Maria Grace Saffery, Bratton, to Jane Saffery, Salisbury, Friday, [12 July 1834].

Bratton Farm 

Friday July

Dear One,

         I sit down to thank you for the light on Joshua’s brow; which is certainly more like “Sun-light,” since the arrival of your letter, than it has for days past. We have agreed that I shall acknowledge it now, and that he shall reply to it early in the next week. I am told that you write cheerfully. Is this the true expression? Let me know all that passes in our home of care.  This place is quite beautiful; but I miss the evening party – in the Evening walk, and the gladness of the morning ramble, when we wandered as free, as the breeze that refreshes us on the plain. I want a playfellow – My meditation over the landscape now, is a part of [a] prose Edition of my poetic raptures then. Yes my Jane I would most desire that charm, of “holiest worth” to be diffused over every form of material loveliness on which my contemplation fixes for delight

                     “Old Scenes, old friends, will lovelier be,

                     “As more of heaven in each we see.”

Your good Uncle is much better. Dear Aunty, quite tolerable. The fair child Lucy Stapleton gives promise of recovery. In the village persons and things are appearing in the usual state, with the exception of Mr Blatch, and he, is I think, suffering great bodily infirmity.

         Are you tired of this bulletin style? or must I continue it a little to impart other documents of a medical character, after which your tenderness inquires.

           My health dear Jane is what you have often seen it, “good health put out of temper” – I am not comfortably disposed either for eating or sleeping, and I regret to say, this physical inaptitude extends its influence over the higher exercises of praying and thinking. Still I hope to derive benefit from the change.

         The proofs went to Town on Thursday. They occasioned me some weariness. I was a little sorry for the arrangement of the first Sonnet, and much surprised to find we had all overlooked one remarkable mistake in the title of a Poem, viz. The world before instead of the world after the flood.  Of course this was rectified but it shews the necessity of close inspection. There were also some typographical errors – for instance “glass floody” for glassy flood. But I believe every thing of importance was noticed. Joshua wrote to Haddon, and asked him to put the name of Darton and Harvey on the title page. Remember love, that you are to put the inverted commas to every line of the passages in which speaking is supposed. Those which serve to mark a quotation are not different.

         I am a little anxious about Mr Ford – will you write for me as from me to this effect –

           Dear Sir,

         No station adapted to the age, and acquirements, of your niece, has hitherto been presented to my attention or I would most gladly avail myself of the information on her behalf. I would rather have done this, had it been so appointed, than suggest to your consideration, what now appears to be the most eligible measure, to secure the accomplishment of your niece under my care, till the progress of her education a little farther advanced, and her judgment somewhat more matured, might warrant the hope of her obtaining a satisfactory establishment – at all events, the preceding advantages should not be lost, by an interval without study, after the close of the vacation. Neither her health, nor her comfort, could be promoted by such a pause in her pursuit while her youth, and consequent want of experience would render it totally inexpedient. I must earnestly desire for her this formation of character, which is produced by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and greatly shall I rejoice to find my humble efforts in her service rendered subservient to this unspeakable benefit. – There is nothing in the character of my little friend either moral or intellectual to discourage your paternal interest in her happiness and welfare. May the part you have taken, not only find its immediate recompense, but be an occasion of praise towards the Infinite Benefactor, for time and for Eternity, with suitable regards to Miss Ford. I am dear Sir

                                             Yours very sincerely

                                                                                 M. G. S.

Perhaps it is needless to mention terms, or if you do, you will remember those decided on.

Saturday Morng.  I am just told that Mr Joshua will be going soon I have no time [to] re-peruse my letter, nor to say any of the very tender things my heart is dictating – to you and – and – and – no I must only add the name of your own friend and Mother

                                                                     M. G. Saffery

Text: Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, I.B.5.a.(6.), Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Address: Mrs Saffery | Salisbury. | Miss Jane Saffery. Postmark: Warminster 12 July 1834. For an annotated version of this letter, see Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 426-27. 

The above letter provides a rare glimpse into the nature of proofing a manuscript for publication. The work being proofed was Saffery’s Poems on Sacred Subjects in 1834. As with many women  writers at that time, Saffery used a subscription to offset the publishing costs of the work and to make a profit, if possible, for herself from the publication. She and various members of her family as well as several friends spent much of early 1834 promoting her volume of poems to possible subscribers, all of whom appeared in a lengthy list at the end of the published volume. A collection of 27 letters from various friends and literary figures involved in obtaining subscriptions to Saffery's Poems can be found in the Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, II.D.3, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford.