Maria Grace Saffery, Bratton, to Jane Saffery, Salisbury, Monday, 29 September [1834].

Bratton Monday Morng

Septr 29th

Dearest Jane,

         “As one whom his Mother comforteth, so will I comfort thee”: saith the Lord Jehovah, to every son and daughter, of this family. This passage has been breaking like a Sun-light gleam through the cloud of common thoughts, before I sat down to comfort you, by the assurance of tender love which poor and powerless, as it is, compared with the loving kindness of our heavenly Father, will I know be received by you as one sweet portion of his countless benefits – Take then my child, the infinite consolation implied in the promise, while you rejoice so humbly in the finite good.

         We came hither quite safely on Saturday Eveng in time for the family Tea party – Every body kind and at best, moderately well. Kate and her two elder boys, are here I scarcely know what are the appointments with regard to Holcombe. Mr Jay preaches to morrow Eveng for the Baptist Mission, of course, Joshua will not be absent then. I am a little perplexed for want of a more definite plan, but I hope to hear from you before I migrate farther.

         Dear Joshua is gone to the field, he was anxious that you should hear by the post to morrow – but had no time for his own letter, so you must let my Epistle be a kind of promissory note.  Aunty has just looked in to say, that she proposes a call at Dr Seagram’s this Morng to compensate for past omissions, so I must abridge my communication homeward. Alas how ill that word accords with my present state of feeling towards the sheltering-place in Castle St. But it shelters thee my Jane! and dear ones are still within, and near it. My heart is true to every sweet human tie of nature, and of friendship. Say what I mean to the beloved in the City, and do not forget my tender remembrances to the dear village maiden.

         Adieu sweet Child, and Friend – you will see that I write in haste; but what does that avail to obstruct an intercourse like ours?—

                                             Maria Grace Saffery

The call at the doctor’s is postponed   write dear one if you can, at once, and faithfully I find that I shall want more caps –

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 428-29 (annotated version); Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, I.B.5.a.(7.), Angus Library. Address: Mrs Saffery | Salisbury. | Miss J. Saffery.  Postmark: Westbury, no date.