Benjamin Flower at the Creaks, 69 Cornhill, London, to Eliza Flower, Bridge Street, Cambridge, Wednesday, 5 October 1803.

                                                         Cornhill, London, 4 oclock—

                                                                     Oct 5. 1803—

   You have my Dear Love, heard of my safe arrival part of the way, as I met Mr Ingle (Fourdrinier’s Traveller) as I [was] walking out of Royston before the Coach set out; he promised to call in the course of the day—The last object I attended to after I left your Chamber this morning, was our Dear Eliza, and had she not been sitting with great dignity, mingled with her enchanting smiles, on her Chair of State, I should certainly have ran the risk of being too late by taking her, her morning visit to the Books & the Birds.

   I found the air as I walked down Trumpington street, so very mild, that altho’ it spit a little I mounted the Top Roof, buttoned my great coat, and as you know I take extra care of myself, put on my red net round my neck, My Umbrella saved my hat.  The rain or rather mist soon ceased, and I took my Companions (altho’ I had nine already on the outside of the Coach) Sir Richard Hill & Daubenny out of my Pocket, and was much amused with the Methodist and the High Churchman. Some excellent materials for the Dissenting Book I am to write (Heaven knows when) and of which our Dear Eliza is to exclaim—“This my Father wrote”—at Royston, I called and drank 2 Cups of Tea with Mr Fordham. He had just received a letter from Hertford.  Sister Flower is mending tho’ slowly, and is able to walk about her chamber with Crutches.  After my walk up Royston Hill as before mentioned with Mr Ingle, I re-mounted.  Tho’ there have been two or three showers they were slight, and I did not experience the least inconvenience nor had I a wet thread about me.  My Great Coat was the exact thing.  I got thro’ my 8vo Vol: I know not that I ever had a more agreeable solitary ride; the dust laid, the air remarkably soft, and the Trees and hedges having on their beautiful autumnal dress.  I got off at the 4 Swans, & with my light baggage under my Arm, came to Mr Creaks.  Mrs C & Miss H. [are] gone out to Dinner.  Mr C and I are going to set down to dinner together almost directly.  I here found a letter from Mr Aspland full of friendly invitations &c. insisting on my preaching for him on Sunday.   When my last letter arrived, Mr Scott was at Mr Asplands.  All recommend me to go by Portsmouth, as it will only make me an hour or two later, and it is only one third of the distance by sea.  Mr Scott therefore expects me to Breakfast to morrow morning; and who should be there but Harriet Hawes?  As soon as I had read Asplands letter, I enquired about the Portsmouth Coach, found one set off from the X Key’s Gracechurch Street; went and took my place; returned, began my letter, and am not yet called to Dinner.  I suspect my Dear Love, I shall not be able to write to you from the Isle by to morrow’s Post, but in that case you may depend on hearing from me from Portsmouth.

   I have now only to add Take care of yourself, pray go to bed every night by ten o’clock, because you are then sure of 2 or 3 hours good sleep, & the most refreshing.  Not the least occasion to add Take Care of Dear Eliza.  There my Heart is at perfect rest.  Indeed my Dear love we must endeavour daily to resign this dear part of ourselves to God.  This is the best way to have her preserved to us.

   I shall expect a long Letter on Sunday Morning more especially as you have two days to write it in.  Farewell my Dear Love, give Eliza a kiss for me every time you take her in your arms.

                                 Ever your most affectionate

                                             B Flower

Slipt down stairs after Dinner to put the letter in the office myself.  Will brush myself up to go to Scotts.

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed., Politics, Religion, and Romance: The Letters of Benjamin Flower and Eliza Gould, 1794-1808 (Aberystwyth: National Library of Wales, 2008),  pp. 277-78 (a more annotated text than that which appears on this site). 

References above include John Ingle, an attorney for Cambridge University, coroner for the County of Cambridgeshire, and clerk to the general meeting located in Trumpington Street (Holden’s [1805]: 2.49); the birth of Eliza Flower on 19 April 1803; Trumpington Street begins just past King’s Parade in the city centre of Cambridge. Edward Randall and his family also lived in Trumpington Street; Sir Richard Hill (1732-1808) was the brother of Rowland Hill (1744-1833), a famous Evangelical preacher;  Edward King Fordham of Royston; William Creak, Mrs. Creak, and her sister, Miss Hensman of Kimbolton; Robert Aspland (1782-1845), at this time pastor of the General Baptist church in Newport, Isle of Wight.