Maria Grace Saffery, Salisbury, to Anne Whitaker, Bratton, Friday, 22 November 1805.

Sarum, Friday Eveng

Novr 22nd 1805

   My dear Anne will expect her usual modicum of comfort and intelligence wh thro the same mercy as heretofore I am enabled to afford her.  Alfred return’d home with Philip yesterday morng in time for dancing in high health & spirits.  They left yr Aunt poorly with a cold.  The rest of the family are well the Boys were both delighted with their visit but A. told me voluntarily that he was glad to return & see me perhaps this was a little stretch of complasence but courtesy in him is a grace that needs cultivation.  He seems quite well & happy to day at his common engagements.–

   I must be very laconic to night for various reasons one of wh is that I began late  another that I suspect  I shall not be a very enlightening Correspondent – this last idea indeed had it been properly noticed might have curtail’d some of my irrelevant Epistle–

   I have however some excuse for my dulness.  Unhappily I cannot always or often plead indisposition not very severe but the effect of very severe pain.  I mentioned the inflammation of my nipples in my last.  This has so increased as to enforce the weaning of the dr little Girl who takes it very hard.  My own exquisite pain has not you will suppose render’d me insensible to her sorrows – in addition to mine the nurse maid I have will be no means answer; and is to day so ill as to be chiefly in bed – the dr little ones are in general well and I hope Jane will be reconciled  I have not suckled her since Tuesday – I have suffer’d more than with Mary as for nipples but I now hope the breast will not inflame –

   My dr S. is sadly grieved at my pain wh has made me almost helpless.  I think it is a little better – He has a cold – He begs the most affecte remembrances – Alfred is upstairs but I am sure he wd be remember’d to his dr Papa & Mamma brother sister &c – Miss A– begs her kind respects also   as for me you know as much of my heart that I need scarcely take the pains to say that I am

                     Yours most affectionately,

                                 Maria Grace Saffery

Our love to Nurse – hope she is well

many kisses to little E.   she is quite as well off now as her Cousin or indeed better – poor Janes is deprivation

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 207-08 (annotated version); Reeves Collection, Box 14.4.(e.), Bodleian. Address: Mrs Philip Whitaker | Bratton Farm | to be left at the Red Lion | Warminster | 22 Novr 1805. Postmark: Salisbury. References above to baby Jane Saffery and Alfred Whitaker and his younger sister ("Miss A--"), who were staying with the Safferys at that time.