19 Jan 82
My dear Hodson
Indeed I am almost ashamed to make
an apology for I begin to think I shall like you with
them for the first page of most of my letters to you are
full of them & I cant say I am very partial to them you
know my way was always plain. I was this morn^g
form^g a very [deleted] {^fruitless} wish as I often do & that {^was} to be at
Chester & I believe I may wish again I have many things
to tell you & among y^e rest I must tell you I have
had a very polite letter from a Gentleman at {?Limpl}
but have not yet answered it nor don’t intend O I
want to see you sadly; & if I knew by what means to
gain my end it shoud not be long before I did –
M^rs Greaves & a M^r English were in town the week
Before last – the Gentleman preach’d from y^e 3 verse of y^e
1 of y^e epistle to y^e Hebrews – he made a most excellent
sermon. We had here also last week a M^r Phillips
a Welch-Man perhaps you know him he preached on
Monday night & as M^rs Priestly was coming to y^e
meeting she fell & hurt her ankle that she has not
been able to walk since.
And since I writ you last another
year is commenced whether you or I may live to see
the end of it is to us unknown however be that as it
may we as are sure that we are posting fast to
[new page]
An eternal world where
Leaving all we lov’d before, Gods Tribunal we {?go upon}
Must hear y^e judge pronounce our fate; & fix our everlast^g state
Perhaps you may remember that M^r Hayes that {?wants}
to call & see Miss Simpsons at school & once called to
see Lucy & me He is dead last week in London
& so is M^rs Peter Hope at Liverpool. Poor thing
She receiv’d a fright a few years since at the Play
house which she never recover’d & it has at last prov’d
the instrument to take her off y^e stage of life. We
do not know in what shape death may approach us
neither do we need mind that so much as whether
he will come to us as a king of Terrors or as a kind
messenger from y^e hand of our heavenly Father to {?rescue}
us from these [deleted] regions of sin & sorrow to those
of peace & pleasure - I sometimes find it an animating
thought to think of those [deleted] dear Friends that
are gone before us that we shall one day meet again
but alas [deleted] I no sooner get {^my thoughts} there but something
comes & intercepts y^e pleasing prospect some worldly
thoughts or something intervenes & I am again immerc’d
as deep as ever. It is my sincere prayer that you & I
may meet {^in heaven} never more to part [deleted] My Papa Mamma
& sister beg their respects – I have had a letter
from Lucy she is in London. I sent her my shade
by M^r Hope I think sometimes if you woud accept
[new page]
it I woud send you one. Pray my dear accept of my
sincere love & give me leave to subscribe myself
your ever affectionate
Friend & sincere wellwisher
for both worlds
R Clegg
Manchester
Jany 19 1782
[new page]
Miss Hodson
Cuppins Lane
Chester

19 Jan 82
My dear Hodson
Indeed I am almost ashamed to make
an apology for I begin to think I shall like you with
them for the first page of most of my letters to you are
full of them & I cant say I am very partial to them you
know my way was always plain. I was this morn^g
form^g a very [deleted] {^fruitless} wish as I often do & that {^was} to be at
Chester & I believe I may wish again I have many things
to tell you & among y^e rest I must tell you I have
had a very polite letter from a Gentleman at {?Limpl}
but have not yet answered it nor don’t intend O I
want to see you sadly; & if I knew by what means to
gain my end it shoud not be long before I did –
M^rs Greaves & a M^r English were in town the week
Before last – the Gentleman preach’d from y^e 3 verse of y^e
1 of y^e epistle to y^e Hebrews – he made a most excellent
sermon. We had here also last week a M^r Phillips
a Welch-Man perhaps you know him he preached on
Monday night & as M^rs Priestly was coming to y^e
meeting she fell & hurt her ankle that she has not
been able to walk since.
And since I writ you last another
year is commenced whether you or I may live to see
the end of it is to us unknown however be that as it
may we as are sure that we are posting fast to
[new page]
An eternal world where
Leaving all we lov’d before, Gods Tribunal we {?go upon}
Must hear y^e judge pronounce our fate; & fix our everlast^g state
Perhaps you may remember that M^r Hayes that {?wants}
to call & see Miss Simpsons at school & once called to
see Lucy & me He is dead last week in London
& so is M^rs Peter Hope at Liverpool. Poor thing
She receiv’d a fright a few years since at the Play
house which she never recover’d & it has at last prov’d
the instrument to take her off y^e stage of life. We
do not know in what shape death may approach us
neither do we need mind that so much as whether
he will come to us as a king of Terrors or as a kind
messenger from y^e hand of our heavenly Father to {?rescue}
us from these [deleted] regions of sin & sorrow to those
of peace & pleasure - I sometimes find it an animating
thought to think of those [deleted] dear Friends that
are gone before us that we shall one day meet again
but alas [deleted] I no sooner get {^my thoughts} there but something
comes & intercepts y^e pleasing prospect some worldly
thoughts or something intervenes & I am again immerc’d
as deep as ever. It is my sincere prayer that you & I
may meet {^in heaven} never more to part [deleted] My Papa Mamma
& sister beg their respects – I have had a letter
from Lucy she is in London. I sent her my shade
by M^r Hope I think sometimes if you woud accept
[new page]
it I woud send you one. Pray my dear accept of my
sincere love & give me leave to subscribe myself
your ever affectionate
Friend & sincere wellwisher
for both worlds
R Clegg
Manchester
Jany 19 1782
[new page]
Miss Hodson
Cuppins Lane
Chester