Letter

Scope and Content

From Mary Tooth to Mary Davies

Tooth can see that when Davies wrote, she was unaware of the state of Fletcher's health. At the beginning of the year, Fletcher was so close to death that her life was despaired of by all, but God brought her back from the brink, and for a month past Fletcher has been out and about God's work, although her health continues to be very precarious.

Tooth was sorry to hear that things are not going well with business. Spiritual matters are discussed.

Two neighbours have recently died; one was a 'thoughtless sinner' who was taken ill on Thursday and died on the Sunday evening - Tooth visited him but to no apparent avail. The other was good Mr Harper the lawyer whose 'death was blessed indeed'.

Tooth lists the following pamphlets as having been sent to Davies; The Negro Servant, The Dairyman's Daughter, Philip P., Letters on Marriage and Susan Ward.

From [Mr] D. Davies in Shrewsbury. They condone with Tooth on the loss of dear [Mary] Fletcher. He was indeed sorry to have to leave Madeley during the life of this 'venerable instructress', constrained as he was by affection for his sons. It was with great regret that Davies abandoned his corner in 'our late humble House of Prayer'. Fletcher's 'ministry or exhortions' were more profitable to him than any that he has received in another place of worship. Spiritual matters are discussed.

Reference is made to the "widows mite" - the new farthings which Fletcher gave to his sons. Would it be possible to purchase some relic of Fletcher, assuming that her possessions at Madeley now be sold off? Davies has been thinking about that old picture at the end of the passage which often met Davies's eye, when approaching Fletcher's 'sacred chamber, under the expectation of a few [unreadable word] and effectual prayer from her hallowed lips'. Davies is indeed happy that his family received Fletcher's blessing on the occasion of their last visit to Madeley.

It was with great surprise and a feeling of unworthiness that he received a letter from Charles Bosanquet [Mary Fletcher's nephew] informing him of a bequest in Fletcher's will of £10.

Davies would have liked to have attended the funeral, but in addition to a bad cold, he recently sprained his ankle.

He would be pleased to render any assistance to Tooth in his power. Spiritual matters are discussed.

Mrs Davies, Mrs [unreadable name] and their sons join in sending regards to Tooth, her sister [Rosamund], their neighbour Mrs Harper, Mr and Mrs Mortimer and Mr and Mrs Perks etc.