William Steele, Exeter, to Mary Steele, Broughton, [Saturday] 3 June 1775.

Exon June 3d 1775

   I have rec’d My Dear Maria’s Letter of the 31 Past, its Contents give me great pleasure in acquainting me that my dear Family are so well.  I wish your Aunt may continue to go out in the Chair as I think it much likelier to do her good than any thing she can take.

   I should greatly rejoice to hear your too much indulged Anxiety of Mind was in some measure remov’d, an acquiescence to the Divine Will you know is the duty of every Christian, & distressing Providence should be submitted to without repining, can you not behold the great Disposer of all Events as doing every thing that is right that is best & seek for that calm serenity of mind which an humble resignation to his all wise Disposals alone can give.

   Many People enquire after you, I was at Mr Lees & Mr Blights last Evening, Miss Blight express’d warm desires of your Company at Exon.

   My Health thro’ the Goodness of God continues & I think my self much better than when I came from home.  I hope your Mo has rec’d my last & that I shall have a Letter this evening.  My heart tho’ at this distance is still making excursions to Broton.  My best Love to the dear little Prattlers, tell them I hope to hear that they are very good.  M Winsor is well and desires her Compts.

   May his best blessings attend every One who is so dear to me prays My Dr Girls

                                 affectionate Far

                                             W Steele

My Love to Mama tell her my next will be to her

let me hear from one of you every post

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols.  (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 3, p. 266 (annotated version); STE 4/5/xlv, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Postmark: Exeter. Address: Miss Steele / Broughton / near Stockbridge / Hants. 

Mary Steele’s spiritual malaise is addressed more fully in the following letter and in her spiritual autobiography, which she addressed to her father; her anxieties were greatly increased by the loss of her uncle and the continued poor health of Anne Steele. The Lees and Blights  from Exeter also appear in some earlier letters by William Steele to his daughter.