March 1753

37. Mary “Polly” Doddridge, Northampton, to Mercy Doddridge, [at the Tozers, Billiter Square, London, March 1753, with a PS. by Mercy Doddridge, her mother. [f. 38]

Northⁿ March y^e 1753

Wendsday Night 9 oClock

My Dearest Sister;

My Mama sends her kind love to you & thanks for your Letter just receivd to which she had orderd me to return this answer in the first place she greatly aproves of your Suit of Cloase being turnd into a Sack as you propose & I shall theirfore send it on the very first opportunity & mine will atend it to be more in to a Sack all so in order we may be Sisters in evry thing.

2. Mama says that tho a full Sack might be very Gentiel for Celia yet (at Northampton) she greatly prefirs a Coat as allso she prefirs a Bombazeen to a Crape for Celia & should be glad if M^r Gregg would change the Crape for Bombazeen, Mama thinks their will be some defficalty in making the Suits of Cloase into Sacks & particularly as to the length behind & that thair will be many parts of the Cloase that will be of very little or no use to the Sacks which would be as good as that you should buy for the Coate & therefore that it would be of advantage to the Sacks that you should work an exchange of such parts & take some of the new Bambazeen for the sacks.

You will p[l]ease to buy you a new Black Quilt & that also you will please to pur[c]hus 3 pair of the neatest Black Rough kid Gloves for Mama Celia & self. You can’t be much at a loss as to the Sizes for each but least you should I will add my Mammas 2 sizes biger than your own mine the exact size of yours & Celias one & less than mine.

I know you are too good to make it necessary for me to make my apologies for this sad scrall I write in hast & the hight of my ambition is but to be understood

I must only add our united best Complements to M^r and M^rs Tozer

I am

My Dearest Sister

with great sincerity & Affection

Yours Polly D.

& please to send the Tea with the other things

Postscript written by Mrs. Mercy Doddridge to her daughter, Mercy:

p.s. I find Polly has forgot tek the most important part of her Letter which was to desire that if you are not Gone out of town before you receiv’d this – you will stay till you can get your own Sack and y^r Sisters made what is wrot[e] about Caelia['s] Coat is only Condisinal supposing M^r Gregg will take y^e Crape again – and you find a nisessity for bying more Bambazen to make the Clothes into Sacks in t[hat] case I imagine there well be so much left out of the Clothes as go a considerable way toward making her a coat that it w^d save expence to buy her w^t more will do for that purpose therefore pray dont send the crape till you receive y^e bambazen w^h shall be with you if possible on Satterday 12 yard of half yard is full enough for Cealia Less therefore will do of y^e bambazen as y^t is half ell I hope you have paid for my grey silk which I beg may be sent with the other things you have bought for me – I shall hear inclose a bill for 12 Guineas which with my best complim^ts you will beg y^e favour of M^r Tozer to receive when it becomes due – and give y^e money to you w^h I hope will discharge all y^e things and answer all your demands till I have y^e pleasure of seeing you at North[ampton] – which I begin to think long however I have no objection to your spending a little more time at M^r Hopkins as they are so very obliging to desire it My most respectfull thanks Comp^t & thanks attend y^m & all my other Friends Say let me know how our excelent friend M^r Neal does as have not I heard from him since he informd me of [h]is bad cold w^h gave me great concern

I wish you could send a pattern or to of a cap y^t w^d be proper to wear with my Sack they must either be Mops or caps & hoods w^h are the properest all I can further say is that I Love and thank you and am Most affect yours

M Doddridge

Address: To | Miss Doddridge

Postmark: none

Notes: March 53