My dear Hodson I am afraid will ensure me in
being so dilatory about answering her letter y^e truth
of y^e proverb is sufficiently prov’d which saith Creditors have
better memory’s than Debtors &c’ – tho’ I mean not to
insinuate that forgetfulness was y^e cause of my not
writing sooner – many reasons I coud assign which
at present give me leave to conceal one of them
I may say has been my absence from home for a
Month indeed the pleasing scene of a returning
Spring was very agreeable to me I think a
Country life in many respects woud suit my
disposition as well as health – The contents of your
last letter my dear gave me much concern I hope y^e
next will bring me tidings of an alteration of your
{?side} [deleted] I do assure you I am more interested in
your welfare {^than} to hear it without [deleted] a heartfelt
& sincere wish that you may {^be} directed in such an
affair not altogether by y^e dictates of your own
passion but by an {?erring} almighty, tho’
invisible hand - & that you my dear may make
choice of him as y^e guide of your youth – this has
been my wish & prayer as well on your account as my
own may it be heard an answered in his own time.
M^rs Buckley was so obliging to
[new page]
offer to take me a letter or any thing I had to send so
I thought it might {^not} be disagreeable to you to hear from
Manchester {^after so long silence}. My Papa Mamma Sister & Miss
Clarkson desire their kind respects to M^r & M^rs Hodson
not {^excluding} yourself; please to present mine with y^e above
with kind love to yourself & believe me to be
My dear
Your affectionate
& sincere friend
Rebekah Clegg
Manchester
May 31^st 1783
Our kind respects of M^r & M^rs Armitage
[new page]
Miss Hodson
Cuppins Lane
Chester
Favor’d by
M^rs Buckley

My dear Hodson I am afraid will ensure me in
being so dilatory about answering her letter y^e truth
of y^e proverb is sufficiently prov’d which saith Creditors have
better memory’s than Debtors &c’ – tho’ I mean not to
insinuate that forgetfulness was y^e cause of my not
writing sooner – many reasons I coud assign which
at present give me leave to conceal one of them
I may say has been my absence from home for a
Month indeed the pleasing scene of a returning
Spring was very agreeable to me I think a
Country life in many respects woud suit my
disposition as well as health – The contents of your
last letter my dear gave me much concern I hope y^e
next will bring me tidings of an alteration of your
{?side} [deleted] I do assure you I am more interested in
your welfare {^than} to hear it without [deleted] a heartfelt
& sincere wish that you may {^be} directed in such an
affair not altogether by y^e dictates of your own
passion but by an {?erring} almighty, tho’
invisible hand - & that you my dear may make
choice of him as y^e guide of your youth – this has
been my wish & prayer as well on your account as my
own may it be heard an answered in his own time.
M^rs Buckley was so obliging to
[new page]
offer to take me a letter or any thing I had to send so
I thought it might {^not} be disagreeable to you to hear from
Manchester {^after so long silence}. My Papa Mamma Sister & Miss
Clarkson desire their kind respects to M^r & M^rs Hodson
not {^excluding} yourself; please to present mine with y^e above
with kind love to yourself & believe me to be
My dear
Your affectionate
& sincere friend
Rebekah Clegg
Manchester
May 31^st 1783
Our kind respects of M^r & M^rs Armitage
[new page]
Miss Hodson
Cuppins Lane
Chester
Favor’d by
M^rs Buckley