Maria Grace Saffery, Salisbury, to Anne Whitaker, Bratton, [Saturday], 11 November 1809.

Salisbury, Castle Street, Novr 11th 1809

   Here we are after riding for six or seven hours in direct opposition to “The East Wind” which indeed blew most pitiously in both our faces without being required as in the case of Bolingbroke’s Exile to “grace a hollow parting with a tear.” Now tho’ I have already a thousand things to say to you I certainly made this very excursive remark because I did not like to begin with the only thing that I must inevitably say not liking to produce an Umbrella for the Exordium of my epistle but this said thing was missed by the kind Superintendent of my Luggage during our journey & he was anxious that you might know of its inconvenient sojourn at Bratton Farm before Walter’s departure on Wednesday Morng – I cannot trifle when I tell you I found all well at home.  Yes, all this large family, partaking in its usual measure of Jehovah’s bounty.  Most of them alas! unconsciously receiving it.  Some, I desire to be thankful, consciously enjoying it.  May this be the mercy of them all, e’er it be long!

   We found at home a letter from Ryland’s father saying that Mrs Ryland was confined with a dead child but doing well herself. From Cheltenham we learn ys morng, that dr H. still mends surprisingly – there was also a letter from Steadman – written from Liverpool with many interesting particulars respecting Davis for whom good Mr S– appears to be very solicitous – Mr Saffery will write I believe to Mr Wm Dunne this Night. The interview at Heytesbury was quite as agreeable as such an affair can well be to yr Maria who always seems to herself a mere intellectual Swindler when she is introduced in order to produce something for the entertainment of the company – the immediate end of our vis- (for so I must term it) was answered in the sale of the wool to M. E. who is unquestionably a Man in a good style.  Adieu I am @ to post this with Mrs Bogue’s – I look over what I have written and his Majesty of Poland rushes on my recollection, but I have only aimed at my common character’s and could I imagine real myself what I believe you will pardon, if it only contributes to assure you, that I am

               yr ever faithful Friend & Sister,

                                 Maria Grace Saffery

Please to come forward on Monday with our dr Bror 

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, p. 289 (annotated version); Reeves Collection, Box 14.4.(l.), Bodleian. Address: Mrs Philip Whitaker, | Bratton Farm | near Westbury | Wiltshire. Postmark: Salisbury, 11 November 1809. References above include Shakespeare’s Richard II, I.iv; Charlotte Harriet Croft, Richard and Harriet Ryland’s youngest child, born on 21 December 1807; Richard Davis of Liverpool, who in 1806 succeeded Nathaniel Rawlings (formerly the pastor at Broughton) as minister to the Baptist congregation in Back Street, Trowbridge, remaining there until 1814, when he removed to Devonport. One of the chief deacons at Backstreet at this time was William Dunn.  Numerous Salters were members at Back Street for many years, so this may be the original home of Ann Salter. See W. Doel, Twenty Golden Candlesticks! A History of Baptist Nonconformity in Western Wiltshire (Trowbridge: B. Lansdown & Sons, 1890), pp. 115-7.

Apparently, during the stop at Heytesbury Maria Saffery was asked to read some of her poems. Despite her modest deprecation, Saffery, like her fellow Baptist Mary Steele Dunscombe of Broughton, was becoming known among West Country dissenters for her poetry. Further reference in the letter suggests that Saffery was reading from a manuscript, but the poem remains unidentified. Mrs. Bogue was the wife of David Bogue, Independent minister at Gosport.