My Dear Sister
London Dec^r 5 1791
I think it is time I should answer your kind
letter It did not come to hand before I wanted it. I
never felt so impatient to hear from Manchester since I
left there I was very glad to hear my Dear Nephew
was got so well as to spend his day out at Norfolk
St. his love was sent to me in Janes letter.
I suppose by this time my Papa & Mamma are returned
from Liverpool hope the journey will do them both
good – Last Friday M^r Wilson ordered a Barrel of
Oysters to be forwarded to you. We have sent yours
Now that you may finish them before you are
Confined. M^r W means to send my Mamma a
Barrel in a little time hence – I am very happy
to hear you are pretty well & was so strengthened
to look after William in his long confinement no
doubt you were all very anxious about him I
do not wonder that his Grandfather & Mother came
to your house {^almost} every day – I should be much pleased
to have it in my power to pay you a {?pop} visit
now & then as well as the rest but this I can only do
[vertical left side] shall expect soon to hear of an increase in your family I hope you
Keep up your spirits I hope the Lord will be with you to comfort & delivery you
& be better to you than some in {?your} {?condition/situation}
[new page]
in imagination - & in that way I often do it –
I suppose Jane would tell you I wrote to her in answer
to hers She wished me to give her my opinion about
M^r Hodson – She omitted telling me what you did
but I did not mention that you had given me any
information I daresay poor Jane feels rather anxious
They are indeed disagreeable exercises for the mind
of a thinking person – tis of {^each} great moment for life.
M^r Knight called upon me last week & told me of
his Manchester journey I told how glad you would
have been of a call but he said he had too little
to spare & he also thought you had been removed
He says his Father has lost his Memory so that at
times he cannot tell the number of his Children
One morning they had helped him to walk up and
down the room for a little exercise & he imagined
all the day he had been round the Town of Halifax
Notwithstanding all this his son says he is very comfort=
able and composed {^in} his mind. “You say you suppose
I know how M^r & M^rs Durden are situated in their cir=
cumstances” I cannot say I do I only conjecture
cannot be good from hearing he is leaving Manch^r &
M^rs D is to keep a school – I should be glad to hear
Particulars poor M^rs D she will indeed need all her
[new page]
spirits I am afraid – Give my respects to her when you see her
O that you & I were thankful for our great Mercies
but alas I can say with you I have to lament that
I feel so little thankfulness & gratitude for both temporal
& spiritual blessings – I have been much pleased with hear^g
Timothy preach a sermon (last Friday) from Heb 9 & last
verse – I was struck with one sentence he spoke namely
If Christ is now interceding for us in the Heavenly World
should we not often think of him” Oh I thought what
an ungrateful creature I was – to forget such a savior
I cannot say but it was a melting time to me indeed
Poor Jim is much afflicted his daughter is very much out
of her mind & mends very little - & you know how tender=
ly he loves his Peggy & his Children no doubt as he used
to say “his Bowels roll round” – I am almost ashamed
to send this scrawl but I am writing very hastily for
fear I cannot finish to send it to day I am ready
dressed to receive Doc^r & M^rs Ford to dinner – I suppose
you remember Miss Ford that had the small pox
when at school it is her Uncle – I am much pleased
with his Wife she is such a spiritual Woman – she is all=
ways upon the best things & never speaks of Christ but she
calls him our Lord she was telling in the other day that she
went to see a Lady but she was not at home so she said to the maid
come tell me what our Lord has done for you & she said I had
a sweet meal with the maid. She is one to whom much has
[new page]
been forgiven & she loveth much She is very fond of being with poor
people & relieving their necessities (you must remember she is his
second wife) M^rs Ford is come & I beg her to excuse me
while I finish she {^says} now don’t say a word less for my
being here”
M^rs Bateman
Levers-row
Manchester
I hope I shall hear very soon from Manchester don’t be afraid
To let me how you {^all} are I would rather know the truth then
Fear the worst – M^r Wilson joins me in Love to Papa Mamma
Brother & yourself not forgetting the rest of our relatives particularly
William I remain My dear Sister yours sincerely and affectionately
E Wilson

My Dear Sister
London Dec^r 5 1791
I think it is time I should answer your kind
letter It did not come to hand before I wanted it. I
never felt so impatient to hear from Manchester since I
left there I was very glad to hear my Dear Nephew
was got so well as to spend his day out at Norfolk
St. his love was sent to me in Janes letter.
I suppose by this time my Papa & Mamma are returned
from Liverpool hope the journey will do them both
good – Last Friday M^r Wilson ordered a Barrel of
Oysters to be forwarded to you. We have sent yours
Now that you may finish them before you are
Confined. M^r W means to send my Mamma a
Barrel in a little time hence – I am very happy
to hear you are pretty well & was so strengthened
to look after William in his long confinement no
doubt you were all very anxious about him I
do not wonder that his Grandfather & Mother came
to your house {^almost} every day – I should be much pleased
to have it in my power to pay you a {?pop} visit
now & then as well as the rest but this I can only do
[vertical left side] shall expect soon to hear of an increase in your family I hope you
Keep up your spirits I hope the Lord will be with you to comfort & delivery you
& be better to you than some in {?your} {?condition/situation}
[new page]
in imagination - & in that way I often do it –
I suppose Jane would tell you I wrote to her in answer
to hers She wished me to give her my opinion about
M^r Hodson – She omitted telling me what you did
but I did not mention that you had given me any
information I daresay poor Jane feels rather anxious
They are indeed disagreeable exercises for the mind
of a thinking person – tis of {^each} great moment for life.
M^r Knight called upon me last week & told me of
his Manchester journey I told how glad you would
have been of a call but he said he had too little
to spare & he also thought you had been removed
He says his Father has lost his Memory so that at
times he cannot tell the number of his Children
One morning they had helped him to walk up and
down the room for a little exercise & he imagined
all the day he had been round the Town of Halifax
Notwithstanding all this his son says he is very comfort=
able and composed {^in} his mind. “You say you suppose
I know how M^r & M^rs Durden are situated in their cir=
cumstances” I cannot say I do I only conjecture
cannot be good from hearing he is leaving Manch^r &
M^rs D is to keep a school – I should be glad to hear
Particulars poor M^rs D she will indeed need all her
[new page]
spirits I am afraid – Give my respects to her when you see her
O that you & I were thankful for our great Mercies
but alas I can say with you I have to lament that
I feel so little thankfulness & gratitude for both temporal
& spiritual blessings – I have been much pleased with hear^g
Timothy preach a sermon (last Friday) from Heb 9 & last
verse – I was struck with one sentence he spoke namely
If Christ is now interceding for us in the Heavenly World
should we not often think of him” Oh I thought what
an ungrateful creature I was – to forget such a savior
I cannot say but it was a melting time to me indeed
Poor Jim is much afflicted his daughter is very much out
of her mind & mends very little - & you know how tender=
ly he loves his Peggy & his Children no doubt as he used
to say “his Bowels roll round” – I am almost ashamed
to send this scrawl but I am writing very hastily for
fear I cannot finish to send it to day I am ready
dressed to receive Doc^r & M^rs Ford to dinner – I suppose
you remember Miss Ford that had the small pox
when at school it is her Uncle – I am much pleased
with his Wife she is such a spiritual Woman – she is all=
ways upon the best things & never speaks of Christ but she
calls him our Lord she was telling in the other day that she
went to see a Lady but she was not at home so she said to the maid
come tell me what our Lord has done for you & she said I had
a sweet meal with the maid. She is one to whom much has
[new page]
been forgiven & she loveth much She is very fond of being with poor
people & relieving their necessities (you must remember she is his
second wife) M^rs Ford is come & I beg her to excuse me
while I finish she {^says} now don’t say a word less for my
being here”
M^rs Bateman
Levers-row
Manchester
I hope I shall hear very soon from Manchester don’t be afraid
To let me how you {^all} are I would rather know the truth then
Fear the worst – M^r Wilson joins me in Love to Papa Mamma
Brother & yourself not forgetting the rest of our relatives particularly
William I remain My dear Sister yours sincerely and affectionately
E Wilson