her sister had over herself, in preserving her education, & perhaps making continual improvement; while she herself was in danger of losing what she had gained. And in addition to this, she saw that Mary’s purse was best replenished, and that money would produce a number of little conveniences, and decorations, which those who had none must go without.

   Incited to emulation, by these circumstances, she determined upon a similar plan: and, on my return from Bath, I was surprised to meet her at Bristol, by the way, to learn that she had been negociating with a lady of Clifton, & that the business was almost brought to a conclusion: – the lady waiting only [for] a letter from Mr Saffery, to engage her as an assist.t The sequel you are acquainted with.  Mr Saffery wrote, and the thing was done.  It happened very providentially for me, that Mrs Cook came up to Chelwood, the very day before the finale of the business: or I might have been left by myself to manage my own affairs.  I therefore engaged her: – and am glad to say that she does extremely well; being very good tempered, & well acquainted with domestic economy. Sarah also is specially pleased.  She has a very respectable station, with a salary of 25£ p ann, & speaks in the highest terms of the piety, as well as manners, of the lady with whom she resides.  All this was done without the slightest interference on my part, and even without my consent having been asked.

   I confess to you, that though I had borne the loss of Mary & Joseph with fortitude, the departure of Sarah unmanned me. I was melancholy.  I went out, I returned to my house, but not to my home.  It seemed to contain nothing to attract my affections; and I was in some danger, of again falling into that state of depression, into which my beloved Sarah’s death had formerly plunged me.  It was in this state, that the determination was formed, to keep Jemima at home: and not from any disrespect to you, or your family.  I cannot live without affection, & where am I to find it, but in my own family? I can forward her education &c < > all circumstances, at present, I think it best. I will give directions to Robt respecting the books &c, and have no doubt of his attention to my orders; for a more dutiful, and affectionate son, I think, can scarcely exist.  I beg my very kind respts to Mr Saffery, and all your family, except John, to whom give my hearty & sincere love.  He is a very lovely boy, and with the singular exception of his sometimes discovering a little too much of his master’s character, I don’t know a lovelier. –

   I am sorry, I did not come to Salisbury, but was prevented by circumstances: We shall be very glad, to see Mr Saffery, at the usual period, and any, and every branch of your family will always find a welcome, at the house, and in the heart of

                                         Joseph Dear.

Chelwood  Augt 11. 1824

When you write to Phil or Sam.l give my most affectionate remembrances & best wishes for their present & future welfare.  If either of them come into our neighbourhood shall be happy to have his company.  And if either or both the young ladies could visit us in the vacations when my girls will be at home we shall be all glad to see them.  Jemima desires her love to all & Rob.t his very kind respts

Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, II.A.7.(10.), Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Address: Revd John Saffery | Salisbury |Wilts | For Mrs Saffery. No postmark. For a complete annotated version of this letter, see Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 394-95. Joseph Dear was the Baptist minister at Chelwood, where he also operated a boarding school for young boys; at least two of Maria Grace Saffery's sons attended Dear's school for a time. Dear has encouraged his two daughters to settle as servants to wealthy families, an indication of his own limited income as a minister/teacher and, as a result, an act that greatly limited the ability of his daughters to acquire a higher social status through marriage. Apparently, Dear’s youngest daughter, Jemima, had been attending Maria Grace Saffery’s school, but would now be returning to her father.