William Steele, Broughton, to Mary Steele, Yeovil, [Sunday-Wednesday] 23-26 June 1771.

Broughton Sunday June 23d 1771

My Dear Polly

   Your Letter of the 17th to your Aunt was duly rec’d, & I doubt not but an answer from her would greatly rejoice you, but since my last to you, her Disorder has increas’d so much that we are oblig’d to have the Dr to attend her, & she is so weak that she is not able to write you, we have indeed been really alarm’d fearing the Consequences might be fatal but thro’ Divine Goodness she has had some comfortable Sleep tonight & is now much better than yesterday.

   Wednesday June 26th – I wrote the above Sunday last intending to send to you by that days post but was prevented. Your Aunt has continu’d very ill since but was worst of all Monday, thro’ Divine Goodness we have reason to hope she is now much better tho’ still very weak & confin’d to her Room. – I hope My Dear you will not be distress’d on the Acct of your Aunts affliction, she has this consolation that she is one of those whom the Lord loveth tho’ he chasteneth & this indeed should be  a consolatn to us all, to die wou’d be her gain tho’ to us very afflictive in being depriv’d of her Company here, but I trust the Lord will be gracious in restoring her to health & further usefulness in Life.

   I have rec’d your Letter of the 22d which gives me pleasure as it always does to hear of my Dr Girl. I intend to send W Morrant Saturday next as propos’d, when I hope to give you a better Acct of your Aunts health the rest of us are all well and join in friendly Salutations. –  Miss Waters came hither last Night & desires her love to Sylvia. Your Aunt affectionately remembers you & longs to see you & Dear prating Nancy sends her Love & two Kisses to her Tissy, she is now sitting by me making Jack’s house & pond & says the thief came to steal his little fishes.  Momma wishes greatly for your return as does My Dr Polly’s

                     affectionate Father

                                 W Steele

I sent a side of Bacon to your Uncle yesterday which I hope will come safe

Text: Steele Collection, STE 4/5/xii, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. No postmark. Address: To / Miss Steele / at Mr Geo: Bullocks / Yeovil / Somerset.  For an annotated text of this letter, see Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, vol. 3, pp. 217-18. Mary Steele was enjoying an extended stay at her uncle's home in Yeovil, not far from Mary Scott's home in Milborne Port. William Steele informs Mary of Anne Steele's state of health and recurring physical ailments.