London Feb^ry 13 1777
Yours of y^e 30 of Decm^br my dear Sis^r lyes before me
you Ended y^e old year with writing to a friend I aught to
have begun y^e New in y^e same kind Act, but hope my dear will
Excuse that Omition or rather Inability, as I was at that time
unable to hold a pen it hath been a grate trouble to me
as I was above a Month Unless with my hands (which is ill
spair^d) besides the pain I suffer^d that Cruel distemper rob^s
me of the Comforts of life as I am no sooner perfectly recover^d
from one fit but expects another, I cannot help dreading of it
tho it may be in Mercy, as I otherwise might be too happy
Bless^d as I am with a kind Husband & three good Children, to
forget that there is an hearafter to prepare for, which I took
upon a state of perfect Happyness not the safest road tho the
most pleasant, excuse me my dearist Sis^r for writing such
dull stuff as some may Call it, but you my dear feel otherwise
who is not Exempt^d from y^e rod of Alliction tho in a very
diffirant manner from mine, may the Almighty continue y^e
Blessing of health to you, that you may be enable^d to
bear your sore trials with pation^s & Resignation to y^e
divine will, as a few very {^few} years may end our troubles, hear
when I hope wee shall meet in a state of Bliss never more
to be parted in that comfortable hope shall end this subject
your kind favor of y^e Hare came safe & good our
gratfull thanks is your due, as did y^e Pudding {^but} shall
leave it to your favorite to display his tallant upon {them} as
he hath expearance^d there worth y^e Most, he is well worthy
your love for is in these days of disepation & folly free from
Vice [deleted] continuing the same good Quality as when you knew
him, his too Bro^rs is not behind him in Mirit, Phill with
an Exceeding tender good heart as join^d to it a Vivacity [deleted]
that makes him y^e favorit of y^e Ladys, James is but Young but
Promises to Equal if not Exceed his Bro^rs in a knowlidg of
Y^e World, owing to his Situation which open^s his mind & makes
him very Conversable & lively, is very happily fixt & gives
grate Sattisfaction which proves his attention & Assiduity in
Bisness, as also his Behavor, as he is admitted to there Table
be there Company Who a what soever, he sleps at home as his Mast^r
don’t chuse him to accompany with Servants & [deleted] {^likes} ye Evening
to be injoyd with his family & select friends by them selves
[new page]
have now my dear given you an account of my family for other News
will not {^rob} my good dolly of a subject she slept here last Night
who with Miss Nickless is gone to Hackney this Morning to see Bro^r
Wright who is not well but hope as he took y^e Cold in time
Will prevent wors Concequencess Shall not seel this till thear return
Sis^r Wright you hear is again with Child she hath several week=
=nesses upon her that I think alarming (but y^e old provard may
save her) but this to our selves as I beg it may not be Mention^d
to any one, Peggy is very happy if she can but think so where she
is but if she dose not know it now [deleted] will Experance it on
her returning, Charles having renew^d his lease hath had all sorts of work
[illeg] in his house as hath not been there this Month owing
to that & y^e the Wether which hath keep me a prisoner I seldom see
him [deleted] as he is all for this world, I cou^d say more but I forbear
onley that there hath been a time when his Bro^r & Sis^r Cooper was tookt
on as his best friends, but Prosperity hath alter^d the Man (but this
likewise to our selves) I have written a very dull Letter & not
being in Spirits to mend it am sure if I did not depend on your
Partiality I wou^d not send this scrole, am pleas^d with [damaged]
happy Alteration of temper {^in} your dear little Kitty [damaged]
will by that Means pass of by her Ingaging [damaged]
many disagreeable Moments, may she be spair^d for Happier
years then Eather her Mother or you have Expearnce^d, especially
in y^e Married State. Excuse one word of advice before I conclude
a Void Severity or over Indulgence both Equally Pernicious
but treat y^e dear Child as a Reasonable Creature not a
Baby by this Means you Open her Mind for Every Usfull
Instruction, for Children is not those senceless beeings
as is generally Immagin^d for no sooner can thay speek
(nay much sooner) than thay are Capable of distinguishing
betwixt right & wrong, which clearly points out y^e proper Mode of
treatment, which if follow^d seldom fails, hope my dear
belove^d friend will not take what I have said a Miss
but attrubit it to y^e sincear desire I have of seeing
you made happy in a beloved Child, that I have presume^d
to give my advice, you’l precieve this letter hath been
wrote at several times, must now conclude with all my family
joining in love to all as due
& am dearist Sis^r
Your Unalterable friend R Cooper
[Left Margin] I beg once more you’l keep this letter to
your self, or rather Burn it when Read
your Answer will give pleasure to your^s RC
Sis^r is return^d from Hackney
& found Bro^r pure well

London Feb^ry 13 1777
Yours of y^e 30 of December my dear Sister lies before me
you Ended y^e old year with writing to a friend I ought to
have begun y^e New in y^e same kind Act, but hope my dear will
Excuse that Omission or rather Inability, as I was at that time
unable to hold a pen it hath been a great trouble to me
as I was above a Month Useless with my hands (which is ill
spared) besides the pain I suffer^d that Cruel distemper rob^s
me of the Comforts of life as I am no sooner perfectly recover^d
from one fit but expects another, I cannot help dreading of it
tho it may be in Mercy, as I otherwise might be too happy
Bless^d as I am with a kind Husband & three good Children, to
forget that there is an hereafter to prepare for, which I took
upon a state of perfect Happiness not the safest road tho the
most pleasant, excuse me my dearest Sister for writing such
dull stuff as some may Call it, but you my dear feel otherwise
who is not Exempt^d from y^e rod of Affliction tho in a very
different manner from mine, may the Almighty continue y^e
Blessing of health to you, that you may be enable^d to
bear your sore trials with patience & Resignation to y^e
divine will, as a few very {^few} years may end our troubles, hear
when I hope wee shall meet in a state of Bliss never more
to be parted in that comfortable hope shall end this subject
your kind favour of y^e Hare came safe & good our
grateful thanks is your due, as did y^e Pudding {^but} shall
leave it to your favourite to display his talent upon {them} as
he hath experienced their worth y^e Most, he is well worthy
your love for is in these days of dissipation & folly free from
Vice [deleted] continuing the same good Quality as when you knew
him, his too Brothers is not behind him in Merit, Phill with
an Exceeding tender good heart as join^d to it a Vivacity [deleted]
that makes him y^e favourite of y^e Ladys, James is but Young but
Promises to Equal if not Exceed his Brothers in a knowledge of
Y^e World, owing to his Situation which open^s his mind & makes
him very Conversable & lively, is very happily fixed & gives
grate Satisfaction which proves his attention & Assiduity in
Business, as also his Behaviour, as he is admitted to their Table
be there Company Who a whatsoever, he sleeps at home as his Master
don’t chose him to accompany with Servants & [deleted] {^likes} ye Evening
to be enjoyed with his family & select friends by them selves
[new page]
have now my dear given you an account of my family for other News
will not {^rob} my good dolly of a subject she slept here last Night
who with Miss Nickless is gone to Hackney this Morning to see Brother
Wright who is not well but hope as he took y^e Cold in time
Will prevent worse Consequences Shall not seal this till their return
Sister Wright you hear is again with Child she hath several week=
=nesses upon her that I think alarming (but y^e old provard may
save her) but this to our selves as I beg it may not be Mention^d
to any one, Peggy is very happy if she can but think so where she
is but if she does not know it now [deleted] will Experience it on
her returning, Charles having renew^d his lease hath had all sorts of work
[illeg] in his house as hath not been there this Month owing
to that & y^e the Weather which hath keep me a prisoner I seldom see
him [deleted] as he is all for this world, I could say more but I forbear
only that there hath been a time when his Brother & Sister Cooper was taken
on as his best friends, but Prosperity hath alter^d the Man (but this
likewise to our selves) I have written a very dull Letter & not
being in Spirits to mend it am sure if I did not depend on your
Partiality I would not send this scrawl, am pleas^d with [damaged]
happy Alteration of temper {^in} your dear little Kitty [damaged]
will by that Means pass of by her engaging [damaged]
many disagreeable Moments, may she be spared for Happier
years than Either her Mother or you have Experienced, especially
in y^e Married State. Excuse one word of advice before I conclude
a Void Severity or over Indulgence both Equally Pernicious
but treat y^e dear Child as a Reasonable Creature not a
Baby by this Means you Open her Mind for Every Useful
Instruction, for Children is not those senseless beings
as is generally Imagined for no sooner can they speak
(nay much sooner) than they are Capable of distinguishing
betwixt right & wrong, which clearly points out y^e proper Mode of
treatment, which if follow^d seldom fails, hope my dear
belove^d friend will not take what I have said a Miss
but attribute it to y^e sincere desire I have of seeing
you made happy in a beloved Child, that I have presume^d
to give my advice, you’ll perceive this letter hath been
wrote at several times, must now conclude with all my family
joining in love to all as due
& am dearest Sis^r
Your Unalterable friend R Cooper
[Left Margin] I beg once more you’ll keep this letter to
your self, or rather Burn it when Read
your Answer will give pleasure to your^s RC
Sister is return^d from Hackney
& found Brother pure well