Anne Steele, Ringwood, to Anne Cator Steele, Broughton, 21 September 1741.

Hon.d Mother,

         As I am never better pleas’d abroad then when I hear that my dear parents & Bro.r are well so I believe it is agreeable to you to hear often from us and cannot omitt writing though I am guilty of ill manners in leaving the company

         We came hither last Friday & left my Uncles & Aunt W[?] – My Aunt parted with us very unwillingly and would fain have persuaded us to stay longer – We are here in a very pleasant situation but alas the chief ornament of this agreeable place is wanting! Her lov’d idea presents itself to my thoughts & every pleasing amusement is mix’d with pain at the mournful remembrance!—We are treated with a great deal of kindness & respect, Miss Martins behaviour is very agreeable and engaging & we seem equally pleas’d with each other.—my Sister and I are favour’d by divine providence with a good share of health and wish to hear as I hope we shall to morrow that you enjoy the same blessing.  I want to hear if my Brother is return’d from the land of Nod and to be inform’d of the success of his expedition the news he wrote my Sister was so sudden & misterious I am impatient to know the particulars.  I beg you will please to pardon my rambling Letter present Sisters duty and my own to my Father & your self and Love to Brother and am  Honor’d Mother

                                                         Your dutiful & obedient daughter

                                                                     Anne Steele

Ringwood   Sep.r 21 1741

This evening since I wrote my Letter I have been so surpriz’d and terrified with looking at ye Lights in ye air that I am quite lowspirited & out of order, so far as it is a weakness I wish to overcome it & desire I may be taught to make a right improvement of the awful providence   I hope my dear Mother will excuse my complaining & pitty me –

M.r Manfield & Miss Martin desire their service to my Father Mother and Brother

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 2 (ed. Julia B. Griffin), pp. 268-69 (edited version); STE 3/7/viii, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford.