[Joshua Thomas Horton to Elizabeth Waters. Joshua Horton was a friend of the Butterworth family and perhaps a boyfriend of Alice Butterworth.]
Addressed to Mrs Waters, Mulgrave Place, Woolwich
Rochdale February 19th 1826
My dear Mrs Waters,
You have already received from your Brother the melancholy and distressing tidings of your Sister’s death: and as I can well believe, it will be gratifying to you to know some particulars of her state of mind and even of her sufferings in her last days – I sit down to write them – having (as I am inwardly assured) promised her that I would do so. You already know that for many months past there has been no possible hope of her recovery, The nature of her disorder, and the unhappy bias of her family constitution, appeared to render that all but impossible, in human judgment. In the eye of a casual observer she did not appear to suffer much – and to the rest, she never complained either of her sufferings – or of God’s apparent will respecting her. But- I, who watched her narrowly, and to you I may say, tenderly- fear that she endured much pain. It was not often sharp; but she was consumed by internal fever besides the rapid increase of visible sickness:- and no one can ever know the degree in which she suffered from those combined causes. Of her mind – which is, after all, the more important consideration,- inasmuch as it still lives- and I trust enjoys its higher destiny-, I dare only say- that its state was such as may, not imprudently I trust, be deemed hopeful. She was uniformly patient, resigned, comforted. She did not deny, as was natural, that she desired to live, but she showed in trouble submission to the will of God- and was, so far, ready to obey his summons. At all times serious in Religion, and resting upon the alone ground of Christ Jesus and him crucified, that pious confidence arising from this reliance was her constant consolation and support and hope. Merits of her own she intensely denied- yet did she recur with gratitude, to any actions or dealings in her stark life, which she believed to have sprung from that degree of purity of nature,- of which human infirmity is permitted to be capable. She received the Sacrament before her extremity, deeming that it was unwise to defer that important act till her body was exhausted, or her mind had lost its power. Her senses were perfect at the last, and she had scarcely ever wandered, for more than a moment during all her trials, a Blessing for which she was grateful. And when- after a struggle between life and death, of more than three and thirty hours continuance, she breathed her last-, it was as tho’ an infant had departed.
She was buried yesterday-, her Brothers- her Uncle James, Mr Chadwick and myself attending. She often talked of you- was very anxious about your condition, desired ardently that you would deport yourself prudently under very delicate & perhaps cruel circumstances,- that you would live in the fear of God, and the faith of his everlasting Son- and that you would bring up your
Family in the same walk,- and point their spirit to those joys- which can only be sought and attained through his merits. With all this she wished it not to be disguised from you, that she had fears for your Religious condition- that you have not been attentive to religious ordinances, that perhaps you have imbibed some perilous notions on these points – and most earnestly did she pray- That if this be the case- you will call your thoughts home, rally all your energies, and from henceforth- during your abode on earth, walk as becometh a convinced and sincere Christian, conscious that the all-seeing eye of God ever rests upon you- and discerns your conduct and your virtues.
Her cloaths- as she desired, will be sent- when a secure opportunity presents itself. There are some little memorials for the children- about whom she was always anxious. You will be glad to hear that Mrs Standing is quite well- that your Brothers have behaved throughout as became them- and that the uniform desire of all her neighbours was to alleviate (as far as was in their power) the influence of her illness- and to show that they at least sympathized in sufferings- which they could not hope
to cure.
Her medical attendant was unsparingly kind and attentive:- her nurse all that could be desired. She has died, my dear Mrs Waters, beloved and regretted by all who knew her- and by none more deeply or sincerely than by
yours very affectionately
Joshua Thomas Horton