Maria Grace Andrews, Portsmouth, to Anne Whitaker, Bratton, [Saturday], 24 November 1798.

Portsea  Novr 24th 1798

   Convinced by recent experience how sick ye heart may grow from a hope defer’d I hasten to relieve my dr Anne’s anxiety by a reply to ye Morn’gs welcome letter before I take any time to investigate ye cause of our mutual disappointment I must proceed to inform you yt dr Mrs Horsey is in a state of convalescence a circumstance scarcely less surprising than consolatory to those of us who have witness’d her sufferings during ye height of so alarmg a disorder.  You ask me for particulars, & I wd willingly gratify a curiosity so amiable but ye present opportunity is quite unfavorable, both on acct of time & situation. It has been a series of afflictions with us at P– almost ever since I came.  When Mr Saffery arrived he found Mr H very seriously ill & he has continued in a very languid drooping state ever since thro mercy he appears gradually to improve & was out of doors to day.  Poor Mrs H. was considerably indisposed previous to ye attack of Mr H’s & was little qualified to act as nurse in ye gloomy state of things an alarm of fire at midnight a few doors from us a far fright since completed or rather brought to light ye lurkg Mischief.  We all rose from our Beds & ventured sick & well into ye cold air.  I was dreadfully afraid of ye consequences for poor Mr H. but happily my fears on his acct were groundless yt however was not ye case with his beloved partner she appeard more affected ye next day & grew worse & worse till Dr W. pronounced her in great danger yesterday when Mr Saffery wrote at my request & directed ye letter to Bror at Mr Greens Warminster yt you might not receive any injury from ye first shock I conjecture Brors indispositions prevents his being Nurse in ye truest way & Mr G. has been doubtful about sending it.  I cannot tell what name to give ye Fever some of ye symptoms were highly inflammatory & ye Dr was much disposed to fear her lungs wd be touch’d.  He seems to think her recovery astonishing. Yesterday she sat up two hours, & has rested well ye two nights only one person sits up with her now, wh was insufficient a few nights since – I am staying with Sarah who is very poorly with a cold & in a state of widowhood as her Husband is gone to Southhampton with Shoveller.  Our dr E is in tolerable health  < > all begin to hold up our heads again –

   Adieu ma douce Amie   pray for & be grateful with us.  May ye tender wishes of yr heart be gratified for ye most unworthy of creatures & every blessing be granted you in answer to ye prayer of

                     Your tenderly devoted Friend,

                                             Maria Grace Andrews

Mrs S [Shoveller] left P– [Portsmouth] yesterday morng be pleased to give my love to yr dr Husband.  All unite here in kindest expressions of regard do ask my Bror to write me a nice long letter kind respects to yr family.  Mr Saffery entreated me to remember him most affectionately to ym.

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, p. 164 (annotated version); Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, 1.B.1.12, Angus Library. Address: Mrs P. Whitaker | Bratton Farm | near Westbury | Wilts. | Novr 24th. Postmark: Portsmouth. Members of the Green family appear on several occasions hereafter in the letters of Maria Grace Saffery and her sister, Anne Whitaker.