Mrs. Martha Steele, [Broughton], to Mary Steele, Yeovil, [Sunday] 4 September 1774.

   My heart overflows with gratitude and affection to my Dr Sylvia for her kind unexpected undeserved favour: entirely undeserv’d because I know & you must know my inability to return it in kind. But my heart tells me whatever deficiency there may be in expression there is none in affection for my Dr Girl, her happiness being closely connected with my own, the truth of which I now feelingly experience being tenderly concern’d for the uneasiness you suffer on account of our intended journey. My own mind is equally distress’d thro’ a desire of seeing long absent friends & a sincere regret at leaving our Dr afflicted Theodosia, but I trust a kind providence will preside over us all & in due time give us a pleasing interview with each other; how kind is your affectionate rememberance of the Dr little maidens I hope they will not be behind hand with you as each of them just now told me they will love their Dr Tissy for ever & ever.  I have prevail’d upon Clary to write to you next week when Nancy says she will write to Lucy to thank her for her pretty Letter.  Sister seems quite bad this morning but I hope will be better by and by, she was a good deal hurt by going downstairs yesterday, Betty Sheppard is to stay with her till I return.  The Boy waits for this therefore can only add our joint love  & respects to all.

   From your affectionate Mother & Sincere Friend

                                             M. Steele

Sep.br 4th 1774

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols.  (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 3, pp. 252-53 (annotated version); STE 4/5/xxxviii, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Postmark: Salisbury. Address: Miss Steele / at Mr Geo: Bullock’s / Yeovil / Somerset.