William Steele, Broughton, to Mary Steele, Yeovil, [Wednesday] 17 November 1773.

Broughton Nov: 17th 1773

   According to my Dear Polly’s desire I once more sit down to acquaint her with the present situation of her friends at home as frequent intelligence will I am sure be very agreeable tho’ nothing material occurs to vary it.  Thro’ Divine Goodness we continue to enjoy our usual health the little Wenches are as wild & saucy as may be, Nancy comes on in reading apace; your Mamma is just come down from your Aunt she is getting up & talks quite cheerful & we have reason to think she is considerably better than some time ago, tho’ she will scarcely allow it her self Lucy has a bad cold.

   I wish your Uncle knew you was acquainted with his difficulties as then he would talk with you in a free & friendly manner about it & Grief once reveal’d is half eas’d, & could he be prevail’d to drop his business as soon as possible I doubt not but his situation would be much more agreeable to him.

   Yr Mama & I were at Sarum yesterday & saw Mr & Mrs Atwater Mrs Whitaker & Miss Jenny they were all well and go to Bratton next Saturday, they inform’d us of the Death of Mr Carpenter, we heard before from Mrs Head that he was near death, he has been in a consumption for some time, his Affairs with Mr Head are I believe settled (or nearly so) to the satisfaction of all parties. – This is another instance of the uncertainty of Life, and a solemn warning to those who knew him to prepare for their dissolution, we know not how soon we may be called from hence. Oh that we may be interested in him who alone can deprive Death of his Sting & the Grave of his Victory.

   Saturday last we rec’d a Letter for you from Betsy Ash. As you was not at home I open’d it to know how they were as there is nothing in it that requires your seeing it immediately I thought it not necessary to send it.

   All join in friendly salutations to your Uncle & in the warmest Love to my Dear Girl with her affectionate Father

                                 Wm Steele

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols.  (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 3, pp. 240-41 (annotated version); STE 4/5/xxxi, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Postmark: Salisbury. Address: Miss Steele / at Mr Geo: Bullock’s / Yeovil / Somerset. References above include Anne Steele, Jr., Lucy Kent, Gay Thomas and Mary Drewett Attwater, Jane Attwater, Caroline Whitaker, George and Marianna Head, and Elizabeth Ash of Pershore.