Anne Steele, Broughton, to William Steele IV, at George Bullock’s, Yeovil, Somerset, 22 January 1762.

Jan. 22. 1762

Dear Brother  

         Tho’ I have not wrote to you oftener I sincerely sympathize in your affliction.  I wish for you & for my dear Sister that divine support & comfort which none but an Almighty Friend can impart!

         Your Letter of the 18th (which M.r Bathurst’s man brought Thursday) seems to express more of fear for my Sister than that before.  You do not tell us the Doctor’s opinion of the alteration – methinks I wou’d fain hope that her sleeping is a favourable symptom.—May the great Physician in whose hand are the Springs of Life, direct to and bless means for her recovery, and may we ever look to his wise & gracious hand who sometimes sends great afflictions for the exercise of Faith & Patience! It is good both to hope & quietly wait for his Salvation.

         I have some fear lest your necessary solicitude for my Sister shou’d affect your health, I think you shou’d sometimes walk out for air and so shou’d M.r Bullock for whose dejection I am concern’d.  I wish we cou’d hear oftener from you & that the conveyance were more certain.

         Father sent a Letter for you to Wallop Sunday & another Wednesday.  He is thro’ divine Goodness well.  My health is I think a little mended tho’ I am still weak.  Jenny is much better than she was.  I hope my dear Polly continues pretty well and I wish her to be very good.  I join with Father in Love and Service as due and am  

                     My dear Brother

                                 Your ever affectionate Sister A. Steele

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 2 (ed. Julia B. Griffin), p. 318 (edited version); STE 3/8/vii, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Address: To | M.r Will.m Steele | at M.r Geo: Bullock’s | in Yeovil | Sommersett. Also on the address page is written ‘Jan 22 1762’. AS was living with her father at Grandfathers; her brother, his wife, and young Mary Steele were all at Yeovil, greatly concerned about the failing health of William’s wife, Mary. At the same time, Jane Gibbs, Anne’s cousin, was also experiencing deteriorating health; she would die at Trowbridge in October 1763.