Eliza Gould, Mr. Gurney’s, Keene’s Row, Walworth, to Benjamin Flower, Newgate, care of Mr. Kirby, Old Bailey, Tuesday, 20 August 1799.

                                             Keene’s Row   Walworth

                                             Tuesday Augst 20 1799

My Good Friend

   You know not, nor can I find words to say, how very much the letter I received from you last night, has both interested and distressed me.

   Nearly the whole of Sunday last I was confined to my bed—or I should have called on you—and I now, for both our sakes, sincerely rejoice, that such an interview did not take place.  I do not find myself materially better to day and write now in a moment of perturbation and haste, lest you would think me negligent or unkind.

   My mind I assure you is much agitated by reflecting on the serious injury I have (tho innocently) occasioned to yours—because I might have withheld from your knowledge a subject on which your sympathizing Heart has felt but too deeply.  I know I have done you an injury by thus interesting your feelings—having nothing to give you in return but my warmest gratitude & sincerest friendship.

   The first letter my good friend that I am able to write, shall be to you & I hope that by soon regaining my health & spirits, I shall in the course of a few days have it in my power to give you those substantial reasons, for declining your very honorable & generous proposals, which that friendship of yours that I value so much; & that frankness & candour which I have so much reason to admire, has a claim to.  I feel a peculiar interest in your happiness—I do indeed  you will not in future, refuse to consider me your friend.

   I will enclose in this a letter I received last even’g from Mr Fordham—I was not prepared for such an answer—should you hear of any situation likely to suit me among your friends do pray inform me.

   From Feltham too I have heard this morning—when he return’d a small crayon painting, which I had given him some years since—a set of books of mine (the History of the Boroughs) which he had in his possession together with one letter only of all those which I have sent him for so long a time—this is dated November 1796—I will copy his note  “Mr Feltham’s kind respects  enclosed is two volumes belonging to Miss Gould also the letters desired being all he has except the two last—Hopes Miss Gould is well.”

   He sent another letter of Miss Maria Hawes’s now Mrs J Gurney—which I had given him to read some years since—the “two last” letters mentioned in his note you have—the one is that wherein I requested an interview at Bedford—and the other that which enclosed his unopen’d letter back again I dare say he means to vindicate his conduct by producing those two letters—to read them as detach’d papers some favorable conclusions on his side might be drawn—read them  unconnect your Ideas with the subject by which they were reproduced, & you will find if I recollect right that Feltham might bring them forward to any of his friends in private conversation as a favorable interpretation of his conduct.

   I believe Mr Dore means soon to call on you.   I shall strictly observe your request respecting your last—let me hear soon that you are well, and believe me your truly sincere and obliged friend                          

                                             Eliza Gould

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. 58-59 (a more annotated text than that which appears on this site).  

James Dore (1763/64-1825) was the minister of the Baptist congregation at Maze Pond, Southwark, where the Gurneys were members and where Eliza attended when visiting London.  Dore remained at Maze Pond until 1815, leaving one of the “most respectable congregations” in London in “a flourishing state” (Wilson 4.286). His most important publication was a sermon titled On the African slave trade (1788).  He also authored two works which were sold by Martha Gurney: A Sermon Preached at Maze-Pond, Southwark, Sept. 27, 1789, for the Benefit of the Society established in London, for the Support and Encouragement of Sunday-Schools in the different Counties of England (1789); and A Sermon Occasioned by the Death of Mr. John Flight, who departed this life July 10, 1791, in the 25th year of his age: Preached in Angel-street, Worcester, July 24, 1791 (1791).