Maria Grace Saffery, Salisbury, to Anne Whitaker, Bratton, [Thursday], 24 March 1808.

My very dear Sister,

   I have in addition to my weekly report of affairs in Castle Street to satisfy the inquiry you are doubtless ready to make @ poor Churchill, who submitted to amputation on Tuesday  he bore the operation extremely well and I believe good hope is entertained of his recovery.  Sally saw him this aftn he begged love to his family & friend & said he found himself better than he had been (meaning yesterday as I suppose) for then he appeared to be somewhat worse, perhaps ye effect of medicine Yesterday I accompanied my dr S to Bodenham and better ascertained the state of affairs there of wh during the past fortnight I had heard some unfavorable tidings. Yr Aunt & yr Cousin Sarah have both been ill they are together at Bodenham & I think in a state of Convalesence.  Mrs Attwater saw Dr Fowler for herself last week and supposes his directions have been useful. When I was at B @ a fortnight since since she had been washing or irong and went to Meeting at Eveng upon w.h I imagine ye Cough and difficulty of breathing returned – with greater violence – I thought you had better have this information on the subject I wish some one cd successfully press a proper regard to medicine.

   The home circle thro divine goodness exhibits the accustomed marks of much unmerited mercy, in the expression of usual health and social comfort & determinate amity in spite of the multitudinous vexations w.h a household on such a scale naturally engenders. The long exception to the first blessing on the list continues in dear Ryland who is certainly no exception to the other specified particulars. She has persevered in ye use of an open Carriage but I fear this must be suspended by a return to the mercury next week  she accompanied Mr S– to Romsey on Monday last & came back with him late in ye aftn.

   She has looked so well to day that I had almost forgotten to observe that Baby has been very poorly for two or three days, but now I may fairly tell you we are all pretty well but I remember that I have a matter of moment to communicate respecting the Gentleman who bids me say that he purposes being with you on Tuesday next @ 7 in the even:g and to remain in yr neighborhood (if ye word remain can apply to such [a] restless being) a day or two for ye sake of business  he talks of riding Bluff & not stopping by ye way so that I wd have my dr Bror take the tea early & be off before ye arrival of his guest who I think in such a case will want hartshorn more than company – I have a great mind to disappoint him of this enterprise by going myself, but then I must have you of my party. On Thursday week we have what has been called the double lecture of Sarum you know the plan of it & alas for me! The preachers belonging to it! but will you return with me to S– on the preceding Monday if I venture baby & myself to Bratton in the Gig with dr S– I cannot return with him on the Childs account for he preaches at Shrewton and yet I think if it be a fine day I might safely take him down so that my going to Bratton depends on your answer by return of post – consider that I love to be obliged, that I want help, that the Association wants Intellect and the parsons who are to be entertained at our house will be indebted to this effort of yr kindness to me. Now if you wish my hospitality to appear to advantage pray come and preside. I wish I could tempt you with something more to yr eating, but it is highly probable yt as it respects yr gratification from human eloquence it may be said of you on yr departure from ye assembly of dulness as of Young’s Lorizo, “Thy genius hungers elegantly pained.” But I desire to bless God that the Gospel is always a feast for you.

   Adieu my love the Church and the World too from this place salute you.

                     Yrs entirely

                                 Maria Grace Saffery

24th March. 1808.

I add a sober line or two just to say that I am much obliged to my dr Bror & Sister for their united Epistle – Farther my dr Mary cannot go with me unless it should be fine weather Tuesday – Nor yet then without Sister comes back in chaise with her Saturday or Monday as I must preach at Shrewton Friday evening & return home afterward – Monday week I go to Lymington to preach at the union of the two Chs & the settlement of Bror Giles & return with the Parsons to S– on the Wednesday – You must not fail to write by return of post

                                 Yrs affectly

                                             J Saffery

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 259-60 (annotated version); Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 180, A.1.(e.), Angus Library. Address: Mrs Philip Whitaker. No postmark. References above include Mary Drewitt Attwater, widow of Gay Thomas Attwater, Philip Whitaker’s uncle, and her daughter, Sarah Attwater (1765-1830), at Bodenham and Nunton. The former would die in 1812; the latter never married, living most of her life at the Attwater home in Nunton; Maria Saffery's youngest child, Samuel, thirteen months old at this time; and a quotation from Young's Night Thoughts, ‘Night the Eighth’, p. 237.