Barton Dec^br ye 26 (72
My dear M^rs Hare, I am long in seting pen to
paper, but think you will excuse me, when you hear how we
are employ’d, am sorry to say in visiting the sick, Uncle
Formby has been confined this fortnight to his bed & above
stairs, he caught Cold, which brought on the gout, very great
pain in his feet & knees, the latter part being effect’d
made him not sit up more, for his cloths cou’d not be got
on, a feverish complain comes on in the nights, makes
him not sleep till near morning, we are often with them,
sister is there at this time, went to day, & I return’d from there
on Thursday, he is rather better to day – Aunt has a cold, their
son is at home, & a sweet Lad he is indeed, you wou’d have had
a letter of thanks for the knife from him, if his Father was
well – I am in a bad way for writeing, after my long walk
to Ormskirk & back in a day, is hard work for my short leggs
Aunt B has been poorly of the Rheumatism, but is better,
& this week below stairs, though she has had it bad in her
head, these two nights – Jenny is well, sends love & comp^ts to
every individual, my Aunts best wishes & respects to your Family
tell my kind & good M^rs Elliott, I will think of her peppermint
Drops or Cakes, by the first opportunity, & the loves will come
with them, my best thanks for her last favour – it is time
for me to rejoice with you, on your going abroad again, &
[new page]
hope Miss Kitty & her Mama, has both come on fast, & had no
complaints of any sort, you are a clever person for such like
Business, to dine below at the three weeks end – how goes
Nurseing on, I dare say you have great Assistance from Molly
our best wishes you have, it is rather too young yet for
M^r Elliott. M^rs Jonas Bold has just lain in of her second son,
M^rs Ellison has a second Daughter, M^rs Pickering got her {^bed}
on Wednesday, of a son, & she has three Daughters – Aunt Nelly
is not married yet, we expect to hear of it every day, he {?visits}
{?thick}, she sends her best Respects to the Family round you
M^r Ellison is leaveing of Business, & going to Farm his Mothers
Estate, a strange whim it is, I fear it will never do him good,
he don’t understand what he is about – M^r Richard is to have
Miss May Crosbie, that is serious, & her Brother a Miss Rayner
of Leeds, fancy both will be in the new year, & the latter
very soon – so the papers say M^r Samford is married to a Miss
Dimock – ask Miss Burntons how he was aquaint’d with her,
& if she was a stranger to him, don’t tell we desired it –
Rachel wou’d be very glad to nurse your little girl soon –
Nancy is not very good now, bad temperd & I fear has a
Sweetheart, bad things for such young girls – realy I think
it was cruel, Yorkshire & Derbyshire cou’d produce Cos &
Sister each an admirer, & me not one – sister will still
talk of M^r Clay – M^r Faz has been staying with us, & his
wife near a week – they talk’d then hard of him
[new page]
have you heard {?yexcu??} from M^r Hare, has he heard of
the birth of his daughter – hope he was well when you hear{^d}
how is the agreeable M^rs Wright of Rotherham, was very sorry
to hear she was poorly, shall hope for a better account,
am greatly oblig’d to you & M^rs Elliott for expresing a desire
about my Health, I have thank God had a good Winter,
much better till I have had lately – sister is pritty well
Jenny now well but poorly a few weeks agoe – how does
M^rs Bowers & M^rs Britton, comp^ts to them, to your Uncle
& Aunt Doctor, all the other Uncles Aunts & Cousins
& the agreeable old gentleman – M^r Staniford is odd I
think, what is the reason of his beheavor think you,
have you been at any plays this winter – I fear you
will not be able to read this bad letter, burn it & do
excuse it, the intention is good, for I don’t care to put
of any longer – our love to your self M^r M^rs Elliott,
& Comp^ts to M^r Sam Elliott, wishing you all the Happiness
of the approaching season – I have no more news or wou’d
relate it – Uncle Aunt F, Aunt & Cos M, & the rest of your
Friends here, begs to be remembred to you & M^rs Elliott
Miss Betty Statham has been poorly this some time,
Miss S did not see M^r Sam S to spake to him, when
he took my sisters letter to her, from Sheffeild, he gave
it to her Brother in the play House – pray write soon,
you will think [damaged] reasonable I hope am my Dear yours
EH
[new page]
M^rs Hare at M^r Elliotts
Norfolk Street
Sheffeild
Yorkshire

Barton Dec^br ye 26 (72
My dear M^rs Hare, I am long in setting pen to
paper, but think you will excuse me, when you hear how we
are employed, am sorry to say in visiting the sick, Uncle
Formby has been confined this fortnight to his bed & above
stairs, he caught Cold, which brought on the gout, very great
pain in his feet & knees, the latter part being effected
made him not sit up more, for his cloths could not be got
on, a feverish complain comes on in the nights, makes
him not sleep till near morning, we are often with them,
sister is there at this time, went to day, & I returned from there
on Thursday, he is rather better to day – Aunt has a cold, their
son is at home, & a sweet Lad he is indeed, you would have had
a letter of thanks for the knife from him, if his Father was
well – I am in a bad way for writing, after my long walk
to Ormskirk & back in a day, is hard work for my short legs
Aunt B has been poorly of the Rheumatism, but is better,
& this week below stairs, though she has had it bad in her
head, these two nights – Jenny is well, sends love & comp^ts to
every individual, my Aunts best wishes & respects to your Family
tell my kind & good M^rs Elliott, I will think of her peppermint
Drops or Cakes, by the first opportunity, & the loves will come
with them, my best thanks for her last favour – it is time
for me to rejoice with you, on your going abroad again, &
[new page]
hope Miss Kitty & her Mama, has both come on fast, & had no
complaints of any sort, you are a clever person for such like
Business, to dine below at the three weeks end – how goes
Nursing on, I dare say you have great Assistance from Molly
our best wishes you have, it is rather too young yet for
M^r Elliott. M^rs Jonas Bold has just lain in of her second son,
M^rs Ellison has a second Daughter, M^rs Pickering got her {^bed}
on Wednesday, of a son, & she has three Daughters – Aunt Nelly
is not married yet, we expect to hear of it every day, he {?visits}
{?thick}, she sends her best Respects to the Family round you
M^r Ellison is leaving of Business, & going to Farm his Mothers
Estate, a strange whim it is, I fear it will never do him good,
he don’t understand what he is about – M^r Richard is to have
Miss May Crosbie, that is serious, & her Brother a Miss Rayner
of Leeds, fancy both will be in the new year, & the latter
very soon – so the papers say M^r Samford is married to a Miss
Dimock – ask Miss Burntons how he was acquainted with her,
& if she was a stranger to him, don’t tell we desired it –
Rachel would be very glad to nurse your little girl soon –
Nancy is not very good now, bad tempered & I fear has a
Sweetheart, bad things for such young girls – really I think
it was cruel, Yorkshire & Derbyshire could produce Cos &
Sister each an admirer, & me not one – sister will still
talk of M^r Clay – M^r Faz has been staying with us, & his
wife near a week – they talked then hard of him
[new page]
have you heard [damaged] from M^r Hare, has he heard of
the birth of his daughter – hope he was well when you hear{^d}
how is the agreeable M^rs Wright of Rotherham, was very sorry
to hear she was poorly, shall hope for a better account,
am greatly obliged to you & M^rs Elliott for expressing a desire
about my Health, I have thank God had a good Winter,
much better till I have had lately – sister is pretty well
Jenny now well but poorly a few weeks ago – how does
M^rs Bowers & M^rs Britton, comp^ts to them, to your Uncle
& Aunt Doctor, all the other Uncles Aunts & Cousins
& the agreeable old gentleman – M^r Staniford is odd I
think, what is the reason of his behaviour think you,
have you been at any plays this winter – I fear you
will not be able to read this bad letter, burn it & do
excuse it, the intention is good, for I don’t care to put
of any longer – our love to your self M^r M^rs Elliott,
& Comp^ts to M^r Sam Elliott, wishing you all the Happiness
of the approaching season – I have no more news or would
relate it – Uncle Aunt F, Aunt & Cos M, & the rest of your
Friends here, begs to be remembered to you & M^rs Elliott
Miss Betty Statham has been poorly this some time,
Miss S did not see M^r Sam S to spoke to him, when
he took my sisters letter to her, from Sheffield, he gave
it to her Brother in the play House – pray write soon,
you will think [damaged] resonable I hope am my Dear yours
EH
[new page]
M^rs Hare at M^r Elliotts
Norfolk Street
Sheffield
Yorkshire