Ormskirk September ^th ₁₅ 1775
My Dear M^rs Hare

In compliance with inclination as well as your request I seiz my pen
to inform you how your friends at Barton and Ormskirk goes on I wish I
had it in my power to give you the satisfactory account of their indisposition
be {^ing} visibly declin’d, but indeed they are very indifferent, my Mothers leg is
not so inflam’d as when you saw her nor any danger of its gathering but
it is very stiff and the rheumatics are so much about her that in the night
was a stranger to come in they wou’d think she scarcely cou’d see morning
but custom reconciles us to things of the most afflictive nature and I am not
as much alarm’d as if I never had seen her attack’d by the rheumatism before
M^r Halsall talks as if he apprehended the leg had a dropsical tendency but
I will hope the best and if she dont find relief ere long endeavour to prevail of her
to have better advice diseases took in time are sooner got rid on and she is of
that very disposition that one may prevail of her to do any thing for her advantage
my Cousin Nelly I have this instant heard from she rather gains ground of her in-
-disposition and tomorrow evening she takes a puke from that and the bark I have
great hopes ‘tis so unusual for them to be ill or my Mother and not together that
I feel as I cant express, there is a young woman about 2 miles from Barton that
is dead of the same disorder of my Cousin Nellyes, M^r Halsall says ‘tis a very un-com-
-com complaint he scarcely ever met with it before, she is ignorant I believe of
the person being dead and ought to remain so, this morning we had John & Alick
[new page]
breakfasting to dine we had my Uncle Formby breakfast in his return from Lathom
‘tis an inconveniency attending living in a town the variety of people your oblig’d
to see or give offence and that every one wou’d wish to avoid, for ‘tis much easier
to lose a well wisher then to gain one and that thought frequently obliges me to
sacrifice inclination to mere ceremony at this instant I am summon’d away
there came a letter from Sheffield by this days post for M^rs Elliott as you will get
home ere this can reach you I defer enclosing till I hear whether she wou’d have
it sent or no, your friends if my wishes prove effectual you will find well and
Kitty not quite as refractory as one might expect from her Grandpapas indulgence
the last time I scribled to Yorkshire I was amusing myself with thinking how
many pleasing hours you & I shou’d spend together those are over and appear
as if I had been asleep and had an agreeable dream, but imagination will
frequently recall our friendly conversations so different to those one holds with
common acquaintance, there is no one circumstance that friends separated from
each other dont recollect, time is very scarce therefore I must not pay as [damaged]
a tribute to you as I wou’d wish at this time, my Mother unites me in best
respects to yourself M^rs Elliott & others believe me Dear M^rs Hare yr Sincere Friend
JBrownsword

if M^rs E was here she wou’d be charm’d with
Bobys civility he has been again at Barton
& comes once day with his enquiries after M^rs B

[vertical left hand side] 72

Ormskirk September ^th ₁₅ 1775
My Dear M^rs Hare

In compliance with inclination as well as your request I seize my pen
to inform you how your friends at Barton and Ormskirk goes on I wish I
had it in my power to give you the satisfactory account of their indisposition
be {^ing} visibly declined, but indeed they are very indifferent, my Mothers leg is
not so inflamed as when you saw her nor any danger of its gathering but
it is very stiff and the rheumatics are so much about her that in the night
was a stranger to come in they would think she scarcely could see morning
but custom reconciles us to things of the most afflictive nature and I am not
as much alarm’d as if I never had seen her attacked by the rheumatism before.
M^r Halsall talks as if he apprehended the leg had a dropsical tendency but
I will hope the best and if she don’t find relief ere long endeavour to prevail of her
to have better advice diseases took in time are sooner got rid on and she is of
that very disposition that one may prevail of her to do any thing for her advantage.
my Cousin Nelly I have this instant heard from she rather gains ground of her in-
-disposition and tomorrow evening she takes a puke from that and the bark I have
great hopes ‘tis so unusual for them to be ill or my Mother and not together that
I feel as I can’t express, there is a young woman about 2 miles from Barton that
is dead of the same disorder of my Cousin Nellyes, M^r Halsall says ‘tis a very un-com-
-com complaint he scarcely ever met with it before, she is ignorant I believe of
the person being dead and ought to remain so, this morning we had John & Alick
[new page]
breakfasting to dine we had my Uncle Formby breakfast in his return from Lathom
it is an inconveniency attending living in a town the variety of people you are obliged
to see or give offence and that every one would wish to avoid, for it is much easier
to lose a well wisher then to gain one and that thought frequently obliges me to
sacrifice inclination to mere ceremony. at this instant I am summoned away
there came a letter from Sheffield by this days post for M^rs Elliott as you will get
home before this can reach you I defer enclosing till I hear whether she would have
it sent or no, your friends if my wishes prove effectual you will find well and
Kitty not quite as refractory as one might expect from her Grandpapas indulgence
the last time I scribled to Yorkshire I was amusing myself with thinking how
many pleasing hours you & I should spend together those are over and appear
as if I had been asleep and had an agreeable dream, but imagination will
frequently recall our friendly conversations so different to those one holds with
common acquaintance, there is no one circumstance that friends separated from
each other don’t recollect, time is very scarce therefore I must not pay as [damaged]
a tribute to you as I would wish at this time, my Mother unites me in best
respects to yourself M^rs Elliott & others believe me Dear M^rs Hare yr Sincere Friend
JBrownsword
if M^rs E was here she would be charmed with
Boby’s civility he has been again at Barton
& comes once day with his enquiries after M^rs B

[vertical left hand side] 72