15 October 1767

60. Celia Doddridge, St. Albans, to her mother, Mercy Doddridge, at the Rev. Mr. Thomas’s, Henley, Arden Warwickshire, 15 October 1767. [f. 2]

Dear Madam

I am extremly glad you aprove of my coming to S^t Albans for indeed I was a Little affread you wold not as I was obliged to have a new gown wich M^rsJennings thought quit[e] nessiry & that I Cold not do without I sopose M^rs J hath tould you Madam what it Cost the Sillk was 4 shillings a yeard & M^rs J thinks it very chep I had 10 yeards of it so that it came to just 40 shillings M^rs Jen was so good as to make me a present of a p^r of buckles & earings & neckliss so that I have only bought a little gaus and black riband

I came hear Last Tuesday & had the pleasure of finding M^r & M^rs Hirons very well I need not say that I am verry ^happy^ hear nothink can be more kind & frendly then M^r & M^rs H are indeed I should have ben very sorry not to have made M^rs H a visit which I allwas promist my self a great deal of pleasure in dooing

I sopose you Madam know that Miss Clarke is to be marrid next Tuesday¹ & that she is to set out for Bath the same day so that my being hear will be no sort of Inconviens on that account I hope to have the pleasure of hearing from my Dear Mamma very soon and then I shold be Glad to know how Long you wold chuse I shold stay hear & weather I am to Go to Daventry becas if I am I should be very glad to Go with M^rs Hill who is at M^rs Abnies [Abney]

She [h]as ben thear abo^t a week & M^rs J says she allway[s] stays about a moanth with M^rs Abneny

M^rs Jennings was so kind as to say that she wold enquier what time M^rs Hill intended returning home & that she wold let me know

I beg my kind Love to my Dear Sister & am extremly glad to hear that she is rather beatter I beg the favour of you Madam when you wright to my Sister to tell her that I think it very Long since I have had the pleasure of hearing from her & that I should be very [glad] to hear from her & beg she will let me know if the last glovs I sent came safe

M^rs & M^r Hirons desire thear Comp^l to my Dear Mamma & Sister I beg my Comp^l to M^rs H

kind Love to my brother

I am My Dear Mamma

Your Dutyfull & Affict Daughter

Celia Doddridge

I hope you Madam will be so good as to excus all falts for indeed my fingers are so cold I can akly I can [h]ardly feel my pen

S^t Albans October

the 15 67

Address: To | M^rs Doddridge | at the Rev^d M^r Thomas’s | at Henly in Arden | Warwickshire. Celia October y^e | 15 1767

Postmark: 16 October

Note on address page: Celia Oct y^e 15 1767 [in Mercy Doddridge’s hand]

¹ Elizabeth Clark of St. Albans, one of the daughters of Dr. Samuel Clark of St. Albans, married the bookseller/publisher and widower Ralph Griffiths (1720-1803), founder and editor of the Monthly Review from 1749-1803 on 20 October 1767. See Middesex Parish Records, with both parties listed as from the parish of Chiswick (West London); the marriage was witnessed by William Rose and Samuel Clark, Jr.