Maria Grace Saffery, Salisbury, to Anne Whitaker, Bratton, Friday, 5 November 1810.

Friday Eveng Novr 5th 1810

My ever dear Anna,

   To the mingled feelings consequent on the multifarious engagements of my busy life, I ascribe the pause that frequently occurs between the moment in which I address myself to you in idea, and that in which I communicate by means of Ink and Paper.  I am not merely solicitous on these occasions to select for you what may best entertain your curiosity, or least fatigue your attention; but when I look over the great mass of heterogenous materials which are here so often crowded into the passing hours I choose from the distressful variety that which most concerns the interest and happiness of your Maria, so far as this choice may comport indeed, with what I am half ashamed to call the disinterestedness of my Friendship – I am furnished this evening with divers articles of intelligence the most acceptable of which scarcely allows of foregoing exordium.  I have had a visit from our dear Alfred. My dear S– not at all suspecting your hasty departure introduced him on Friday afternoon, with all the glee which he naturally exhibits, when he has been the contriver of pleasure for others – even dear Alfred’s disappointment was less severe than his own when he found you had left S– a few hours before in fact he did not recover his complacency the whole Eveng.  I was soon comforted with the idea that the dear child wd get a holiday wh in the present state of his spirits is certainly not amiss and that you wd have all but ocular demonstration of his welfare.  Seeing him thro’ the medium of an observation bearing the closest possible relation to your own, he appears in what he may be termed high health but certainly is not so free from depression as we should desire.  It was in all senses a rainy parting yesterday Morng but I wished him to go then that I might assure you of his safe arrival at Southampton when I wrote, I had a letter by post this Morng which he took in his pocket from hence he went in the same coach, by which his Uncle traveled to Portsmouth.

   The general mourning has so much engaged Lucy that she does not send a line but begs dear love.  She has one of her dreadful headaches today.  I assure you ye parlour circle levies a large tax on my spirits on various accounts.  I am ill at ease and yet I think it best to endure now what appears to have been so amply repaid as to the past.  As to my own trials pages will not convey to you what you may collect in the observation of an hour.  There has been little shifting of the scene since you left but to me the consequences are always the same I desire to bless God that the great Source of Consolation never appeared more sweet and boundless than at present, the streams too are flowing round me in many created enjoyments. – The wilderness preserves its character, but the flowers that embellish even the garden of God breathe their fragrance over the desert of this world – My dear husband has mentioned his indisposition I believe his thinking powers only want a little rest, but I dare hope every thing for him from the God of all Grace.

   Mason & the Children are all well except that Philip was really overrot [overwrought] with joy at sight of his Cousin.  Sarah Drewett also is in the mending way they would not admit her into the Infirmary not thinking the case required it  she is out Patient but not yt sufficiently tractable for my repose  her arm is now and then very painful and bleeds occasionally –  she sits a good deal in the Nursery & takes her medicines wh retains also I wish her father or Uncle wd write to her the poor thing seems to need relative comfort –  I must omit telling you that our dear Lucy is pretty good – but very low at intervals. I shall be glad if you write to her soon.  I walked to Bodenham with Alfred on Tuesday.  Your Cousin Sarah is better so is Mr William but I thought your Aunt looking very poorly with a bad cold.  I hope your next will tell us that poor Mr Head is under the care of doctor Simmons – you know me well enough to suppose I am not a little anxious for the things he has given tolerable proof that he can feel with poignancy now that he is so very old.

   Adieu my Love with the tender & varied remembrances that my heart owes to Bratton & especially to the dear Mistress of Bratton Farm.  I close a long epistle that can tell you very imperfectly how strongly I realize them  while I call myself

                     Your Friend and Sister

                                 Maria Grace Saffery

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 298-300 (annotated version); Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, I.B.2.(3.), Angus Library. Address: Mrs Philip Whitaker | Bratton Farm | near Westbury. No postmark. Reference above is to a member of the Head family of Bradford, possibly a brother of George Head (d. 1785), Marianna Attwater Head’s husband.