Early August 1751

23. Mary Doddridge, Northampton, to Mrs. Mercy Doddridge, [still with her husband at Shrewsbury], Tuesday, [early August 1751]. [f. 25]¹

Nor[thampton]. Tuesday 10 oClock

I hope my dear Pappa & Mama

are both fast a sleep

My Dearest Mamma

’Tis the concer[n] your wellcome unwellcome Epistle gave us all as thair was no news I so much wish’d for as to have heard of my Dear Pappa’s continued amendment so I could not but flatter myself that Heaven would have been propitious to our ernest & unfaind supplications & that these gratefull tidings would have reached my happy Eares. But alas, Mad^m, Judge my Griefe & Surprise when in an instant all my Towering Expectations van[i]sh’d to give way to the sad certainty of – but I will not repeat it. You Dear Mad^m know too well what.

I am too well perswaded my D^r Mamma must be under the greatest concern & happy would your Polly think her self could she in the lest degree remove it what can I say to aleviate your Grief I would fain say something but I fear my poor endevours would be altoget[h]er vain but yet Dear Mad^m permit me to add, God has not neather will he ever forget to be greacious, & he has said all things shall work to gather for good unto such as fear & love him, surely then Mad^m you have no reason to fear he will ever leave or forsake you brighter days may, & I trust will come. Praying breath never has or will be spent in vain, tho we wait long & the answer seems to delay yet I doubt not but a blessing will atend them.

but the late Hour obliges me only to add that I beg you Mad^m will make my Duty < > to my Dearest Pappa, & permit me to recomend you both to the Divine Care & blessing, and to Subscribe my self

my ever Dear Mamma

your most Dutifull

& most oblig’d & obedient

Polly Doddridge

Wednsday Morning

I have the pleasure to tell you Mad^m that good Miss Rappit is better & sends her best Compnts Sister Celia is well & desires her Duty & Cosin Mary Doddridge] hers M^rs Scawen desires her best too & sent to know very particularly how my Dear Pappa did. M^rs Isted is gone to London so I have not had an opportunity of calling on her. Sister Mercy went to Leicester yesterday was sevnight & Celia goes to Yarley on Friday so that I shall be alone but if I should be so happy as to hear my Dear Pappa is better I shant be lonely tho I am without Company I only add M^r Roses best Comp^ts that he desires M^r Henderson may come home as soon as [paper torn] thinks it will be a grate loss [paper torn] was to visit Miss Ekins yesterday [paper torn] M^rs Sally she dont intend to stay long tho when she designs to leave Northⁿ I know not – she came I think on Thursday last from Daventry.

As you dont goe to Bristol [I] hope we shall see you before it very long if Pappa is better, the Gentlemen are coming evry Day but as M^rs Clark has been extreemly bad with the Gout in her [?] M^r C. was not willing to leave her sooner then is necessary we are very orderly & thing[s] goe on prity [paper torn] but as to the House it is at present [paper torn] disabled as the white washers has only [paper torn] but I hope soon to see that on [paper torn] order, the Beds are most of them minded, Chimblies swept &c agreeable to order

but my Dear Mamma I now bid you an unwilling adieu as Mathew is in great hast, I hope you will Favour me with a line next post as I should be very solicitous to know how Pappa does,

once more Adieu my Dearest Mamma ever your most obeident &c

Polly D

I beg Mad^m you will excuse Faults as I am in great hast

Address: To | M^rs Doddridge

Postmark: none

Notes: none

¹ Philip Doddridge wrote to Mary from Shrewsbury on 12 August, the day before they set out for Bristol; she writes again on 18 August and 1 September, and he responds from Bristol on 31 August and 4 September (see Nuttall, Calendar, letters 1772, 1776, and 1782). The letters in this collection thus completing the correspondence between father and daughter at that time.