Barton ^th ₇ June 1773

Dear M^rs Hare
your own heart will dictate the satisfaction I experienc'd
in perusing your kind and Friendly epistle, indeed my Dear at that
time my spirits was vastly depress’d, and my health sympathiz’d but too
closely with the dejection of my mind, but now with gratitude let me
acknowledge that a kind Providence has restor’d me to my former self
for I never was in better state of health, and my spirits are surprizingly
restor’d, the reflecting of the goodness of my Aunts life and the inquietude
she suffer’d from the barbarity of an husband, has in some degree reconciled
me to the shockingness of her death, at the first I was hrrified beyond
expression, for I ventur’d to look beyond the grave, and think it was possi-
-ble she might not fill up a place in Heaven, but of that I have no doubt
now, for though the Deity be just he is very mercifull, M^r Fazakerley
is confin’d to his bed, he has had Doctor Alcock with him twice, but there is
nothing to be done for him, his Sons are down with him, the oldest is quite
a man, but ‘tis to be fear’d he is very sensible he is entering upon
£2000 a year, my Mother is quite well, riding out and walking has
quite restor’d her, I say nothing of Medicine for I attribute little merit
to the faculty, we talk of leaving Barton next week, and going to Formby
for a month and then going home my Cousin Heskeths are going to
[new page]
A place call’d Blackpool to bath, I took some pains to prevail of my Mother
to be of the party but I cou’d not succeed, she thought the noise and hurry
of a publick place wou’d be disagreeable to her, when she said so, I gave up
soliciting it will give you pleasure to hear that Molly Statham is disposing
of herself agreeably to her own and Friends inclination, he is a Clergyman
With a living worth £1000 a year but he is a Widower with three Children
and that is a great undertaking_ but I hope she will not act partially for
she has one of the best of hearts, and reason informs us we shou’d make no
distinctions betwixt our own and the Children of the man we marry - shou'd
M^r Tho^s Statham and Miss E Formby enter the pale of Hymen there will be a vast
revolution in the Statham Family but of the latter union I now hear nought
I cant help joyning you in thinking she wou’d have made your Uncle D^r an
excellent wife but my travelling companions I rather think would have
rais’d many objections_ _ Molly Heskeths is to be bridesmaid to Molly S-
‘tis imagin’d that ‘ere August expires she will be a wife I tell Molly Hesketh
she must play bold stroke for a husband or she will not be in the fashion
Molly Mount is at present from home the first time she has been a fortnight
absent from her Mother since her father died_ M^r Sam {?Shane} is expected
at Liverpool this Summer, which I am rather sorry for on her account, has
I fear he will renew his acquaintance with her, and has she was once fond
of him 'tis well if she will retain a sufficient sense of his ungenerous
behaviour but receive him as usual_ _ Perhaps you have not heard that
Ned Smith is at this tie so fond of Musick that he has quit his own
peacfull retreat and is gone to reside at York that he may have Church
[new page]
Musick twice every day, ‘twas hoped at the first he wou’d ere long see the
absurdity of his scheme but alas he retains his resolution, and has sent for
Family, and order’d his goods to be sold, and his house lett. his wife is
in vast distress at being oblig’d in her bad state of health to quit her
old Friends and trust to the humanity of new acquaintance, she is greatly
to be pitied quere as she is and she really is an oddity,,,
Richard Taylor is got better of his complaints and intends going into the
wine trade, he is just out of {^his} [damaged] but matrimony is what strongly engages
his attention at present, I hope the Lady will prove false, for ‘tis rather
too early for him to part with liberty. Molly Taylor is but poorly but
we must hope that the heavy affliction of losing her Daughter is not reserv’d
for my Aunt after the many trial she has gone through _ _ since I began
writing this letter we have heard M^r Fazakerley has paid the [damaged]
[damaged] his place in the other regions be a happy one, he has left [damaged]
[damaged] [?Sta]thams & M^r Radcliffes can_ but Oh may it please the Almighty to
make ‘em good men or their Fortune and education will be vain _ Jack
is under M^r Bootle and the Lord Chancelor _ _ I please myself in think
-ing you will write ere long, and that will have it in your power
to acquaint us kitty and you all are well, a piece of information that
I ever shall receive with pleasure accept all our respects and {?direct}
‘em to M^r & M^rs Elliott and your other Friends_
& believe me Dear M^rs Hare
y.r Sincere Friend
JBrownsword

NB
pray give kitty a kiss for me
[new page]
M^rs Hare at M^r Elliotts
Norfolk Street 4
Sheffield
Yorkshire
[vertical left hand side] 73

Barton ^th ₇ June 1773

Dear M^rs Hare
your own heart will dictate the satisfaction I experienc'd
in perusing your kind and Friendly epistle, indeed my Dear at that
time my spirits was vastly depressed, and my health sympathized but too
closely with the dejection of my mind, but now with gratitude let me
acknowledge that a kind Providence has restored me to my former self
for I never was in better state of health, and my spirits are surprizingly
restored, the reflecting of the goodness of my Aunts life and the inquietude
she suffered from the barbarity of an husband, has in some degree reconciled
me to the shockingness of her death, at the first I was horrified beyond
expression, for I ventured to look beyond the grave, and think it was possi-
-ble she might not fill up a place in Heaven, but of that I have no doubt
now, for though the Deity be just he is very merciful, M^r Fazakerley
is confined to his bed, he has had Doctor Alcock with him twice, but there is
nothing to be done for him, his Sons are down with him, the oldest is quite
a man, but ‘tis to be feared he is very sensible he is entering upon
£2000 a year, my Mother is quite well, riding out and walking has
quite restored her, I say nothing of Medicine for I attribute little merit
to the faculty, we talk of leaving Barton next week, and going to Formby
for a month and then going home my Cousin Heskeths are going to
[new page]
A place called Blackpool to bath, I took some pains to prevail of my Mother
to be of the party but I coued not succeed, she thought the noise and hurry
of a public place would be disagreeable to her, when she said so, I gave up
soliciting it will give you pleasure to hear that Molly Statham is disposing
of herself agreeably to her own and Friends inclination, he is a Clergyman
With a living worth £1000 a year but he is a Widower with three Children
and that is a great undertaking_ but I hope she will not act partially for
she has one of the best of hearts, and reason informs us we should make no
distinctions betwixt our own and the Children of the man we marry - should
M^r Tho^s Statham and Miss E Formby enter the pale of Hymen there will be a vast
revolution in the Statham Family but of the latter union I now hear nought
I can’t help joining you in thinking she would have made your Uncle D^r an
excellent wife but my travelling companions I rather think would have
raised many objections_ _ Molly Heskeths is to be bridesmaid to Molly S-
it is imagined that ‘ere August expires she will be a wife I tell Molly Hesketh
she must play bold stroke for a husband or she will not be in the fashion
Molly Mount is at present from home the first time she has been a fortnight
absent from her Mother since her father died_ M^r Sam {?Shane} is expected
at Liverpool this Summer, which I am rather sorry for on her account, has
I fear he will renew his acquaintance with her, and has she was once fond
of him 'tis well if she will retain a sufficient sense of his ungenerous
behaviour but receive him as usual_ _ Perhaps you have not heard that
Ned Smith is at this tie so fond of Music that he has quit his own
peacful retreat and is gone to reside at York that he may have Church
[new page]
Musick twice every day, it was hoped at the first he would ere long see the
absurdity of his scheme but alas he retains his resolution, and has sent for
Family, and ordered his goods to be sold, and his house let. his wife is
in vast distress at being obliged in her bad state of health to quit her
old Friends and trust to the humanity of new acquaintance, she is greatly
to be pitied queer as she is and she really is an oddity,,,
Richard Taylor is got better of his complaints and intends going into the
wine trade, he is just out of {^his} [damaged] but matrimony is what strongly engages
his attention at present, I hope the Lady will prove false, for ‘tis rather
too early for him to part with liberty. Molly Taylor is but poorly but
we must hope that the heavy affliction of losing her Daughter is not reserved
for my Aunt after the many trial she has gone through _ _ since I began
writing this letter we have heard M^r Fazakerley has paid the [damaged]
[damaged] his place in the other regions be a happy one, he has left [damaged]
[damaged] [?Sta]thams & M^r Radcliffes can_ but Oh may it please the Almighty to
make them good men or their Fortune and education will be vain _ Jack
is under M^r Bootle and the Lord Chancelor _ _ I please myself in think
-ing you will write ere long, and that will have it in your power
to acquaint us kitty and you all are well, a piece of information that
I ever shall receive with pleasure accept all our respects and {?direct}
them to M^r & M^rs Elliott and your other Friends_
& believe me Dear M^rs Hare
y.r Sincere Friend
JBrownsword

NB
pray give kitty a kiss for me
[new page]
M^rs Hare at M^r Elliotts
Norfolk Street 4
Sheffield
Yorkshire
[vertical left hand side] 73