William Steele, Broughton, to Mary Steele, Yeovil, [Saturday] 20 August 1774.

Broughton  Aug.st 20 1774

My Dr Polly

   I dont know but ’tis right to be sometimes better than one’s word especially when ’tis intended to give pleasure; therefore I write to day instead of next Wednesday which I promis’d to you. Thro’ the kind paternal care of Providence I came home in health & safety this day by two o’Clock and have the pleasure to find the dear Circle at home all well except your Aunt who is worse to day than she has been for several days past occasioned by her maids letting the Candle burn down in ye Socket which you know she has done several times before & as often made her much worse by it. She was oblig’d to have the Door & windows open’d by which she had got Cold but I hope she will be better again to morrow.

   Our wheat harvest is almost over hope to finish Monday if the fine weather continues.  Poor Bulpit had the misfortune to fall into the fire as he sat sleeping by it & burnt 3 of his fingers so that he is disabled from doing any work, but he can attend on the folks as usual.  We all join in best Commendations to yr Uncle & am yr affect: Far

                                                         W Steele

I saw Lucy’s Father at a distance when I came along & he appear’d to be well. – Let me hear from you by next post. Nancy sends her love to Tissy & says her Aunt told her some verses to send but she has forgot them and ’tis too late to go to her Aunt for them again so she will send ’em next time – Patt is gone to bed. – My best Blessing attends my Dear Girl  Adieu

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols.  (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 3, p. 249 (annotated version); STE 4/5/xxxv, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Postmark: Salisbury. Address: Miss Steele / at Mr Geo: Bullock’s / Yeovil / Somerset.