William Steele, Pershore, to Mary Steele, Broughton, [Saturday] 23 August 1777.

Pershore August 23d 1777

   On our Arrival at this place Thursday Morning I found my Dear Maria’s Letter of the 16th waiting for us which serv’d for a cordial after our long journey, as good News from home is always the best we can have.

   We set out from Mr Townsend’s Wednesday Morning before 6 o’Clock & reach’d Broadway a place 12 Miles from hence in the Evening & got hither by 8 Thursday Morning, the first day was between 90 & 100 Miles but the Weather was pleasant, the Roads good except where it was dusty, and the Country we past thro’ in general fine & many places quite picturesque “where wood crown’d hills the fertile vales defend.” – Thro’ the Goodness of Providence we were preserv’d from every danger & arriv’d in health & Safety & met with a joyful reception from our Friends who are all well. – It is unfortunate that Mr Horsey’s Letter should come in my absence.  I believe nothing can be done till my return but I intend to write to him.

   Mr Berdmore finish’d my Affair for which I paid him the very moderate Sum of 20 Guineas, as yet ’tis of very little use to me, but Dr Ash says it will be better in a little time, he has made him a Set as good as Berdmore’s & I have the Vanity to think I shall be able to do the same if I find they will be useful it will be necessary to do so, as they wear out much sooner than I thought of & a frequent renewal of them will be very expensive.

   I hope for another Letter from you before you receive this as ’tis a long time to wait before I can receive a reply, shall be glad to hear how the Harvest goes on, ’tis but just beginning here. – There was no Trunk bought at London, consequently you could receive none, there was so many ways for our Money that we omitted that & some other things.

   The horrid Din of Newgate Street is at length got out of our Heads & we are now enjoying a peaceful Solitude, we had a pleasant walk yesterday over the water to Mr Hudsons new Habitation which is very rural & pleasant & I suppose we shall make several little excursions while here, the time wou’d pass very pleasant were it not that my inclinations tend homeward.

“There Fancy dwells with ever fond delight

Recalls the dear domestic Scenes to view

And lives the pleasing Moments o’er anew”

                                             Unohoo 

S. Goddard & Nancy were expected by the Coach to day but are not come, a Box directed to her is come so I suppose they will be here soon. – I commend all my dear Relatives in Hants to the Guardian Care of our best Friend & am My Dr Maria’s

                                 affectionate Far

                                             W Steele

Love from all to all

Let us hear often

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols.  (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 3, pp. 279-80 (annotated version); STE 4/5/lv, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Postmark: Evesham. Address: Miss Steele / Broughton near / Stockbridge / Hants. The  "Unohoo" above (‘you know who’) refers to  Mary Steele; the lines are from her poem Danebury, ll. 247-49; the quotation in par. 2 is also from Danebury (l. 244).