Mrs. Henry Philips, Salisbury, to Jane Attwater, Nunton Farm, [Monday], 17 August 1789.

Monday Morning Augst 17th 89

My Dr friend

         I cannot forget your very afft kindness to my dearest best of Husbands, especially in this season of his affliction, nor can it be possible for me to render gratitude for so great and kind attention; last night I had time to read your afft letter, which I did, to myself but though Mr P was too weak to attend to it, but after lying in rather a compos’d state all night, he seem’d reviv’d this morning when we were alone, I told him that you had given me a letter to read to him if he could bear it. He beg’d me to do it then, he was several times much affected and agitated, during my reading it, which I strove to do without much emotion, after I had done I waited for his speaking but he did not for a few minutes, he then said “’tis kind, ’tis very kind, she always was. I was always more respected by all the family than I deserv’d, she allway’s was kind and good to me. I believe she always loved me – Her Dr Sister Head too, how affectionate has she been to me an unworthy creature” – he then stop’d for some time, I asked him if he took notice of the request in your letter?[ii] I read it again – he did not immediately answer. I asked him if he thought sincerely he could give Miss A a satisfactory answer to what she desired, he said he would tell me all presently – but finding him still silent I repeated, can you answer Miss A– to what she requests – he at last with seeming labor brought out – “Yes ten times over, you tell her so my Dr” – he then stop’d, but soon resumed – “Yes she is a Dr Child of her Heavenly Father – tell her to go on, thro’ her doubts and fears, she will be carried above them by and by – Yes Yes, she will be one day with those she loved here, I never had a doubt of her, but she was in the road to heaven and glory. If she was here I would tell her – but I cannot speak much – my love to her, and to all her dear family, I love them all I have constantly prayed for them, when I was able, I hope they do for me,” he seem’d to be fatigued, and left off speaking and lest I should let slip anything he said I immediately sat down and scribbled it over while it was fresh in my memory – but my Dr Miss Attwater I can bear testimony to what my Dr Mr Philips has often told me of you that your openess and freedom to him, bespeaking your religious opinion and experience, has often delighted and warm’d his heart. We have need to be anxious that we are not deciev’d, in the most important concern; we see all things come to an end, but our souls are immortal, may that be our greatest business to see that our souls are secure; and have a title to eternal glory. My Dr Miss A must excuse me if I say I cannot burn her letter, I have read it with pleasure, and I hope with profit, and still hope to do so.

         Again I thank you sincerely for every instance of friendship to us particularly to me the weakest and most unworthy, I would say more but cannot express half the gratitude that I trust is in [the hear]t of your ever afft friend 

                                                         P Philips

pray excuse the hurry of this, I shall not seal it ’till tomorrow

Tuesday Morning 10 oclock last Evening, we thought my Dr Mr Philips much worse, but perfectly sensible – he had rather a restless night – but is revived this morning.[iii]

Reeves Collection, Box 22/2, Bodleian. This is the fifth wife of the Rev. Henry Philips, who would die shortly after the date of this letter. Most likely this is the ‘Mrs Philips’ (at that time living in London) whose death in 1806 provoked a memorial poem by Mary Steele Dunscombe (see Volume 3, poem 134). For more on Philips and his wives, see above, n. 361.

[ii]Attwater’s letter is no longer extant. She writes in her diary on 9 August 1789: ‘Went to see my valued friend Mr Philips who still continues very ill my heart sinks at ye thought of loseing this worthy & valued friend I was much grieved that I was so disappointed this morning yt I could not go to unite with my friends at Sarum in prayer for him but what was not my will was not my fault.’

[iii]Henry Philips died on 20 August 1789. Attwater copied a brief obituary on Philips that appeared in the Salisbury Journal on 21 August (now in the Attwater Papers, Angus Library) and then enquired of the paper’s proprietor concerning the author of the account, which included a poetic tribute to Philips signed ‘Theodosia’. The ‘Theodosia’ is not Anne Steele (she had died in 1778), nor is the poem by her. Attwater agreed with the sentiments of the account and the poem, in which he was described as ‘a man of Irreproachable character & of great benevolence. In times of publick scarcity he bought provisions of various sorts on purpose to dispose of them to the poor at an under price so as not to make them Idle but only to help them by which & other means although of small fortune he was enabled to do much good’. Attwater, however, was clearly struck by the use of ‘Theodosia’ at the end of the poem, since she had been very close to the original poet of that name. Her final response is telling: ‘I cant learn who was ye author of these lines they are certainly very Characteristic of my much loved valued Friend tho deficient in poetry.’