Benjamin Flower at William Flower’s, London, to Eliza Flower at Cambridge, Saturday, 25 October 1800.

                                                                     Saty Eveng—Oct 25—

My Dearest love

   I sent my letter of this morning to the Coach, and my Brother’s man gave it to the Coachman who however was so very rude and indeed brutal as to refuse taking it, because the man unluckily had no money in his pocket, & two pence was demanded.  The man begged it might be taken, offered to pay the two pence any other time but all to no purpose.  I wish Mr Pryor to know that I did not think any body belonging to him would have served me so shabby a trick. It was to this circumstance my Dear Love, that you did not receive the letter which was written this morning.  After I had finished it, I went & breakfasted with      Davidson and had an hour’s friendly chat partly with him & partly with Miss Jones.  Hall called there when he was in Town, I did not see him.  He told Miss Jones that Mrs Flower was a beautiful accomplished woman, but he was much surprised, and indeed much pitied her for marrying such a man as Flower.

   From Davidson’s I called again in Cannon Street, and conversed for a few minutes with my Brother who is very well.  He goes every Saturday into the Country to Hadly near Barnet. I then proceeded to the Flower Pot, sent the Basket to the Walworth Coach, my Bag to Cannon Street, and went in the Coach with my Box to Hackney, where I found my Mother in better health than she has been in for some time past.  I chatted with her about two hours.  Among other pretty things which however she did not appear to mind herself, she told me of some person who had spent an evening with us at Cambridge, who launched out to her, on our elegant Furniture, your elegant taste, the genteel supper we gave him, and added—I hope Mrs Flower’s taste and generosity will not lead him to dishonest actions.  I wish to know the name of this rascal but could not get it. My Mother is much obliged by your former as well as your recent present, and spoke highly of your abilities, was inquisitive as to all how & about the family way &c.  I left her & sat an hour with Mrs Shepherd. I here observe once for all—Every body has expressed their disappointment that you are not with me.  I left Hackney in the Coach & took back the Box, was set down at Spital Square, & left it at Dr Hawe’s—Harriet not at home.  I thus crossed over to Lackingtons. Could only meet with Two Copies of Smith on the Prophecies, but bought 6 Copies, all they have of Robinson’s sermons, & 50 Copies of Smith on the last Judgment, and 2 or 3 other articles.  The French Books sent are for Mr Creswell, the others he ordered are sold.  You will see an Adt from Lackington for next paper. I then called on Vernor & Co & Mawman: both very civil & promise me Ads on Tuesday.  The former have sent the Copies of Robinson.  I then called on Fourdrinier, & took their Letter.  Gave Wickenden a Call, & paid him a Ten Pound Bill.  I then dined at Creaks—very friendly & chatty—Sophia wants to consult me about an offer she has had, I am going to spend one hour there to Ten, before I go to Walworth, I begin to feel myself tired & you must confess I have not been idle.  Send the Annual register & Beatties Poems to Miss Jennings—Doddridge’s Rise & Progress & Watt’s Psalms to Watson at Broadbelt.Smith I have sent if you choose to look over it.  It is one of the 50 I have bought.  I dine to morrow at Creaks’—Mr & Mrs Worthington[22] are to be there.

   Farewell my Dearest Love—Take care of your own Health—Respects to all inquiring Friends.

                                 Yr truly affecte         

                                             B Flower

References above are to numerous individuals: Beaumont Pryor [Prior] was the livery stable-keeper at Joseph Hart’s tavern, the Rose, in the Market Place, Cambridge (UBD 2.493); James Lackington (1746-1815) operated bookstores in Featherstone Street (1774), Chiswell Street (1775-95), and finally at Finsbury Square from 1786 to 1822, the latter place becoming known as the “Temple of the Muses”; John Smith (1747-1807) preached for many years at Cambleton, Scotland, in the county of Argyle, and authored A Summary View and Explanation of the Writings of the Prophets (1787), which Flower republished in Cambridge in 1804 and 1812, and A View of the Last Judgment; He published a third edition in Harlow in 1812; Robert Robinson (1735-90), who preceded Robert Hall as minister at St. Andrew's Street in Cambridge and who pubished, among many works,  Seventeen Discourses on Several Texts of Scripture and Sermons Translated from the Original French of the late Revd. James Saurin; two dissenting booksellers, Thomas Vernor and Joseph Mawman, as well as the stationers Henry and Charles Fourdrinier and M. Watson; and the Arian London minister Hugh Worthington, Jr.