My Dear B
I hope you got safe to your journeys end
but I shall not feel as I coud wish, till your safe
return, may the Lord grant it may be so; after
you left I was very low indeed & spent near an
hour in giving vent by tears, the next morning
I was little better, & shant be happy till I hear
from or rather see you. Your two sons are playg
about the room as usual, thro’ mercy quite in
health & spirits, they were both at Shudehill
to drink tea with me yesterday where I met
with your {^fellow} travellers widow, who is very well &
sent respects to her husband. I got my Aunt Richⁿ
to sleep with me, & keep me company in the
day which I find a great relief, especially as all
in the kitchen are strange to me. My Mama
has a letter from London this morning my Sister
mentions old M^r W.s being very poorly, the
description she gave she wish’d Doc^r Taylor to hear
[new page]
which he has & says there is danger of a mortification
he is very low by being so much confined, & says
he cannot find the frame he wishes for at present
he is more desirous to live than die, it is a mercy
to be fitted for death & yet I don’t think all that
are so are desirous of it, to find a composedness
& willingness to wait the Lords time is perhaps
a much as we have reason to wish, in order to
be comfortable, yet as Eliz observes it requires
faith in lively exercise to do this, & to look with
composure on afflictions & death, Oh that this may
be our case when they arrive, & probably they are
not far from us, the daily losses & crosses we
experience in this life are certainly to prepare
our minds for these things, & my D^r B let them
not be lost upon you & I, but let us double our
diligence to make our our calling & election
sure {^so} that when death comes, we may receive
him as the friendly messenger to conduct us to
[new page]
to better Mansions even of peace & rest. Sister
mentions Jane Spear being well, & of having got
Rebekah home. My Papa & Mamma Aunt R
& Will^{m desire their respects to you & Cousin
R {^{?ather} with mine} if you can make them acceptable presentg
my own to yourself conclude me
your truly affectionate
Wife R Bateman
Manr Novr 23
1793
[new page]
Mr Thos Bateman
Tontine
Glasgow}

My Dear B
I hope you got safe to your journeys end
but I shall not feel as I coud wish, till your safe
return, may the Lord grant it may be so; after
you left I was very low indeed & spent near an
hour in giving vent by tears, the next morning
I was little better, & shant be happy till I hear
from or rather see you. Your two sons are playg
about the room as usual, thro’ mercy quite in
health & spirits, they were both at Shudehill
to drink tea with me yesterday where I met
with your {^fellow} travellers widow, who is very well &
sent respects to her husband. I got my Aunt Richⁿ
to sleep with me, & keep me company in the
day which I find a great relief, especially as all
in the kitchen are strange to me. My Mama
has a letter from London this morning my Sister
mentions old M^r W.s being very poorly, the
description she gave she wish’d Doc^r Taylor to hear
[new page]
which he has & says there is danger of a mortification
he is very low by being so much confined, & says
he cannot find the frame he wishes for at present
he is more desirous to live than die, it is a mercy
to be fitted for death & yet I don’t think all that
are so are desirous of it, to find a composedness
& willingness to wait the Lords time is perhaps
a much as we have reason to wish, in order to
be comfortable, yet as Eliz observes it requires
faith in lively exercise to do this, & to look with
composure on afflictions & death, Oh that this may
be our case when they arrive, & probably they are
not far from us, the daily losses & crosses we
experience in this life are certainly to prepare
our minds for these things, & my D^r B let them
not be lost upon you & I, but let us double our
diligence to make our our calling & election
sure {^so} that when death comes, we may receive
him as the friendly messenger to conduct us to
[new page]
to better Mansions even of peace & rest. Sister
mentions Jane Spear being well, & of having got
Rebekah home. My Papa & Mamma Aunt R
& Will^{m desire their respects to you & Cousin
R {^{?ather} with mine} if you can make them acceptable presentg
my own to yourself conclude me
your truly affectionate
Wife R Bateman
Manr Novr 23
1793
[new page]
Mr Thos Bateman
Tontine
Glasgow}