1805 July 13

Jane Attwater Blatch, Bratton, to Annajane Blatch, Bratton, [Saturday], 13 July 1805.

My Beloved Anna I am not willing to destroy these papers for your sake not that I think them worthy your or any ones perusal as it w^d be a task too great to read y^m thro’ but should there be any sentence in y^e whole or similar circumstance w^ch may give you pleasure or profit in reading it, my End in saving them is answered. I commit them into your care & keeping – there is great weakness discoverable forgive all defects & let no one see them but serious & affect^e Friends who will not criticise but read with a simple desire to improve by the most simple means I was never fond of convening much nor had I opportunity being the most p^t of my life bred up in retirement this was my faithful repository & my ever lov’d companion may you make much greater advancement in the christian Life & be far more Eminent for piety, then has been your unworthy but faithful sincere & truly affect^e mother

Text: Attwater Papers, acc. 76, I.A.22; for an annotated edition of this letter, see Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 8, p. 182. Jane Attwater Blatcvh added this note to the back cover of the 1791-95 portion of her diary (the ‘papers’ mentioned in the note), obviously intended for the eyes of her daughter at some later date.