J. W. Morris, Clipston, to John Sutcliff, Olney, 30 March 1805.

D.r Bro.

         I can send you only one copy at present of H. Adams: we have no more boarded, and some of the sheets we want are gone to Button’s. I have written to him twice about it, but there is no end of his teasing dilatory conduct.— I enclose only 2 copies of P. A. vol. ii. We have none of N.o X to complete the sets: if you have any to spare, let me have them without delay, or we must reprint that N.o —I enclose you Ward’s letter: but do not forget to return it by first opportunity. M.r Fuller has seen it: it came just before he called lately. I do not hear whether any others have come to hand.—You will think to give me directions in time about the box for India, and what articles will be wanted from Dunstable. If possible you had much better make us the box yourself: there is no trusting to Button—We cannot yet complete the Connec. Mag.e —The TH. M. was sent into the binding room to be done uniformly, and I thought it had been so.— We are now upon M.r Fuller’s Exposition on Genesis, which will make near 400 pp.— Also trying at Blundel’s sermons: but they are as if they were put together with wooden skewers. We shall proceed very slowly, if indeed we can proceed at all.—

          We are all tolerably well. M.rs M. seems at present to bear this Spring rather better than the last. We are glad to hear that you and yours are in better health, and that poor Mary is returned more comfortable: this is a very pleasing circumstance.—We are to have a Min. Meeting here on Easter Tuesday!  Brethren Wake, Blundel and Sutcliff are requested to preach: do not disappoint us!— Our united love to all yours.

                                             Yours always

                                                               J. W. Morris

Mar. 30. [1]805.

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), pp. 125-26 (annotated version); also Eng. MS. 381, fol. 1437, John Rylands University Library of Manchester. On the back page Sutcliff has written: “Rec. Mar. 30, 1805.” The work by Adams (1755-1831) is most likely An Abridgement of the History of New-England for the Use of Young Persons (Boston, 1805). The work was reprinted by Morris in Dunstable in 1806. Morris began the Theological Magazine in 1800 and in January 1804 rebranded it as the Biblical Magazine, which soon became known as the Theological and Biblical Magazine; it ran until 1807. The work by Fuller is his Expository Discourses on the Book of Genesis Interspersed with Practical Reflections (1806), and the work by Blundel is his Sermons on Various Subjects (1806), both published by Morris. Thomas Wake was  at that time Baptist minister at Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.