“Dear Wm.,—I shoud be glad to hear a good account of
Joseph. I doubt much his amendment
it is not the first time he has overcome you with fine words. He seems
according to what I can learn to be poorer for ye £44 I
have given him than he was before he had it, he now can’t neither board
nor cloth Harriot. I hear she is gone to service somewhere
in the country. Well, she had better begin low than be puffd up with pride now and afterwards become low, for she had certainly
no good exampels at home. I heard once she was in expectation of being sent to
her Aunt Barker’s, but what barbarity is it not to
let her have shoes to her feet when she came to your sister’s. I am glad
she did not go where her education woud have been as bad as at home. London is
the place where girls go too for Servises to get better wages than they can in
the country, but I know the reason is he is given up to pride and sensuality
and well know where yt will lead him to and all that
tread in the same steps. I hoped, tho’ it was not likely, to have done
him good and your Sister too but I find
I am misstaken. We in the country deny ourselves because of ye dearness of provisions, make meal dumplings, meal crusts to pies
mix’d with boil’d rice and a very little butter in them, our bread
meal and rice which we have bout at twopence per pound,
and very good it is, pancakes wth boil’d rice in
water till tender and very little milk or egg with flower. we have had a very
favourable winter hitherto, only one sharp frost one fortnight. Did you pay
Mary Bailey £5 or not, has her father done anything
for them, how do they go on, what is their direction? Is J.
Jex steady and give content in his sittuation. I wish him to
learn his business stay his time I hope he is bound till 21 years of age I hope
yr brother John will take a prudent care. I cannot promise for Natty he wishes to be in business for himself
and to marry. He has made one attempt but she was pre-ingaged and I don’t
know another in the world I should like so well, so most likely he must remain
a servant all his days. Providence ought
| LETTERS FROM MRS GODWIN, SEN. | 33 |
“I have not written to yr sister now because I have written not long since and she seems to be in her old strain, the same note and I am afraid ever will be remember me to her and John Mrs Cooper and Wilcox.”
