Anne Whitaker, Shaw, near Newbury, to Philip Whitaker, Bratton, [Friday], 19 September 1817.

Shaw  Septr 19th 1817

   Your letter received yesterday affected me deeply for although when I left home there was little reason to hope for a continuance of our afflicted friend yet the description you gave of the rapid approaches of the last enemy seemed more than I was exactly prepared to meet.  I cannot indeed but rejoice in his consolation, and earnestly pray that we may be thus favoured in the solemn season which awaits us in common with others – great you know are the misgivings of my mind on this all interesting subject and when I look at a life so distracted with worldly cares & anxieties, with earthly hopes and fears and so little elevated by religious enjoyment my anticipations are painful and I can only lamentingly say Oh! that it were with me as in years that are long past when the candle of the Lord shined round about me. – If it were not for some recollections, I should have no more idea of religious joy than a blind man has of colours & the Psalmist’s prayer “Bring me out of the horrible pit and the miry clay” is the most familiar language of my heart. – But I am wandering far. –

   I am gratified to hear so good an account of you and the dear children & should be well pleased to send you as favorable an account of myself as when I wrote first, but this is not exactly the case.  The very wet Sabbath and the extremely damp and foggy day which succeeded took effect on my feeble habit more particularly perhaps the evening services, as I attended the union prayer meeting on Monday evening as well as the Sabbath evening but an indisposition otherwise transient has been lengthend out by severe attacks of toothache more particularly in the night – so as to deprive me almost entirely of rest – this was the case last night, but for which I think I should today have nearly regained my usual health – the interruption of it has been no small disappointment to me as it has broken pleasant engagements and has prevented me from taking the walks which I so much enjoy in this truly delightful neighbourhood. – I have however taken a moderate one with Harriet & George since breakfast with more pleasure than might have been expected after so bad a night.

   The little man almost lives out of doors & seems to thrive in Berkshire air – it is certainly much milder than with us. –

   I received a letter from Mrs Matthews couched in very polite terms but declining the invitation sent to Harriet and indeed I think upon very reasonable grounds. – My Cousin intends returning with me and I suppose unless you come to get me & George we shall come by Coach to Devizes and then if the day should prove very favorable you can let the car be there to meet us or if unfavourable we must have recourse to a chaise  we expect we shall be in Devizes by 5 oclock – but I must defer fixing the day as I cannot do it without placing myself under an unpleasant restraint and the loss of three or four days this week has prevented me from calling on several persons whom I wish to see –

   Remember me suitably to all our circle & with sympathy to dear Jane – I should rejoice to find that some means were suggested for the improvement of her health.

   We expect to hear Dr Waugh next Monday, he is to make a collection for the London Missionary Society – I hope Edward does not forget to hear dear little Eddy read, kiss the prattler for me  Adieu – yours very faithfully

                     A Whitaker 

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 362-63 (annotated version); Reeves Collection, Box 20.2.(b.), Bodleian. Address: Mr Philip Whitaker | Bratton Farm | Westbury | Wilts.  Postmark: Newbury. Alexander Waugh (1754-1827) studied at Edinburgh and Aberdeen in the 1770s before settling as minister at the Independent congregation at Wells Street, Oxford Street, London, from 1782 until his death in 1827. He was one of the founders of the London Missionary Society in 1795, the counterpart among the Independent congregations of England to the Baptist Missionary Society, which was founded in 1792.