Richard Ryland, London, to MGS, Salisbury, [Friday], 12 June 1807.

Dear Madam

   We sympathize with you sincerely in the late Visitation of your family, but particularly Harriet, who was before anxious about your Health & thought the time long to have known nothing of it. She has been here extremely ill – first with a Disorder in her Legs that we knew not what to make of, then with a low fever & after an Inflammation on her Chest – that have left a great deal of Debility – and the Fever at times still oppresses her – she is indeed still very poorly as well as out of Spirits – the rest of us I thank God, tolerably well – Mrs Ryland better on the whole than for several months, tho’ still the Subject of much anxiety to us all.

   I enclose you a Bank of England Note per the amount mentioned which is quite a safe Remittance, being worth nothing until you have written your Name on the Back – When you can find time & Inclination I know that Harriet would be much gratified by a few lines from you, however short.

   I beg my best Respects to Mr Saffery and am dr Madam

                                 Your obliged Obedient Servt

                                                         R Ryland

12 June 1807

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, p. 233 (annotated version); Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, II.D.5.a.(8.), Angus Library. Address: Mrs M G Saffery | Salisbury | Wiltshire.