Anne Whitaker at Bratton to Maria Saffery, Salisbury, [c. mid-February 1819].

My dear Maria,

   I was more relieved than surprised at the feelings you endeavour to express on committing your much loved John to the care and tenderness of Strangers when for the first time quitting the paternal roof  I trust  having the unpleasing impressions you then received will gradually diminish and that you will have reason to consider them as arising from a too exquisite solicitude and not from any really existing circumstances – I learned from Alfred that you had been in Bristol but did not understand when you arrived or when you left – I am sorry to hear of your indisposition but you must have travelled under great disadvantages

   Your dear Boys would be very glad of the box which contains many desirable articles amongst others Sam’s thick shoes are much wanted  Miss Blatch was here this evening and prays she fears he suffers for want of thicker shoes, he has had a cough several days but is by no means seriously indisposed

   My John & George have Hooping Cough but at present they bear it better than might be expected – this will necessarily preclude my visiting Sarum just now – My love to my little girl I am very glad to hear any good of her. –

   I went last week to Somerford Keynes with Sophia Whitaker – found Mrs Woodhouse a very intelligent & pleasing woman and the very Miss Cox who kept the School at Chelsea which attended at the Lock to whose care the little Daltons were committed after the death of their father – you will easily imagine we found much to converse about  I write this note understand that our Mr E– intends being at Chiltern tomorrow and expects to meet Mr Saffery

   Adieu I can only say

                     I am tenderly yours

                                 A Whitaker                               

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 374-75 (annotated version); Reeves Collection, Box 20.2.(f.), Bodleian.  Address: Mrs. Saffery. No postmark. The Woodhouses and Miss Cox were old friends of Anne and Maria Grace when they lived at Isleworth in the 1790s, and were frequent visitors to the home of Thomas Scott in London and his chapel in the Lock Hospital.