William Steele, Broughton, to Mary Steele, Yeovil, [Wednesday] 10 November 1773.

   My Dear Polly’s Letter has given me an anxious concern for her as well as for her Uncle, his distress I know must be heavy on your Mind, but I trust the Divine Arm on which you rest for support under your distress will administer that relief which none else can give, ’tis our greatest happiness that we have such a refuge to fly to in every time of trouble.  I am not at all surpriz’d at your Uncle’s difficulties as you know I have long thought his trade instead of being an advantage to him has been very injurious, the small profits on it being insufficient to answer the Expences & the long Credit attending it exclusive of Losses by bad debts. I am satisfy’d he is many hundreds the worse for it, and I heartily wish he would let me look into his Affairs but am afraid to propose it to him, if you can give him a hint to that purpose & he seems inclin’d to it you may let him know that I will do any thing that lies in my power to serve him & will go to Yeovil at any time for that purpose.  I heartily wish he would be prevail’d on to buy no more goods but sell off what he has by him as soon as possible that his debts may be discharg’d, I wish you will talk with him to this purpose & let me know in your next what the result is. – I don’t think the disorder you mention according to your description need alarm you, as I have often observ’d the distress of the Mind will cause a strange convulsive appearance in the Countenance.

   We have I think reason to hope that your Aunt is on the whole considerably better than when you went from home tho’ she will scarcely allow it her self, she is much better some days than others.  All the Family besides her are thro’ Mercy in good health, a blessing I desire to prize with a grateful heart.  We join in the tenderest Salutations to my beloved Daughter, and in due Service to your Uncle, as he seems so desirous of your staying a little longer & you seem inclin’d to oblige him. I think you may stay till about the time he goes to Exon & then go to Motcombe as propos’d, your stay there must be shorter perhaps Miss Frowd may be willing to come to Broton with you, but this may be farther thought on.  I commit you to the Care of a good & gracious Providence & am My Dear Child your ever affectionate Far

                                 Wm Steele

Broughton  10th Nov 1773

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols.  (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 3, pp. 239-40 (annotated version); STE 4/5/xxx, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Postmark: Salisbury. Address: Miss Steele / at Mr Geo: Bullock’s / Yeovil / Somerset.