Eliza Gould, the Gurneys, [Keene's Row], Walworth, to Benjamin Flower, Newgate, Sunday, 15 September 1799.

   I have good news for you my dearest friend.   I find myself this morning better—I have not put a good face on a bad case—I am much better.

   I thank you my Benjamin for your affectionate Letters they are very soothing & satisfactory—such as I have not been accustomed to receive—you say much to make me comfortable—you tell me you will compose your own mind—endeavour to do so at all times, & the assurance will make me happy.  Your charming letter of yesterday—how much I owe you!  I will love you with my whole heart now & forever.  I will write you when I can a long letter—& see you as soon as possible.

   Mr Saumerez the Apothecary who attends me recommends that I still continue in Bed at least for a short time longer—my voice is recovering—my diet consists of fruit & vegetables my drink of whey—Linseed, Bran, & Beef Tea—he recommends that I take my Devonshire journey as soon as my strength will admit & has not the least doubt but it will be the means of completely renovating my constitution.

   I have read your letter again—my heart sympathizes with yours—lean upon God, & he will support you—you by experience know as well as I that he always delighteth to do us good & I have found in numerous instances that the heaviest afflictions I have experienced have proved in the end the greatest mercies my God has ever bless’d me with—let us beg of God to sanctify the dealings of his hand & make them subservient in promoting our highest our eternal interest.

   I should have been very happy to have met your Brother & Sister the Idea has pleased me much—& should they as you mention call on me I shall be very glad to see both or either.  I hope Mr Saumerez will let me get up and change my room to morrow.

   What a mercy it is to be situated with friends such as Mr Gurney’s family are to me—I have every thing to make me comfortable in my present illness— (except the satisfactions I should derive from your society) that I can possibly wish for—write me as often as you can.  Tho you will not dispute the fact now which I have so often contested, of blots blunders scratches &c you will I know find an apology   a “chair” would be a better “desk” than a pillow I allow.

   The only remark Mr Saumerez has made to the family on my present illness is that my lungs are weak & that care is necessary (now I am getting better) to prevent a relapse & that a journey into Devonshire will quite reestablish my health—adieu my dearest friend believe me ever

                                 your faithful & affectionate

                                             Eliza Gould

Will send you a line if but one, to morrow morn’g by the first post—Miss Gurney will not awake me should I be asleep at that time but will write you herself.

On the back page is the following note from Elizabeth Gurney:

   In addition to what Miss Gould has said respecting her health Miss Gurney has the pleasure of adding that Mr Saumarez assures her that Miss Gould is a great deal better but as he still considers her lungs as weak he requests her to take the greatest care of herself that she may not again catch cold.  E G will so far as depends upon her enforce the strictest attention to what she considers as so very important a piece of advice and hopes soon to see her friend in the possession of recovered health.   She however begs leave to hint that from what Mr S says she conceives that a short confinemt to the house will expedite her recovery & therefore hopes Mr F will not urge to an interview too speedily.

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. 108-10 (a more annotated text than that which appears on this site). 

Richard Saumarez (1764-1835) was the younger brother of General Sir Thomas Saumarez. After studying at Christ’s Hospital, London, he became a surgeon in 1785, working at Magdalen Hospital, Streatham, from 1788 to 1805, after which he was appointed honorary governor of the hospital.  He published several works of physiognomy that were highly praised by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. As the above letter makes clear, Eliza Gould and Eliza Gurney enjoyed an intimate friendship that would continue until Gould's death in 1810.