William Steele IV, Haycombe, to Anne Steele, Broughton, 5 October 1736.

Dear Sister,

         Nothing could be more welcome than your moving letter, (which I yesterday rec’d) to revive those tender sentiments of Grief & Compassion, which seem’d to languish in my breast.  I have indeed as you observe been witness, & not only so but have been partaker of ye most affecting scene of sorrow & distress.  What did I behold, what did I feel when first pale & trembling I enter’d ye melancholly room; instead of that friendly embrace which was usual at our first meeting, I saw ye poor unhappy Youth (a dismal image of Death) stretch’d on his bed, and panting for breath amid his tortures.  He bore his Affliction with ye greatest patience, nor once murmur’d or repin’d at Almighty Providence, while Death gradually approach’d, and stretch’d his gloomy Sceptor over his brows.  ’Twere enough to have melted a heart of Stone or made even a Statue weep to have heard him (while he drew every breath shorter & shorter, & his heart throbbed violently in a higher Station)  I say to have heard him call on his Lord, his Saviour, & his Judge; which was all we could distinguish his voice was so very low; I was forc’d to retire to hide my rising Grief, and give vent to my passion.  But how shall I paint ye awful hour? How shall I describe ye fatal minute wn ye wandering Soul took her flight from her earthly mansion, and sought a dwelling in a strange unknown region? I was with him in ye last moments, I heard his speech falter, I saw his breath fail, & his every motion cease; when ye gloomy Tyrant did his Message and beckon’d away his Soul into Eternity, which he resign’d without a groan or struggle, into ye hands of his Almighty Donor, fetching only a deep sigh, and everlasting Silence ensued.—Oh may it be forever graven in lasting Characters in my breast! That I may see how uncertain life is & how transitory ye Joys of this World.  It is but an hairs breadth betwixt us and Eternity; Youth, Riches, Friends & Relations cannot bribe ye Power of Death.  This is a memorable instance.  Then how great how momentous is a preparation for a future State, it should certainly be ye chief Concern of Life, since thereon depends our eternal happiness. May we my Dear Sister seek ye true means of Salvation, which is surely an Interest in our dear Redeemer and never give over ’till we have finish’d our race with Glory.—

         My Aunt is (blessed be God) pretty well recovered of her distemper; tho’ she is yet very low spirited, & talks very much of dying & complains in her head.  Cousins are pretty well and are gone to Mr Crabbs at Road for a little time. Cousin Betty has had but one fitt since my last.   I am thank God, very well now tho’ I have been pretty much disorder’d for 2 or 3 days past my hand is almost well.  I design to return home some time this week (tho’ Aunt is very unwilling) but I believe not till near ye latter end. Please to give my Duty to Father & Mother & love to Sister Molly & Service as you think fitt.  I remain

                                             Dear Sister Your Loving Brother and faithful friend

                                                         Wm Steele Jun.r

Haycombe  Sunday 5th October 1736

Aunt sends her love & services & says she is very bad & just dying

Miss Crabb sends her service to you

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 2 (ed. Julia B. Griffin), pp. 261-62 (edited version); STE 3/8/iii, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Address:  To | M.rs Anne Steele Junr | at Broughton | To be left at ye 3 Lions in | Sarum.  The above letter describes the death (at the age of 19) of Richard Gay of Haycombe, cousin to Anne  and William Steele (see Broome, A Bruised Reed, pp. 98-100).