I have just now before {^me} a letter of Miss
Hodsons unanswered y^e date of which puts me in mind of what
she said [deleted] while I was at Chester “y^t after I had {^writ} you
once to let you know how got home I shoud not any
more”; however give me leave in my plain way to {^tell} you
y^t this epistle long as it has been is reach^g Chester &
worthless as you’ll find it when there y^t you are for once
mistaken” but I can just think what you will say
when you read y^e above viz “I don’t care {^as it has been so long} if it had never
reached me” but I’m sure y^t if my Friend (for so I shall
& am glad to style you) knew what has hindered me
Writing I shoud need make no further apologies but I
Must beg leave to suppress it only this far I say concern^g
If y^t for this month past I cannot say y^t I have been {^one day} perfect=
=ly {^well} in either body or mind - & y^t whatever were my spirits
while I was at Chester they are far worse here – but I
think tis time to conclude on y^t subject for I can assure
I think my path seems hitherto nought – but I am in a
desert & cannot expect to find my way strew’d with roses
for no sooner when I think I have {^found} a rose & want to
regale myself with its fragrancy but I meet a pricking
train to remind my forgetful soul y^t this is not my rest
& tis necessary {^for} I find creature comfrots woud draw my
heart to far from God & ‘tis to me, however & melancholy {^reflection}
[new page]
that what is given us to be enjoyed & make this life in
some measure agreeable {^&} y^t shoud be injoyed to his glory {^who is y^e giver} shoud be
a means of drawing us from him in this case as M^r Hervey
styles it our very comforts become {?killing}
Please to give my kind respects to M^r & M^rs [damaged]
& tell your Mamma y^t M^rs Priestly is expecting to get her bed
every day but in any other respect is I believe very clever {?there}
was a prayer meet^g on her account last Monday night
at there house – We got y^e soap a few days {^after your letter} [deleted]
I think My Mamma was with my Aunt Spear to
visit M^rs Dinwiddie by all y^e accounts I can hear she is a
very agreeable woman M^r Will & his Lady are return’d
with her Mother & Sister & old M^rs D is going to reside in
Scotland – I have got a whole budget of thanks to
present from y^e recipients of y^e soap {^you sent} excuse my representing
them altogether my Aunt Rich is never {^got} hers till last
saturday she has been in London since I wrote you & I have
had {^no} opportunity before – I’m afraid you will hardly be
able to read this rubbish. I think its time to give up
till I can write more correctly however I hope you’ll
excuse & pray don’t prognosticate any thing from it. My
Papa Mamma Sister & all friends as if named beg
their respects jointly with R Clegg to your parents & self
with begging you excuse with candor y^e inadvertencies with
which this letter abounds & to present my best com^pts to
all your {^Grandmamma} Aunts Uncles & Cousins for (excuse y^e freedom of
likening them to mine however they do resemble in
being to numerous {^to name} unless your poor correspondent
was better able to write.
I conclude your
Sincere Friend still tho absent
R Clegg
Our respects to M^r & M^rs
Armitage we had M^r Smith to dine on sabbath day.
[new page]
M^r Smith told us of poor Sister Sarah’s indisposition pray write
& tell me how is do excuse this letter I have several by
Unanswered for I write as much this five weeks as this letter contains
[new page]
Miss Hodson
M^r Hodsons
Cuppins Lane
Chester

I have just now before {^me} a letter of Miss
Hodsons unanswered y^e date of which puts me in mind of what
she said [deleted] while I was at Chester “y^t after I had {^writ} you
once to let you know how got home I shoud not any
more”; however give me leave in my plain way to {^tell} you
y^t this epistle long as it has been is reach^g Chester &
worthless as you’ll find it when there y^t you are for once
mistaken” but I can just think what you will say
when you read y^e above viz “I don’t care {^as it has been so long} if it had never
reached me” but I’m sure y^t if my Friend (for so I shall
& am glad to style you) knew what has hindered me
Writing I shoud need make no further apologies but I
Must beg leave to suppress it only this far I say concern^g
If y^t for this month past I cannot say y^t I have been {^one day} perfect=
=ly {^well} in either body or mind - & y^t whatever were my spirits
while I was at Chester they are far worse here – but I
think tis time to conclude on y^t subject for I can assure
I think my path seems hitherto nought – but I am in a
desert & cannot expect to find my way strew’d with roses
for no sooner when I think I have {^found} a rose & want to
regale myself with its fragrancy but I meet a pricking
train to remind my forgetful soul y^t this is not my rest
& tis necessary {^for} I find creature comfrots woud draw my
heart to far from God & ‘tis to me, however & melancholy {^reflection}
[new page]
that what is given us to be enjoyed & make this life in
some measure agreeable {^&} y^t shoud be injoyed to his glory {^who is y^e giver} shoud be
a means of drawing us from him in this case as M^r Hervey
styles it our very comforts become {?killing}
Please to give my kind respects to M^r & M^rs [damaged]
& tell your Mamma y^t M^rs Priestly is expecting to get her bed
every day but in any other respect is I believe very clever {?there}
was a prayer meet^g on her account last Monday night
at there house – We got y^e soap a few days {^after your letter} [deleted]
I think My Mamma was with my Aunt Spear to
visit M^rs Dinwiddie by all y^e accounts I can hear she is a
very agreeable woman M^r Will & his Lady are return’d
with her Mother & Sister & old M^rs D is going to reside in
Scotland – I have got a whole budget of thanks to
present from y^e recipients of y^e soap {^you sent} excuse my representing
them altogether my Aunt Rich is never {^got} hers till last
saturday she has been in London since I wrote you & I have
had {^no} opportunity before – I’m afraid you will hardly be
able to read this rubbish. I think its time to give up
till I can write more correctly however I hope you’ll
excuse & pray don’t prognosticate any thing from it. My
Papa Mamma Sister & all friends as if named beg
their respects jointly with R Clegg to your parents & self
with begging you excuse with candor y^e inadvertencies with
which this letter abounds & to present my best com^pts to
all your {^Grandmamma} Aunts Uncles & Cousins for (excuse y^e freedom of
likening them to mine however they do resemble in
being to numerous {^to name} unless your poor correspondent
was better able to write.
I conclude your
Sincere Friend still tho absent
R Clegg
Our respects to M^r & M^rs
Armitage we had M^r Smith to dine on sabbath day.
[new page]
M^r Smith told us of poor Sister Sarah’s indisposition pray write
& tell me how is do excuse this letter I have several by
Unanswered for I write as much this five weeks as this letter contains
[new page]
Miss Hodson
M^r Hodsons
Cuppins Lane
Chester