Anne Steele, Trowbridge, to William Steele IV, Broughton, 27 June 1736.

Dear Brother

         At the receipt of my Fathers Letter, I was exceeding glad to hear you were all well; nothing can be more pleasant then to hear from home: and I have a good while wanted a Letter from my Brother, but knowing you han’t much time, I made my self easy.  Yet methinks you might have been more provident, and have took enough out of a long letter you lately writt, to have compos’d one well enough for me without its being much miss’d.

         But I forbear jesting, and assure you I realy [sic] believe your writing to me wou’d be very useful; both to improve my understanding, and to exalt my thoughts more to the solid pleasures of Virtue and Religion; the most necessary and important Subjects.  What are all the amusements of sence, to the divine contemplations of Eternal things? Those are empty and unsattisfying [sic] in their nature, and short in duration, but these lift the thoughts to Heaven, and fill the Soul with the most refined and lasting joy! But alas my mind is cover’d with a senceless stupidity: the continual din of a noisey town, seems to dull my sences, and turn my tho’ts all into confusion. O how desirable is the quiet enjoyment of the solitary fields! Where no clamorous noise, or hurry, torments the ear, or disturbs the sight, but the eyes and thoughts are at liberty, to contemplate the wonders of creation, in all their blooming pride, and native beauty.  But ah why do I blame the change of place? When the chief fault is in my self: for though noise and company, may sometimes take up the thoughts; yet ’tis my own carelesnes which sinks me into such a dead inactive frame; and dulls the nobler faculties of my soul, could we consider as we ought the all-seeing eye of God, which surveys the inmost recesses of the heart, and marks every wandering thought, and have our minds fill’d with a religious awe of his divine presence: it would certainly make us more tender & carefull of offending him by our sinfull frames, who cannot endure sin in his sight, and who hates all the workers of iniquity – how miserable then are we, our hearts are depraved with sin, and we have lost the original purity of our first creation; and are utterly incapable of our selves, of doing any thing acceptable in the sight of God, but must acknowledge our own impotence, and fly to the blood of a Redeemer: where alone relief is to be found.  If you’l please to write to me, I hope it may be useful (by the blessing of God) to stir me to a more active and vigorous frame – My Sis.r and I join in our duty to my Father & Mother, and Love to your self, I hope my Mother won’t be angry for my not writing to her.  I design’d it but had not time  I was oblidged to write to Miss Gay besides those  I beg a long Letter from you as soon as possible, I assure you ’tis very desirable, and will be thankfully reciev’d by

                                             Sir Your affectionate sister

                                                         Sincere friend and Servant

                                                                     Anne Steele

Trowbridge 27 June ’36

We are both well and have been for the most part since we have been here (excepting only that I have been often troubled with a pain in my teeth) my Sis.r goes to school as my Mother ordered and I believe endeavours to work as well as she can but don’t like her Mistresses temper I am affraid she won’t learn a great deal while the weather is so hot

Tuesday was se’n’nite we went to Haycomb and stay’d there till last Monday left the family pretty well –

I write very bad but hope you’l excuse it I want one of my Brothers Pens –

Please to seal the enclosed and deliver it as directed

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 2 (ed. Julia B. Griffin), pp. 258-59 (edited version); STE 3/8/i, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Address: To M.r William Steele | at Broughton | to be left at the Three Lyons | in the Market Place Sarum | with care. References above include either Elizabeth or Jane Gay.