Maria Grace Saffery, Salisbury, to Anne Whitaker, Bratton, [Wednesday], 14 January 1818.

Salisbury  Jany 14th 1818

My dear Anne,

   I had not only fully purposed but begun to write to you by Carey when a domestic occurrence called me from the engagement and absolutely prevented its accomplishment.  I regret this especially on one acct – My letter was designed to prevent any disagreeable surprise which might originate from your being suddenly told that I had visited the Ravenscrofts[2] of wh Carey has now certainly informed you, and as certainly too, without a “prologue to the Story.”  You know all that passed about Ravenscroft’s first letter, and that I talked of writing in reply to it  still however my mind remained in a state of distressful uncertainty both as to the manner and measure of the communication, and I halted between the probable evil and the positive impropriety ’till I prayed myself into a decision to escape at least from the letter. Before I went to Town I wrote to Captn R and confessed the reception of his letter, stating some of those reasons, which had for so long a time induced my silence. I particularly assigned the state of my father’s spirits and the comparative adversity of his affairs as the predominant motive for such protracted hesitation after this I mentioned my visit to Town and offered to wait on Mrs Ravenscroft at some appointed hour if the interview would be agreeable and perfectly convenient – I enclose the notes of reply &c to save myself the detail.

   I went alone to make my first call, without letting Philip know of the engagement, of wh indeed only Alfred who posted my letter was aware.  I cannot describe the meeting, but you can well imagine it.  The same lavish tenderness of manner, the same ready sufferance of a thousand civil things and all the bewitching good humour of unprincipled vivacity. Time has withered the form and the hardships, of I know not, how many Campaigns enfeebled the constitution, but the woman of this world still inhabits the shattered Mansion and maintains alas! all the force of her original character. Yet do not be afraid of our Boys.  They have looked indeed  (for I could not help it) on what was once so gay, and brilliant, and seductive, but it was only to be assured that the pageantry of life, leaves its faded devotees like monitory spectres on the stage.  These unfortunate persons, are no longer covered with the illusions of beauty, and splendour; their sun is setting in the dull horizon of a wint’ry day.  Ravenscroft retains also the characteristic features of his native mind, and he has just the same quiet elegance of manners. Val has left his old wife to solitude, and the title of Mrs Val Ravenscroft, and is glittering on the Continent in the train of Wellington.  Louisa is somewhere abroad with her husband, who is even from the testimony of the Mother a worthless man of fashion – Val is the 1st Capt in his regiment and likely to be promoted – Mrs R. says that they Captn R & herself are just now comfortably provided with the necessaries & conveniencies of Life – and that she requires no more. Their lodgings in Oxford St are on the second floor, remarkably neat & well furnished.  They have one respectable female Servant and every thing about them indicates some attention to economy united with ye habits of superior life. 

   Adieu  if it were not for this affair I would keep my letter another day, for to day I cannot say that I am well and yet I am going out to dine – yr dear Brother will be at Bratton to morrow week. I hope to write again on that occasion. Till then adieu 

                                                                     Yours M. G. Saffery

Friday aftn  1 oclock

Alfred agreed with me about this communication – you need not be afraid of him – the R–’s met him in Holborn unexpectedly where you may be sure he was much admired.

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 369-70 (annotated version); Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, I.B.3.(11.), Angus Library.  Address: Mrs P. Whitaker | Bratton Farm. No postmark. The Ravenscrofts of London were relations of the Andrews family. As this letter reveals, most likely Mrs. Ravenscroft is the sister of James Andrews, father of Maria and Anne. As recent letters have made clear, Mr Andrews’s financial demise has been the cause of much embarrassment for the family and has evidently led to an unwillingness, or at least considerable hesitation, on his part to see his relations.  This letter provides some fascinating details of the Ravenscroft family (apparently not enjoying the level of social and material affluence they once possessed) and just how far Maria Saffery and her sister, as devout Baptists living now in the West Country, had departed from a part of London society they once would have moved in quite comfortably.