William Steele, Broughton, to Mary Steele, Yeovil, [Friday] 18 September 1772.

   Broughton Sep:r 18th 1772

   I duly rec’d My Dear Polly’s Letter of the 12th Currt & hoped for One this morning to Miss Ash, but none is come.  I have now the pleasure to acquaint you that the Circumstances of our Family with regard to health are better than when I last wrote.  Your Aunt has been down Stairs several days past & I hope on the whole is much better.  Mamma’s leg is not quite well but she gets Strength in it every day, we went to Bodenham Tuesday & stay’d there till Wensday after dinner, & then return’d with Betsy & Nancy! – Mr H was there & was very alert on the prospect of a speedy end to the long Affair but what shall I say of Mar – a she does not behave to him as she ought.  I hope she will be more gracious after the Ceremony, otherwise happiness farewell.  I believe the time intended is about the 13th or 14th of Oct:r  I wonder your Uncle should make any Objections to your going to Bradford, but tis I suppose because he thinks you will leave him the sooner, if he intends to come to Broton with you, you should know it, & send us word of it, Miss At.r has so much dependance on your Company that she says she will not be married without it.  If your Uncle will not come with you I will contrive to get you home about a fortnight before the time.

   Our Compts to your Uncle All join in the tenderest remembrance of my Dear Girl with her affectionate Far

                                             W Steele

Text: Steele Collection, STE 4/5/xx, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Postmark: Salisbury. Address: To / Miss Steele / at Mr Geo: Bullock’s / Yeovil / Somerset. For an annotated text of this letter, see Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, vol. 3, p. 224. "Nancy" is Anne Steele, Mary’s half-sister; "Mr H" is George Head, Marianna Attwater's future husband.