Captain Kelly hero of the Battle of Waterloo writes from Ireland to his wife Maria 1821

 

Edward Kelly (1771-1828) was an Irishman of modest origins who got into contemporary prints and narratives for personal bravery at the Battle of Waterloo spiced up with some bravado – as a battlefield Captain in the Life Guards he ran through and toppled a French cuirassier from his horse and then dismounted and used his sword to cut off, as a souvenir, the dead (or dying?) officer’s epaulettes. He was later wounded but consoled himself with hopes for promotion and in a letter to his wife (not in my possession but recorded by other researchers) he notes that the “Marquis of Anglesea sent me word that he had already mentioned my name to the Duke of Wellington and that he would also mention me to the Prince [the Prince Regent] and the Duke of York, so that I think there will be a race between me and Whale for the Lt. Colonelcy, and God knows I won it fairly in the Field, but I think there is no chance of my getting it.” He had to wait for promotion, but for his battlefield exploits was awarded the Russian Order and Cross of St. Anne. 

This August 1821 letter shows him in Ireland (where he becameAide de Camp to Major-General Egerton) in the month of George the Fourth's visit to Dublin; he was subsequently posted to India as Aide de Camp to Stapleton Cotton, later Viscount Combermere, and already the Commander in Chief in India. He was joined in India by his son Edward and both were present at the significant capture of Bharatpur in 1826. But in 1828 first the son and then the father died of locally-contracted illnesses. 

Other letters written by Kelly are already known to researchers (see References) and I have other items of Kelly family correspondence from this period including one written from General Egerton to Kelly; that suggests to me that there are likely to be  more letters still in circulation between dealers and collectors but not yet identified by researchers.

 

Transcription

Addressed: To Mrs Kelly   Sutton   Surry   England

Datelined: Armagh 16^th Augt 1821

Only legible postmarked is the London transit mark of 21 Au 1821

 

My ever dearest Maria

It is with the greatest pleasure I haste to inform you that Genl. and Mrs Egerton and myself set off from hence on Saturday next for Dublin for the purpose of attending a Levee  and a Drawing room on Monday and Tuesday next and very soon after that I proceed to Sutton on leave for two months. I think about the second week in Septemr you will see me and eat some partridges of my killing and some trout also.

I am not to return to Armagh having obtained the Generals permission to set off direct from Dublin, my anxiety is so great to be with you all that I have declined the trip to Scotland which under any other circumstances I should have been delighted to avail myself of. Mrs Egerton has been very ill with measles and I think she runs a great risk in going out so soon after them.

Nothing can equal the Kings reception in Ireland, the people are absolutely mad with joy – after I have been presented I will write to you again but I dare say His Majesty will not recollect me in the change of uniform from the Life Gds to the Staff. Lord Anglesea will be there also and perhaps His Lordship will not recollect me either. I hope however that I will never forget that I am a man and therefore am superior to dwelling or fretting for such things as these, had I not done my duty in the Field [of battle] all the rewards His Majesty could bestow on me could not make me happy [ possibly happyer].

I hope you got my letter and presents for the Children  ….pray kiss them all for me and assure them of my unalterable affection. Get Mr Sancho [his horse] in exercise for me, I dare say he is so fat that he will not be able to Hunt.

I hope to bring over some music and a something in the dress way for the Girls or ….. of the Kings visit to Ireland.

I have not time to say more at this moment but I will write more fully from Dublin and I trust be able to name the time to a day that you may expect to see me.

adieu my ever dearest Love & Believe me

Your unalterably affecte EK [?]

 

References

https://insidecroydon.com/2023/05/14/kellys-heroics-and-the-tale-of-a-soldiers-hard-life-and-death/

https://chrisb2701.wordpress.com/2016/05/27/waterloo-kelly-and-the-dissolute-earl/

https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1974-05-69-52-1

https://lornapeel.com/2024/06/30/king-george-iv/

https://ageofrevolution.waterlooassociation.org.uk/200-object/4250/

 

 

The Fourth Duke of Newcastle to his son William Pelham Clinton at Christ Church Oxford 1835

The Fourth Duke of Newcastle (1785-1851) had already fathered thirteen children by his wife Georgiana between 1807 and 1822 when she died giving birth to twins, one stillborn and one dying within a fortnight. He did not re-marry and appears to have been an affectionate but possibly unavailable father, as the letter transcribed below suggests. He was also a political reactionary in a period when reactionary forces were powerful; he was very active against causes which eventually succeeded: the removal of most civil disabilities applied to Roman Catholics (1829) and electoral reform (1832). His reactionary stance and an associated rudeness eventually (1839) caused his removal from his post as Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire. In this letter his support for Sir Robert Peel's government is clearly conditional. 

The recipient  is his son William who graduated from Oxford in 1836. Shortly after, and following an affair which became public knowledge, he was despatched on a Grand Tour of Europe along with his younger twin brothers  Charles and Thomas who appear in this letter and who were painted in 1818 aged five by William Collins RA.

Curiously, William’s father had been trapped at Tours in France on his own Grand Tour (but accompanied by father and stepmother) between 1803 and 1806. I suspect that his reactionary views may have been encouraged by this unwonted stay in revolutionary France.

Lord William Pelham-Clinton died in 1850 and never married, which helps explain the fact that this letter has been circulating, possibly for a very long time, in the marketplace of paper collectibles.

 

Transcription

Addressed to: The Lord William P. Clinton   Christ Church   Oxford

Datelined: London Mar 6 1835

Free Frank privilege claimed, dated frank of 6 MR 1835 on outer wrapper; letter written on black-edged mourning notepaper.

My dear William

Your letter now enclosed [but not now present] has been 3 days on my table already & I have not had the kindness to write a few lines to you in enclosing it. My dear William forgive me – you know my inexactitude which is quite culpable & when the time has arrived I have been too late for the post.

I mean to return to Clumber [Clumber Park, his residence in Nottinghamshire] on Monday after which time write to me there.

If I can I will send you the amount of your bills before I leave London but I much fear that my payments will necessarily be so close that I must postpone it until after the beginning of April. Nothing but wind & disagreeable weather – politics improve & far as I can see Sr R. Peel is doing well – if he can restrain himself from reforming all will be right & we shall pull through & we shall deserve success without such conduct we shall neither have nor deserve success.

I had a letter from Edwd. [probably naval Lieutenant Lord Edward Pelham-Clinton 1816-1842] today dated Valparaiso Novr 28 – he was quite well.

I must write no more or I shall be late for everything else. Susan is better certainly & Henrietta [? uncertain transcription] is pretty well again. Charles & Thomas returned to Windsor at 6 this morning [Windsor means Eton; Lord Charles and Lord Thomas Charles Pelham-Clinton were twins born in 1813 ]

Ever your most truly affecte. Father     Newcastle

References

Wikipedia: Henry Pelham-Clinton, 4^th Duke of Newcastle

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/learning/biographies/lordwilliampelham-clinton(1815-1850).aspx

 

Lord Charles and  Lord Thomas Pelham-Clinton aged five

David Balfour writes to his wife Fanny sketching his initial plans for what became Balfour Castle on the island of Shapinsay 1846 or 1847

David Balfour inherited his father’s properties on the Orkney Island of Shapinsay in 1846; he was the second son of Captain William Balfour R.N. but his elder brother died in 1838.  He promptly set about re-modelling the family house at Cliffdale on Shapinsay and eventually built what is still known as Balfour Castle. This letter to his wife Fanny Edmeston who he had married a couple of years previously sets out his initial thinking on what to do and how to go about it. That he is writing from Monaghan in Ireland may be explained by family connections.

The internet will not give me any 19th century prints or photographs of the castle, only more recent ones.

Transcription

Addressed to: Mrs Balfour  Cliffdale [their present home on Shapinsay] care of James Traill Esqr  Thurso Caithness

Datelined: Monaghan [Ireland] 12^th March [1846 or 1847?]

Postmarked faded “MONAGHAN”. Routed “By Donaghadee”, a small port on the north east coast of Ireland with a boat service across to Scotland; Scottish transit mark of Glasgow or Edinburgh “MR [March] 20” charged on delivery

 

My dear Fanny

This day I am still a little better and barring unforeseen changes, which we leave I hope with confidence & resignation in the hands of God, I trust in a fair way of gaining strength daily. Indeed I have more to gain than strength for there is literally nothing left on my bones. They blistered my head again and again and left me without hair and they so blistered me all over that I have a new skin geting [?] and to get to my bare bones. But all this will be soon refitted if I continue to get strength. I send this to Mr Traill’s care supposing from what you write that you may be there by the time this can reach you. It shall therefore relate solely to Caithness matters of which you’ll perhaps think that I have written enough already. But as to the intended house, don’t you think that as you consider my cottage plans as too small, it would answer well to build a wing of a large house which wing would afford us temporary accommodation till our funds were ready for completing the plan. I have formed an idea of the whole & can lay out the wing (which is afterwards to be kitchen & women servants appartments) so that we have two decent rooms without beds, 5 decent bed chambers, kitchen cellar pantry, one bed chr [chamber] for men & one for women servants, a study a storeroom & a lumber room. The public rooms will be each 18 or 19 feet long by 16. The expense of this will fall short of £400. I  think the rooms being furnished plainly but better than would be necessary when converted to the purposes for which it is latterly intended. But I intreat you to please yourself and I assure you that in so doing you most effectually gratify me – I only propose for your election – if I am able I shall draw a plan of the whole intended house, body & wings & send you. If more out houses are requisite by building the shell of the other wing which may cost about 100 £ abundance of room will be at command. I am supposing the roof to be of Easdale slates but there will be a considerable saving as well as a considerable addition to efficiency if slates are easily got in the neighbourhood & of a good quality, which I am assured they may be – there is to be sure an inferiority of appearance. It is to be attended to so that a large house of considerable height must stand in a sheltered situation, rather low than high. Perhaps a sport may be found dry enough or that may be easily made so, where you have the command of water to bring in even at the top of the house by a pipe, where you have  the view of running water where you see the few old trees & sheltered sufficiently to give assurance of being able to raise young ones, where a reasonable size of lawn can be made in front, & where rising grounds around break the force of the blast. The front should be towards the south unless there [are] strong reasons to the contrary. Not to the westward unless well sheltered from that point.

14^th The above is the greater part of two days work. .But I expect soon to be able to give you folio sheets in a day. When you get to Caithness there is another place beside Calder (in the [?] neighbourhood) which you [and] I lately purchased. I know the greater part of it is a ragged poor looking place as can be, but like the other parts of it I never saw. Mr Traill can point out if there is occasion for any thing being done altered respecting it and I rely[?] for information from you or Mr Bremner on every point. Remember me with affection to Mr Traill to whom my obligations are infinite; and offer my best respects to Lady Janet & Lady Isabella to Mrs Traill & Miss Traill I owe both gratitude & affection – they were always partial to me.

You speak my dear wife of the increase of our property as requiring a larger house than any of those of which I sent plans. Do you consider that tho we have more land we have less money & more debt? I would wish to live with the first in my neighbourhood nearly on an equal footing. But I would not now wish to be the mark of envy. We have suffered by that.

I heard from Willm. today – he is well & writes well. I wish I could say as much for his elder brother. I am sorry to learn from him that our Brother John has some complaint which he thinks dangerous. I know not what it is. I trust nothing very serious.  God bless thee so my affectionate friend F.B. [It seems he signs off with his wife’s initials not his own]

15^th March

 

Are my transcriptions reliable?

 

No one taught me to transcribe and how I do it is something I have made up as I go along. I now scan most letters and transcribe them using a split screen on my desk computer.

To begin with I tried to find ways to faithfully reproduce what was on the pen & ink page, limited by what Microsoft Word can do, which is quite a lot. It does, for example, offer the possibility of typing either 22^nd October or 22nd October, both of which styles can be found in handwritten letters but, of course, presenting more like a continuum of choices than a binary one. But imitating what’s on the handwritten page in this way is both time-consuming and not terribly productive and I now sometimes lapse. I do try to preserve capital and lower case but what is on the handwritten page does not always present as obviously one or the other:  A or a can often be decided but not always, most obviously when someone uses a large a.

Full stops do not reliably provide a guide to capitalisation; they are frequently not used at all since a quill pen not very skilfully handled will produce a blot rather than a full stop. Instead, writers use dashes and commas. At first, I conscientiously preserved both but now I am inclined to type a full stop when the dash or comma obviously represents one. I always preserve the labour-saving device known as the ampersand, &, which is very widely and sometimes exclusively used instead of and. This partly reflects my own view that the ampersand is a useful stylistic device. In my own writing I would not write this:

He asked for a pot of tea and toast and marmalade

Instead I would write:

He asked for a pot of tea and toast & marmalade

The ampersand could be regarded as an incipient piece of shorthand of which there are a few others regularly used: there are common abbreviations of words (yours of the 4^th inst. duly rec’d) and one word which has an obvious shorthand form: the word very is quite often realised as a horizontal line ending with a downward stroke angled left.

I try to preserve spellings (though they are not always crystal clear) and especially phonetic spellings in letters written by “ordinary people”. But I don’t place [sic] after a spelling we would now regard as mistaken or non-standard and that does leave open the possibility that the reader will think I have simply mis-typed and no doubt sometimes I do. But it’s not much fun reading a page littered with [sic]. Sometimes I indicate that the transcription of a word is tentative or  best guess.

I do take care over apostrophes. These are rarely used and even more rarely used correctly (some things never change); when someone does engage with them, I transcribe their efforts.

I don’t try to reproduce page layout even though many writers have an idea of what the page should look like and how addresses, salutations, and subscriptions (is that the right word now?) should be presented. What is most striking is that even though the vast majority of the letters I transcribe were sent through the post as folded sheets closed with a wax seal, the majority of writers do not leave blank spaces on the written page to manage the fact that paper will be torn when the seal is broken. That is one main reason why there are so many  ….  ellipses in my transcriptions to indicate wholly or partly missing words.

In principle, I could scan the entire letter into each post on this site but I doubt its usefulness and  it would usually require four scans. Who actually wants to read four scans of an original cross-written letter in faded, spidery handwriting? It can take hours. I can and do provide scans to researchers who are particularly interested in one letter and email a request. But I do not supply scans in bulk; life is too short.

Frederick Welch a go-between in London for the Provisional Government of Portugal 1832

 

The Portuguese Civil War of 1828-32 pitted Dom Pedro, the more liberal-minded first Emperor of Brazil- who had declared independence from Portugal - against his conservative brother Dom Miguel who disputed Dom Pedro's claim to the Portuguese throne. Dom Pedro won but it helped his cause that he prudently abandoned his own claim in favour of his very young daughter Dona Maria, who appears in this letter as “Donna Maria”. When victory was achieved she became Maria the Second of Portugal – neither Portugal or Spain were governed by Salic Law which in some European countries excluded females from the line of succession.

The large army which Dom Pedro assembled in favour of his cause included both mercenaries and idealistic volunteers form several countries. This letter offers a commission, subject to a down payment, to a William Scott Cooper who I cannot trace on the internet. Nor can I get a satisfactory result for the Frederick Welch who is acting as go-between. It may be that his address in St James’s Street is a temporary or post-box one. He liaises with the Ambassador of the Provisional Government in London, Count Funchal, now an old man but who previously had been ambassador in London during much of the Napoleonic War period and spent the summer of 1814 in Worthing – a letter from there which will appear later on this site introduces him among a cast of other characters.

Dona Maria II in 1830

Transcription

Addressed to: Wm. Scott Cooper Esqr   Northwick Place   Evesham   Worcestershire  

Datelined: London 35 Saint James’s Street  9^th October 1832

Postmarked: Single lined cross in red containing CH     9 OC 1832 and cross

No docketing note

My Dear Sir

I have recd. your reply to my Communication, and as you have accounted for the delay in answering me I am so far satisfied. I cannot help, although I may regret your views as to the unsatisfactory state of the Affair commited to my care (and that of my Friend = I have only to add once more that I view matters in a different point of view: and that I will unhesitatingly add “that your interests as far as your speedy appointment to the King’s service goes – could not be deputed to those who would, and have acted with Honor and Integrity in all points. Since I have had your letter, I essayed to obtain for you all the Information you require respecting the service of The Queen of Portugal – I can obtain one. Where there is not any to communicate – beyond what the Public Prints afford.

There are no Agents for Don [would expect Dom which is the Portuguese version] in London such as you suppose; at least there are not any recognised by The Provisional Government.

The appointments in Donna [would expect Dona] Maria’s Army are given gratuitously, and but to young gentlemen well recommended

A Person (the party to whom I mentioned your name before) has the sufficient Influence with the Ambassador of The Provisional Government [Count Funchal] (who alone is authorized to grant Commissions and which are permanent) to obtain you one Instanter [immediately] in the Infantry. In fact I have given him your name. I am authorised to say it will be forthcoming when you state you are in a condition to receive it by being enabled to pay the sum stated. A free passage and Provisions [? tentative transcription] are found. Pay commences from Embarkation, and (if the Cause is successful) Half pay those who would wish to retire from the Service is guaranteed for Life. Of course those that are first there will possess the most advantages. There are now embarkations taking place from the Port of London daily and their appears a degree of enthusiasm about the young aspirants in this Service highly creditable to the National Character, This letter requires an instant reply, as should you decide in seeing some Honourable Service in this patriotic Cause ? No time should be lost in Embracing this offer. [The siege of Porto had already begun where the army of the Provisional Government side headed by Dom Pedro was now trapped].

I have written this letter in the twilight [of an October early evening] in order to save [catch] the Post of today and request your immediate reply to this postage free your last was unpaid [in other words, he should pre-pay the cost of postage which at this date was still often collected from the recipient]

I remain Dear Sir   Yours very truly    Fred. Welch

 

Wikipedia: Maria II of Portugal

Wikipedia: Siege of Porto [July 1832 – August 1833]

Wikipedia: Domingos António de Sousa Coutinho, 1st Marquis of Funchal

Wikipedia: Liberal Wars [ 1828-1834 Civil War in Portugal]

 

The British in Tuscany a letter to Contessa Gertrude Baldelli 1850

 

I held back this letter, hoping that the missing piece of the puzzle would fall into place but it won’t. The recipient is unambiguous: she was born Henrietta Gertrude Walker and is now Countess Baldelli, having made a second marriage with an Italian Count. Born 1814 died 1903 she became - as they used to say - a pillar of Anglo-Florentine society, easily found on the internet as an opponent of animal cruelty and vivisection, an amateur astronomer, and so on. But I cannot identify the writer. I read the signature as “A.Walker” which could point to a sister (Anna, though she may have died young; the internet gives only an 1813 date of brith) or just possibly a brother (Arthur, who is well-documented but outside Italy). The letter does, however, contain the words “my Mother” where one might expect “our Mother” or simply “Mother”. On the other hand, Gertrude’s mother was still alive and living in Italy where she died in 1859 so this could be Anna or Arthur. Whoever the writer is, they have had their writings published and are in touch with both evangelical characters (Mr Müller in Bristol) and aristocratic ones, the Drumlanrigs who are well-documented – Lady Drumlanrig (1821-1904) became the Dowager Marquess of Queensberrry and has a Wikipedia page as “Caroline Douglas”. Her husband was notorious for gambling and adultery and died from a hunting accident in 1858 though a covered-up suicide is also the possible cause.  Unfortunately, the one published work to which the letter refers has an illegible title which I have guessed at as “The Bergen Law” which gets me nowhere except to card games. The enclosures mentioned in the letter are no longer present.

Click to enlarge

Transcription

Addressed to: La Contessa Gertrude Baldelli   Cortona

 No dateline

Despatch postmark: Pisa 14 Gen [January] 1850

My dear Gertrude

Your letter of the 3 January reached me in due course but I have been too much engaged to answer it before this. I had thought that they would have written to you soon after my arrival. I reached Florence on Christmas eve and remained there until the 2d of January, from which date I have been here [Pisa]. All the time I was at Florence I could do nothing else but occupy myself with putting in order, the very scandalous state in which the house was, on all sides and in all respects, so much so that at one time I was thinking of leaving the place altogether and returning to England, and live by myself which I much prefer to living in an ill ordered house.

Your boxes have reached Leghorn [Livorno] I think, however here is the bill of lading which unless someone comes to Leghorn and clears them from the custom house for you, you had better then give this bill to a spedizione or commissioner as we call him, and he clear the cases for you and then send in his bill, but this of course is the most expensive way. I also inclose a note one of General Watkin’s daughters gave me for you. I should be much obliged to you, as you may have the time, if you will translate [from Italian?] this pamphlet into common English for me. I certainly cannot do so, not having time, if any technical terms occur insert them in pencil and I will fill it up. I only want your rough translation, as I will overlook it & make a clean copy. I would come and see you but my leaving at present is not questionable, because I am very deeply engaged. Somebody printed in English a Ms. paper I wrote called the “Bergen Law” [very uncertain transcription] – you might wish to see it, and my Mother can lend you her copy as I have none to send or indeed in my possession at all. I also thank you for sending me Lady Drumlanrig letter to read, and was sorry to learn that she had been so unwell, but it reminded me of the truth that the Father orders all things for his inheritance, and binds up himself that which he made sore. We have this expressed to us in a passage  in Job 11 it is his care and love that makes him always bind up that which he made sore, any other would prove as bad ointment, that only closes up but soon the wound would reopen.

Any letter from Mr Macallister directed to me, to Pisa would reach me. Mr Müller’s address Paul St. Bristol. [He was an evangelical preacher and founder of numerous orphanages, also involved in the original Plymouth Brethren] Lady Drumlanrig errs [uncertain transcription] in supposing or thinking that she was the first or main cause of my rupture with the Lord Drumlanrig. You will be sorry to hear that it was evident to me at Glen Stuart [Scottish estate of Lady Drumlanrig’s Douglas family] that one or both of us possibly had changed somewhat, and that an undercurrent of diffidence was felt, and that little more than conventional relationship only existed. I may have changed myself, but he certainly has so also to an extensive extent, and with it had acquired a considerable amount of delusion respecting himself, which pained me much. I had hardly thought of them since, but I can show you his and my last letters. I think he more than most men is often ignorant of the nature of the things he says and does. His companions also may have done him much mischief, such as Lord Walpole and Sir Joseph Hawley. We must be very careful in framing a judgment of all things, and ideals with truth and principals [sic] without heeding effects, and consequences. Lord Drumlanrig as much as most men, stood in need of having some truth told him, I in my little wisdom and foresight did so, but I would do now exactly in the same words, and I am not wrong because, the truth has offended him, or Christ or any of the prophets in their speaches [sic]. I am very glad that Lady Drumlanrig continues to pray so much in faith concerning his well fare, because this will be answered in time, if prayer is made without …ing. An answer is certain in her case, respecting him. It still continues snow here and it is very cold. I had a letter from Mr Wilson a day or two ago, they are all well. I have a voluminous correspondence in hand and must close this, without reading it over. Remember me to Baldelli.

My address is 898 via S.Maria Pisa

Yours very afftly A Walker

Sunday night

References

Diana and Tony Webb, The Anglo-Florentines. The British in Tuscany 1814-1860

 

The Methodist Nathaniel Wathen in Stroud to his wife Maria born Beardmore in Islington 1805

 

No one writes like this now.

Nathaniel Wathen (1772-1856), a wealthy clothier from the Stroud district of Gloucestershire, writes to his wife Mary Beardmore (1779-1838) living in Islington. The couple married in 1804. Their families had close connections to leading Wesleyan Methodists:  Nathaniel Wathen’s parents knew John Wesley and are known to have invited him to dinner in 1782; Mary learnt to play the organ with Samuel Wesley, nephew of John Wesley, a noted composer and organist who has a Wikipedia page which records his rather scandalous life. Her father knew John Wesley. Whether she continued to played the organ after her marriage I do not know

The Wathen and Beardmore families have been exhaustively researched by Michael S Clark (Mike Clark) and I provide references to his work at the end. When Nathaniel Wathen writes of walking to the Mill it is most likely the Hope Mill at Brimscombe outside Stroud which, at this period, he managed with his brother. The numerous characters introduced in this letter are probably quite easy to research. 

 

Transcription

Addressed to: Mrs Wathen   No. 5 Canonbury Place   Islington

Datelined: Stroud Wednesday 1 May 1805

No despatch postmark legible; London receiver marks of 2^nd May 1805

Docketing note: Received May 2^nd Answered May 4^th 1805

I sent my dearest Mary half a dozen lines yesterday in a parcel of Mr Partridge’s by Coach containing a letter from Elizth. which I hope you will have received. I was greatly disappointed & made rather anxious by the non receipt of your Letter on Sunday which thro’ the inattention of Jenner or his people, was overlooked when Charles called so that I did not have it till Monday when at breakfast. During that interval I felt firmly persuaded that there must be a letter & I was enabled to cast the burden of my anxiety on him who careth for us. I was made happy & thankful, however, to the giver of all mercies when I learn that you & the dear pledge of our love were going on well & that you bore our separation so tolerably being convinced that each was in the path of duty. Still however it seems that the wings of time appear to move rather more heavily than when I was with you, notwithstanding that you have so much to interest your affections & occupy your thoughts & attention, I feel a hope (may I not add a strong confidence) that our present separation may be rendered beneficial to our best interests by giving us subjects for reflection and thanksgiving – by causing our minds to meditate on the tender mercies & loving kindness  of our God that have been exercised towards us in so abundant a manner thro’ the vista of our past life, on those that we still so largely experience, and above all on those transcendent, sublime & perpetual enjoyments that lie before us and may with confidence be laid hold on by the arm of faith by us if we do truly & sincerely desire & endeavour by divine assistance to seek our happiness in God & thankfully to acknowledge the channel thro’ which all our blessings flow.

My conscience accuses me of indolence & sloth in the discharge of my duty towards God since we have been united, as well as for unmindfulness & want of thankfulness for the many favors that he has heaped upon us. As an instance of the former I cannot but consider the not having set out with family prayer in the morning which I henceforth hope we shall endeavour to exercise ourselves in as constantly as no foible, having begun it since Mr Williams has been with me, At this period of the day we are particularly called on to grateful acknowledgments in family as well as in private prayer when we call to mind the preservation of the night, the business that calls us into action in the ensuing day, & above all when we consider the wily foes that we have to contend with. Under such impressions we ought right humbly & gladly to bow our knees before the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ that we may plead for mercy as a family & obtain the grace we may need day by day, I do not doubt, my love, that you will coincide in these sentiments & feel a disposition to unite with me in the resolution by God’s grace to carry them into effect. The multiplicity of business that demands so large a portion of our time ought not, must not prevent us from spending a quarter of an hour in reding a short portion of scripture & in supplicating the Throne of Grace. I have always experienced the advantage of this morning exercise in my ride or walk to the Mill & during the remaining day. On Monday Mr Williams & I dined at Newhouse & yesterday he went to Mr Charles Wathen’s where he intends to stay ‘till Friday when he is to return here. I am much pleased with him & desire to be truly thankful to the great Head of the Church for having in the order of his Providence brought him hither. On Sunday, I had Mrs Lees & Miss Iles with our brother and sister. I spoke to the two former respecting Mrs Ford’s proposal, which seemed to be relished by Anne Iles, but respecting which she requested to be allowed time to consider. The Friday Lecture during the ensuing season is to be preached in the evening service beginning at ½ past six o’clock. I have invited the same party on Friday that dined here on Sunday in order to give them an opportunity of going to Church. Mr Williams the Preacher is now at Stroud to make a short visit to assist Mr Rhodes during Mr Woolmer’s absence: he supped with me last night & desired his best respects. He told me of the excellent effects that might be expected from the Methodist Sunday Schools which have been established in many place & exhorted me very much to exertion in that way at Stroud, The great peculiarity attached to these schools amongst the Methodists is that all the Teachers give their labours gratis instead of being paid for them: and you know that, in such case, more attention & care may very reasonably be expected as well as the exertion of pious endeavours to inform the judgment and to affect the hearts of children. It seems that a large school has been within six months been established at Dursley where Mr W generally resides. He does not yet give up the affair with Miss Cooke: it seems (at least I judge so from what he said) that it is to the mother that are to be ascribed the impediments & difficulties that have been raised [presumably to a marriage].  Mr & Mrs Scudamore the child & two servants go to Bristol for a fortnight or so next week & have taken lodgings in King Square: the latter is grown quite large & has been rather complaining of late. I go after exercise with the Corps this evening to Brimscombe [a short distance from Stroud] to make arrangements about raising the money to pay off the debt on the Chapel account. Mr Scudamore is to meet me. I called Sunday evening after having been at the Chapel on Mrs Willis & Mrs Holton who are both very poorly & not again likely, as I think, to regain strong health. Mrs Ellis is well. I indulge the hope that Dr Baillie’s prescriptions for our dear mother will be attended with the divine blessing & I trust that she will largely enjoy that peace of God that passeth all understanding. Give my tender love to her & be assured my dr. Mary of my unalterable affection NW [ Nathaniel Wathen, her husband] present me affectionately to your father & each of your circle & tell your uncle that I hope to send his cloth & … with the rugs in two or three days.

 

References

https://www.mikesclark.com/genealogy/mills.html

https://www.mikesclark.com/genealogy/wathen.html#nw

https://www.mikesclark.com/genealogy/beardmore.html

Wikipedia: Samuel Wesley (composer, born 1766)