Late September 1773

Mary Steele, [Broughton], to Mary Scott, Milborne Port, c. late September 1773.

A Fortnight has elapsd since I read My Beloved Myras welcome packett & I have not had the wish’d for opportunity of answering it one thing or other has constantly intruded to prevent my scribbling. I fear your kind heart My Beloved Friend has suffer’d by my Silence but Inclination has not been the Motive however I have now a piece of Intelligence which will I flatter my self impart some pleasure it is my Dear that I hope if nothing unforseen prevent to visit Somersetshire next Week. My Heart exults in the hope of soon folding to My Heart the Friend I love of soon seeing the Friend for whom I feel a next to Fillial Affection & Reverance but justly do Mr Richardson say that in the midst of Happiness the sighing heart will remind us of imperfection. Mine I am sure does for it tells me I must part with an Afflicted Friend & a train of dreadful dreadful Ideas then arise—My Dear Aunt is indeed very bad as bad I think as at all how shall I fret in such a situation My heart is divided it is distres’d feel for me My Dear you can—

I cannot say how much the Contents of your packett delighted me. My Father thinks it is greatly amended he has proposed a few Alterations but as I hope so soon to see you I will leave them to be told by word of Mouth. I can enter into your feelings when you wrote your last Letter. My Aunt desired me to send you a little poem of hers which you may perhaps remember but as I believe you have not a Copy of it I will insert it as I fancy some of your Sentiments are express’d in it & I think it answers all your fears & objections—

On reviewing my Verses for Publication

As o’er the various page I bend

Approve dislike or strive to mend

Chagrin arose & frowning spread

Her gloomy pinions oer my Head

The baleful Dew her plumes distill’d

My Mind with dark Ideas filld

How low the Line How dull the page

What Ear can rhymes like these engage

The Press Ah No! suppress the thought

By just reflection better taught.

They write with Life who write to please

Let lines so spiritless as these

To dark Oblivion be unsign’d

Be wise & learn a humbler Mind

So spake Chagrin imperious Sprite.

And snatchd the papers from my sight

But Friendship came with cheerful Air

And smiling stood behind my Chair

Her presence shed a cheering ray

And drove the gloomy powr away

In haste she fled & left her prize

Which friendship view’d with partial Eyes

And shall Chagrin she eager cry’d

Presume to censure & decide

That Priviledge alone is mine

I to the Press the work consign

Come raise your head & droop no more

If candid Minds the page explore

They will confess that Lines like these

Tho far from faultless yet may please

The Lay which Piety approves

Which virtue guards & friendship loves

Which asks no smile of flattering fame

Oblivion cannot dares not claim

I fear my scribble will not be intelligible as I write in a violent hurry. My Father is waiting for me to carry it to Stockbridge.

My Mothers leg is quite well. Clarissa is much oblig’d by your prescription has begun taking it. Adieu My Beloved Friend I cannot tell which day I may hope to see you as it is quite uncertain. All unite in Love & Good Wishes Oh may Providence give us a happy Meeting

prays Your very Affectionate

Friend Sylvia

[i]STE 5/14/ii. Postmark: Salisbury. Address: Miss Scott / Milborne Port / Somerset. For an annotated text of this letter, see Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, vol. 3, pp. 235-36. This letter was written just prior to Scott’s publication of The Female Advocate in 1774. The original manuscript of the above poem by Anne Steele can be found in STE 3/3/1, reprinted in Whelan, Nonconformist Women Writers, vol. 2, ed. Julia B. Grifin, pp. 146-47.