From Thomas Waters Sr. to his wife Elizabeth Waters (August 9, 1842)

[Thomas Waters, R.M., to his wife, Elizabeth]

Bull Plain Hertford 9 Aug.1842

My Dear Wife

I received your letter dated 1st Aug.^t together with the Newspaper-  You think, my charming Wife, that I ought to have come to Woolwich after walking so near to you as London, and so I ought in one sense of the word, to have had the Happiness of seeing my own beloved Wife which would have been a reward to me that would have well compensated my labour, but then, I am afraid it would have been too much for me to have walked back the next day, as it was I was enabled to reach my recruiting Quarters the same day to dinner, having merely taken a mornings walk, which I would do any time to see you, for you must know I use discretion with respect to my morning walks, if I take a long walk one day I lay by the next two or three days to recover strength, for without discreetness we make but poor progress in the necessary affairs of life-  With respect to your ailment I am perfectly at a loss what to say upon the subject, I trust you have too much sound sense to alarm yourself, my dear Wife, and thereby make yourself worse in your health, so dear to your husband and children, I hope you will do what your best feelings will suggest to you, let them be what they may, without regard to the expence and the Almighty will direct you, you can form some idea whether you have derived benefit from the course which you have at present followed; I think it might be as well to write a note to Doctor Parkin requesting him to call, and then ask him what he thinks of the present state of your ailment, whether there is any appearance of amendment, or at least whether it is in any way checked, at all events I shall hope for the Happiness of seeing you here to be my Guest. I will meet all the expences of it, if it is even but for a short time, but if it is for a long time so much the more delightful will it be to your husband, it shall be my study, as it always has been, to make you as happy as I can-  I have promised Serjeant Harvey, a steady married man, who was with me in the Revenge, and Drummer Stevenson, also a steady married man, to go, the first Escorts, to Woolwich when I have occasion to send, but they will take charge of your trunk and pay you the utmost attention in directing you the way, and perhaps will be more wide awake than Elms in knowing what is best to be done not that there is any difficulty, at least to any one who knows something of London as you do, only intelligent disinterested is always acceptable-  I pray the Almighty to restore you to health and and make you as happy as your husband is in your affection for him, the good conduct of our children after my return when having been so long absent is quite a proof of your admirable management- I was at Epping wednesday, the day on which your Letter arrived, I had, you may suppose, some real Epping butter and cream, the people at the White Hart, the house at which I breakfasted, keep a dairy, I was told that butter is about l/s to 1/2 per lb, fresh, at Epping, the way that I went by Waltham Abbey is 16 miles, but I came back a more agreeable way and save three miles.  I am sorry Mary’s health and spirits are not good, she is right to take a jaunt to Richmond with Miss Gibson, it will be a recreation which may benefit her. Miss  Gibson is a worthy intentioned woman, but her ways and ours would not suit each, if we cannot agree for a few weeks, how are we to for years, she is good as a friend, and I would be sorry to lose her as such, but too restless for a constant inmate, we are, thank God, comparatively independent, at least in our own house, God keep us so, but it would be otherwise, I think, if we have a person in it who will not study to suit herself to our dispositions and our childrens, and it would be hard for us and ours to bend to hers, particularly where there is nothing that can be called a recompense, in our situation in life, which can make it worth our while to put ourselves out of the way, I think it the first consideration, under Providence, and for our children’s benefit, to make each other happy, it tends so much to health and prosperity, but when we are subject to continual crosses, though petty ones, it injures spirits, health, and temper, and consequently throws a gloom on those under our influence. May the Almighty make you happy my Wife, and may He be your Directer in what to do, is the prayer of your husband-  Poor Jane I am sorry for her tumble, but it is a pleasure to hear of the children’s good conduct, my love to them all.  It was kind of Mrs.Freeman to send them a small basket of apples-  I am told that Dutch Drops are, if genuine, highly extolled for your complaint, I understand it is a medicine imported from Holland, a few drops taken in milk occasionally is not disagreeable, though when dropped on linen it emits a strong smell, I should like you to inquire into the nature of the medicine, I am told it is highly esteemed for the gravel and for complaints of a scorbutic nature where it has been eminently successful-  I should like the young folks to save some Parsley, lettuce, spinage, and marigold seed-  I am glad to find by the papers that markets are improving at Manchester.  The best part of this letter I wrote on Sunday, on monday I walked to St.Albans and back, on tuesday I walked to Bishop Stortford and back when I had the delightful Pleasure of receiving your letter of 7th Aug. stating that Mary enjoyed her jaunt to Richmond, although, dear child she is not at all well which I am exceeding sorry for as well as for poor Elizabeth’s headache.  I hope my dear children attend to their bowels, going regularly to the privy every forenoon, my dear Benny is a good boy to get up so early and to be so industrious, as well as our other children are all good, poor nancy and Jane will give over tumbling by and by, I hope, as well as Sarah but the greatest of all delights is your intention to come and see me. choose your own time in coming, command me in every thing, I am only anxious for you to be happy as long as you stay with me, and to stay with me only as long as you like, I shall then stand a better chance of seeing you here again, bring something with you to keep you warm as well for an evening’s walk as also to sit in my room for it is a cold one, it faces East and has no sun only an hour early in the morning, that you will not mind, particularly in summer weather, never mind about another house, we will shift as soon as you can suit yourself, I will not spare my labour, I do not recollect Capt.Bents house but if it will suit you it will suit me, your happiness and health are every thing to me, if Mary and you like Miss Gibson can stay in the house while you are away, a companion to Mary, I want you to bring nothing for me but your own happiness which I wish you always to keep, and then you need not fear sickness but we must keep the children happy also as much as in our power, dear creatures I love them all.  I am glad the rabbets are alive and well, and my Dear Benjimen and the rest of the children if I can do any thing for them I will, again make my love to them I send you a rail way guide for this place, I think it will suit you best to be at Shoreditch at 1/2 past 11, or 1/2 past 1, or 1/2 past 3 oClock, but you will see other times, choose for yourself and do not fear disapointing me or of taking me by surprise 

Yours devotedly 

Tho^s. Waters