Maria Grace Saffery, Salisbury, to Anne Whitaker, Bratton, [c. early June 1807].

My Dearest Anna,

   Judging from my own heart I conceive you are earnestly desiring information from Salisbury & I have, blessed be He, who daily loadeth us with benefits, “good tidings” to impart tho’ these are not unaccompanied by some that will awaken your less agreeable Sympathy – Carey’s measles appeared on Sab: day since which time he has been doing remarkably well as far as respects the body, but not even your observation of ye little being’s oddities can help you to form any adequate idea of what he can exhibit, as displayed by him on ye late occasion – Ann’s measles were slightly visible on Monday.  On Tuesday the eruption was very heavy & attended with frightful sense of suffocation sore throat &c – as great care had been previously taken of her I was somewhat surprised & much distressed of course, but my fears were soon alleviated in @ 24 hours by means of blister & medicine – she became astonishingly better & is now doing quite well her Mother has been here to nurse her & she goes home to morrow for a week or ten days.  Jane & Samuel are as not yet drooping as we perceive with any of ye specific symptoms tho little J– has been I remember sneezing for a day or two & rather unusually perverse.

   Nanny Calloway was taken quite ill with Rheumatism last night & can scarcely leave the bed to day so that notwithstanding the itinerant labors of Mrs Elliott you may suppose our nursing work is very arduous but as much mercy has been mingled with these cares that I am half ashamed to mention them my principal source of solicitude at the present moment is the indisposition of our dr little Philip who is incomparably the most suffering invalid of the forty & is I fear likely to be some time in recovering the shock his health has sustained by the measles – May the Lord, bless the means that are or may be used to his recovery & speedily if His gracious will, I hope & believe there is no occasion for absolute alarm, but my dr S & myself have been considerably depress’d.  I know you are inquiring for the Symptoms & I have scarcely indeed time or spirits to enumerate them.  Mr F says it is the complaint consequent on Measles & supposes it will be all well in time. The dr little fellow is very desirous to write to you he begs me to say that he will endeavor to get a Neddy & ride to Bratton – he wd make a poor figure for such an excursion just now – how are dr Edward, & little E? I am anxiously expecting news from Bratton & pray it may be very pleasing  Adieu in hope of conveying more agreeable intelligence in my next. I remain

                     yrs most tenderly,

                                             Maria Grace Saffery

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 232-33 (annotated version); Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, I.B.4.c.(31.), Angus Library. Address: Mrs P. Whitaker| Bratton Farm | Westbury | Wilts. No postmark. References above include Maria Saffery's daughter, Jane, and sons Carey and Samuel; and Anne Whitaker's son, Edward (b. 1802), and daughter, Emma (b. 1805).