Anne Steele, Broughton, to [John James Manfield], 12 August 1746.

Sir,

         I am very much oblig’d to you for the favour of buying and sending my Whoop I like it exceeding well and think it large enough for me who you know am not very modish—

         My Father thanks you for your kind present  I wish we cou’d better return your favours then by acknowledgement only—

         Your account of M.rs Manfields health gave me great pleasure  I hope it continues to mend & that she will return to you perfectly well.

         I was much concern’d that you wou’d not let Miss Betsy come to Broughton yet hoped that after you return from London we shou’d have been favour’d with her company but as her advantage and improvement prevents must not complain of the disappointment

         We are all oblig’d by your kind invitation but believe we cannot have the pleasure of complying with it, my Brother and Sister have been ill and are not yet quite well and I have a sort of aguish disorder—if you are at leisure and can think it agreeable shou’d be glad if you wou’d come & see us and bring the dear little prattler with you.—the complim.ts of both families attend you   I am Sir

                                             Your much oblig’d obed.t hum.e Servant

                                                                     A Steele

Broughton  Aug.t 12 1746

My indisposition must be my excuse for this short rough Epistle which will not I hope trouble you with awkward Ceremony

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 2 (ed. Julia B. Griffin), pp. 272-73 (edited version); STE 3/13/iv, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. No address page. Elizabeth Manfield was thirteen at the time of the above letter; a son had recently been born, also named John James.