Letter

Scope and Content

From Bailbrook House near Bath, to [Mary] Tooth at Madeley. Tooth will be surprised to hear that she has been here since last May In her letter from her brother's house in Ireland, she mentioned that she hoped to be able to visit Bath and the way was made clear when D'Arcy came here with her sister Martha. Tooth will no doubt have heard of the establishment at Bailbrook House 'for single ladies of small fortunes', formed by the benevolent Lady Isabella King. D'Arcy had the pleasure of her ladyship's acquaintance and had thought her most amiable and one of the best of human beings. D'Arcy and Martha were induced to apply as candidates for admission and her ladyship was kind enough to have them elected.

It was here that D'Arcy received the 'little' note which Tooth was kind enough to send in reply to her very long letter. Spiritual matters are discussed.

She was grateful for the printed biography of [Mary] Fletcher which Tooth sent to her. D'Arcy should have responded sooner but was unable to get a frank - there were no Members of Parliament in Bath all summer which meant that she was unable to procure one.

The Miss Hely-Hutchinsons were at Bath for some months after D'Arcy and her sister arrived here and are expected to go home again soon - if Tooth could contrive to send the two books which D'Arcy left with Mr Watters to forward to Cheltenham for the Hely-Hutchinsons, D'Arcy would be grateful. One was [Mary] Fletcher's biography and the other was Gilpin's edition of Allein's Alarm, which Tooth's dear friend [Mary Fletcher] gave to the Miss Hely-Hutchinsons.

She would be pleased to receive a few lines saying how Tooth and her sister [Rosamund] are. D'Arcy's regards should be passed to the dear people at Madeley, particularly George Yate and family, Mrs and Miss Harper -D'Arcy's neighbours who were good enough to invite her to tea, Miss Davis and above all the kind people with whom D'Arcy lodged [Mr and Mrs Purcel and their little son].

In a postscript, she adds that she has been telling Lady Isabella King about Tooth's talent for [unreadable word].