Anne Andrews, Portsmouth, to Maria Grace Andrews, Salisbury, [Thursday], 8 June [1797].

   As I indulge the hope of receiving a letter from my dear Grace tonight, I am preparing to return the pleasure as far as I am able in the way of communication – it seems indeed a long time since I was thus agreeably employ’d since my hand witness’d the tender sentiments of my Heart how do I rejoice that our affection does not stand in need of such puny props as protestations and assurances which seem at best to me like an army of Mercenaries introduced for the internal defence of a Kingdom & not infrequently like them injure disgrace and impoverish the very Cause they were intended to maintain but I believe I shall do well to let alone Metaphors & Similitudes whh at best I am apt to blunder in, and now that I have scarcely shaken off the drowsy influence of Morpheus & am yet unrefresh‘d by the delicious Nectar of the East, I shall almost inevitably fail in –

   I think if you could take a view of the interior of my Chamber this morng you would think me and my young companion very industrious; and indeed as to the former with justice she is busily engaged transcribing Thompson’s Hymn in pursuance of a Plan I have devised of which more hereafter. For myself I very reluctantly open’d my eyes between 5 & 6 oclock and almost as reluctantly arose, but since I have been up according to my usual custom have been reflecting much on the pleasure & advantages of early rising yet I very much fear not one of all my conclusions on this Subject will have force enough to take me out of bed tomorrow Morng –

   Since I wrote the above have gain’d a point whh has cost me a great deal of trouble: have conquer’d my dear Esther’s backwardness to unite in social prayer with me:  she has this Morng complied & consequently form’d an additional & you know an endearg tie between us – I was indeed in every way gratified & found much to admire of solemnity & simplicity both in the matter & ornament of her prayer.  I mention this because I know it will please you.

   I have been lookg over the Newspaper since breakfast and cannot but feel shock’d at the awful state of affairs at the Nore even with all the allowance experience teaches me to make for the exaggeration common on these occasions, the circumstances are truly dreadful – the thought of being obliged to reduce the Ships to obedience by force makes one shudder and this I fear must be the case – the State of Ireland is still more distressing & as to the coercive measures adopted by Government  while they appear for the moment almost indispensable yet there is reason to apprehend will in the issue prove destructive to the peace of that unhappy Kingdom – one piece of Intelligence pleased & diverted me & that is the marriage of Mr W.m Wilberforce M.P. for Yorkshire to Miss Spooner, eldest daughter of Isaac Spooner Esq.r of Elmdon House Warwickshire – so here is the end of the resolution of  this intended Bachelor & a good end I have no doubt you will say it is indeed it is a pity that any Man so qualified for domestic happiness & usefulness should remain single.

   We have heard from Mr Horsey since his arrival at Bath & are inform’d how things are arranged for the reception of my dr Papa & Mama. They are to be at Mr Foster’s.  How have I wish’d that my dr Grace could have gone but alas! wishes are vain powerless things unable to accomplish any thing.  I must therefore comfort myself with the hope that you will not always be destitute of the power to gratify yourself in things thus innocent & desireable.

   I was at Mrs Shoveller’s on Monday with Esther.  She is better than one could suppose possible in her circumstances – poor Mary still languishes out a miserable existence.  The dear Child is weary of herself & every thing around her – on her Papa’s asking as usual a few evenings since what she would have him pray for, she return’d no answer: he then enquired in her accumstom’d language whether he shd not pray for God to take her to heaven to whh she replied, Dear Papa you have pray’d so often that God would take me to heaven – indicating in her manner Mr S– said the doubt whh arose in her infant mind as to the attention of God to the request & as if it were no use to persist in offering the petition.

   Esther desires me to thank you for your very welcome letter & wd have me say that she remains in full hopes & expectation of another this week agreeably to your promise indeed it is to be hoped you will not delay it long lest the other shd be worn out by frequent reading in the Interim – Mr Jas Saffery who I saw last night begs respects to you & wd be suitably remember’d to our dr friends when you see or write to them in this we all unite –

   You ask me when I think of changing Mourning – however desirable it will I conceive be impracticable while I continue here whh I suppose will be three weeks longer – I cannot help lamenting my inability to avail myself of the opportunity of making advantageous purchases while here.  I think this place excels in beauty & variety as to Prints any I was ever in & muslins are very cheap – every one I have consulted advises me to do without black Silk & think plain Muslins with Calico’s or Ginghams sufficient – Let me know when you expect supplies from Mr A  & whether you think if they should arrive before I leave P– it would be adviseable to procure some of the things whh we shall want – & if you suppose we shall be permitted without offence to send to Mrs Woodhouse for any of them – pray answer these particulars.

   I must hasten to close as I am engaged out in the afternoon & shall probably have no time to add even a single line.

   Adieu my beloved, my dearest friend may every needful blessing for time & eternity be conferr’d on you in such abundance in answer to the Prayer of

         Yours in the sweetest bond

                     Anne Andrews

June 8th 1796

Remember me as you know I feel to our dr Friends – tell Hannah I really love her and expect her to rest in full confidence of my regard whether I particularise her or not – I shd like to know when you write how little John Roberts is – Grandmama is pretty well & would be remember’d

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 131-33 (annotated version); Reeves Collection, Box 14.3.(p.), Bodleian Library, Oxford.  Address: Miss Andrews. The letter is clearly dated at the end ‘1796’, but references within the letter are from 1797, such as the marriage of William Wilberforce to Barbara Spooner (30 May 1797 at Bath), the Nore Mutiny (May 1797), and the exile of Wolf Tone and the rooting out of the United Irishmen between March and May 1797. Maria Andrews Saffery would later publish a poem titled ‘On the Death of Miss S–, at five years of age, who gave remarkable Evidences of a Divine Change’, in the Baptist Annual Register, 3 (1798-1801 [August 1801]), p. 551; a manuscript version of the poem can be found in the Attwater Papers, acc. 76, II.A.2, p. 6, titled "On the Death of Miss Mary Shoveller, at Five Years of Age – Who gave Remarkable Evidences of a Divine Change." The young child died prior to 1801, probably in late 1797 or early 1798.