Samuel Pearce, Birmingham, to Sarah Pearce, Alcester, 1 April 1791.

Birmingham

               How was it possible for me to make much haste when every step removed me farther from the medium of my highest earthly pleasures—you will not be surprized then “my dearly beloved” when I tell you I was three hours & a half riding to Mosely.

               I there enjoy’d the society of our dear friends (the Harwoods) over a dish of good tea; and often telling them how you were, & how our esteemed friends at Alcester in general were, & how we had spent our time &c &c &c the same animal which conveyed me to Mosely, carried me safe to Birm:.

               I first settled Mr Hemmings Acct at Deakin, who says he will at any time exchange the faulty toilet flap, for another of a superior quality.

‘             At Deakins door Mr Simmons accosted me & engaged me at his house to dinner.

                Havg enqd after the health of Mr & Mrs King I hastened “to that dear Hut our Home” —found all safe—Nanny well—the Keys were left in the Cupboard, and are now safe in the custody of your humble Servt.

               I only found one letter waiting my arrival.  I observed the superscription written by a female hand—Now I shall raise your curiosity—& perhaps next Wednesday it may be more gratified, than on the perusal of this letter—How dy’e think t’was concluded!  I’ll transcribe it “You would confer a singular favor on Dear Sir, one of your female admirers.”

               Pray don’t you think this must raise my Xen vanity? —Does it not imply that I have more female admirers than one—altho but one has thus confessed her admiration! —See now, how ready we are to draw conclusions in our own favor! —But dont be jealous my love! —I am more vain of enjoying your friendship than the admiration of crowds of Helen’s, or Venus’s, or Cleopatra’s, or all the females of Egypt—Greece—Rome or Birmingham.

               But pray don’t be angry at my near acquaintance.  I need not make an apology for her—She makes one for herself in a postscript   “Excuse this singular Conduct” she says, & I do excuse it, and you will too when you know all—

               When I reach’d home I was rather fatigued; but a good dinner has revived my spirits, & I have the pleasure to say, that I feel scarce any trace of indisposition left—Yet depend on it I will be very careful.

               I have just sent to request Mr Bass’s assistance on Lords day Ev:g---& if more shd be wanting—I will not fail to apply elsewhere.

               If you put a letter in the office the day after you receive this I shall have it at farthest by Tuesday noon—Pray look on the third finger of your left hand, & forget former punctilios.

             In what terms shall I express the sense I entertain of your dear family’s unbounded tenderness toward me, during the few happy days I spent last at Alcester  present any undissembled gratitude to them all—It is an unworthy offering, and I have nothing to add to make it acceptable but the assurance it comes from an honest heart.

            You will particularize my dutiful affections to our dear Father—nor forget expressly to thank our much esteemed Mrs H. & sister Mary for the unmerited attentions they paid to my health & happiness.

               But when I add all the respect, the gratitude the tenderness, & affection of which my nature is capable into one term—I feel the whole comes vastly short of what I owe to you, my lovely friend! my inestimable Sarah! —Yet unworthy as it is of your acceptance—refuse not to receive it & thereby add to the happiness you have already communicated.

                                     to your own (in the tenderst ties)

                                                           S. Pearce

April 1.st 1791—Birm:.

Text: Pearce Family Collection, MS. F. P. C. D55, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. The Harwood, Hemmings, Simmons, and King families were members of Pearce's congregation in Cannon Street.  "Mrs. H." is Elizabeth Ash Hopkins, Joshua Hopkins's second wife and the daughter of John Ash, Baptist minister at Pershore. The "sister Mary" is most likely Sarah's sister, Mary Hopkins, still living at home with another sister, Rebecca, and a brother, Joshua Head Hopkins. For more on the Hopkinses and Samuel and Sarah Pearce, click here, here, and here for their entries in the Biographial Index.