1795 June (Anne)

Anne Andrews, Salisbury, to Maria Grace Andrews, Portsmouth, [c. June 1795].

My dear Grace’s letter wh^h I received last Night at Rook’s office considerably relieved the anxiety of my Mind it was notwithstand^g very much exercised on acc^t of our beloved friend I could not help wishing you safe at home – but I must hasten to give you some information respecting the contents of the Box &c: I was rather chagrin’d on finding it would not contain all the things you needed and was quite straiten’d what to do – but at length determined to send the dimity Petticoats by Rook on Saturday when I propose writing as also the Slippers & the Edging for your Bonnet wh^h I could not get ready for want of a proper key to the Box but hope to find some way of comm^g at it & intend whitening it that it may be fit to run on when you receive it the making of our Bonnet need not be delay’d by this circumstance – I spoke to Rook last night about the Box wh^h he promised to take if I would send it in the morn^g but when Hannah carried it said he could not and went and spoke to his Brother who sets off in the Afternoon – I felt mortified but hope this will make no difference.

I had written a few lines before in great haste but determined for some reasons to change them for this scrawl as the Box was delay’d the principal one was that I had neglected desiring you to write on Wednesday as I shall have but little rest till I hear of your safe arrival.

The weather today distresses me exceedingly on your account & should be much more so if it were not for the conviction I feel that you are under the care and protection of a Friend who is not only willing but able to preserve you from every danger I have therefore reason to be ashamed of the sinful distrust & unbelief of my heart.

Adieu my d^r love believe me to be with the tenderest concern for your real comfort and felicity both of a temporal and spiritual nature

Your very affec^te friend & Sister

Anne Andrews

Remember me tenderly to my d^r M^rs Saffery & with suitable expressions of affection & respect to M^r Saffery M^r & M^rs Horsey &c

Text: Reeves Collection, Box 14.1.(j.), Bodleian Library, Oxford. Address: Miss Andrews. No postmark; for a fully annotated text of this letter, see Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, p. 100.