Maria Grace Saffery, Salisbury, to Anne Whitaker, Bratton, [Friday], 22 August 1806.

   I certainly should not write even to my dearest Anna this Eveng but to prevent yr anxiety she wd otherwise feel @ her dr little Boy, who is quite well & so unoffending yt notwithstanding all his little whims it wd seem like slander to dispute his pretensions to ye character of a good child – to morrow is dr Phils birth-day & he is quite happy to night with plum-Cake anticipations – tell my little Miss to remember her bror – I have had a fagging week – with Company &c &c – but we are all tolerably well – the storm on Tuesday night certainly affected the whole Sisterhood  you may imagine the part I acted in my night gown in ye various apartments blessed be God for preserving goodness!  I hope you are better than last week – as I understand you were then too worried with spasmodic affections yr Sister’s box came safely & I believe all at B– are pretty well.  I have not yet heard from Miss Hopkins I begin to feel much solicitude @ an Assistant – my dr S–  goes to ye great town on Monday if permitted & I am hurried with some little preparations as his journey is somewhat unexpected.  He is low @ his business & you know I am always perplexed when this is ye case  sometimes I am much discouraged & think my labors answers no end various & oppressive as they are but adieu for I perceive I am going to grumble therefore I will close with a reflection that usually restores me to goodhumour even by remembering that I am

                     Yrs as ever tenderly & faithfully

                                 M G Saffery

Our united love to Bror ye boys & girls

I had forgotten my letter till it was so late that I must send this or blank paper perhaps this will be rather ye most intelligible

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, p. 218 (annotated version); Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, I.B.1.(24.), Angus Library. Address: Mrs P. Whitaker, | Bratton Farm | to be left at ye Red Lion | Warminster | 22nd Aug. 1806.  Postmark: Salisbury. References above are to a young Joshua Whitaker, Philip Saffery, and Marianne Saffery.