From Rebecca Longmore in Oswestry to Mary Tooth. Longmore was greatly disappointed that she could not see Tooth when she was in Coalport a fortnight ago, but she was unable to walk to Madeley. She was so ‘undone’ by walking to Coalport and back that she could got little rest the night after and felt quite unfit for her journey home. The weather was very unfavourable and such was the state of affairs at home that she felt it necessary to return. Her poor father [Mr Lacon] has been confined by ill health to his room for nearly four months and for the last two months he has been very ill so that they have thought that he could not have survived many hours more – he does not take it all well if she does not come and see him two or three times a day.
Longmore hopes that Tooth can come and visit her this summer – she so wants to see her friend. If Tooth comes to Oswestry for a week or two, Longmore is convinced that her visits to the ‘friends’ [Methodists] would be very useful.
[The itinerant Samuel] Dawson and his wife lodged with Longmore since they arrived in circuit [1831] until six weeks ago when they rented a house, which makes Longmore think that they intend to stop here another year. A few months since, they seemed intent on leaving. Longmore thought to send this letter with Dawson , but as his wife is very close to her time of giving birth, it is doubtful that he will visit Madeley.
Longmore is in need of Tooth’s advice and encouragement.
She wishes that she could inform Tooth that the congregation and society here were increasing but this is not the case. Dawson is however a good preacher.
Longmore was surprised to hear of [Rosamund Tooth’s] removal – ‘she is taken from the evil to come’.
Longmore’s health is indifferent and her daughters [Rebecca and Sarah] are as usual – Sarah is very anxious to find a ‘situation’.