From Thomas Water Sr. to his wife Elizabeth Waters (October 17, 1830)

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

Addressed to Mrs Waters, 21 Mulgrave Place, Woolwich, Kent.

H.M.S.Barham Spithead 17th Oct. 1830

My Dearest love

I am extremely sorry to find that you have so much sickness at home, but as it is the Almighty’s will, I hope he will teach you patience to bear afflictions, and to consider that although your afflictions seem heavy, yet that they are light, in comparison to those of a large portion of human beings; in the midst of sickness, you have the best medicine and advice, free of all expense, and almost of trouble, neither can you be said to be quite in the midst of strangers, without a friend to help you; you have a tolerable income coming regularly, without having to go far for it; in the midst of various disturbances about the country, you are safe from molestation, with almost every reasonable comfort about you, you only require patience and resignation; I would willingly administer more substantial consolation to you, if it was in my power, but as it is not, I conceive it my duty, and it is my happiness, to present you my best wishes, not doubting that you will act with that prudence and firmness worthy of your respectable situation in life, hoping you will place some reliance on my endeavours for your present happiness and future good prospects; I am determined to do all in my power for the general good, never sparing myself when I can be useful; we must not let minor considerations trouble us; never you make yourself uneasy about things that you cannot help, but attend to what you know to be your duty; you have a straight forward path, a duty to your God, your children and your husband, and those duties cannot be done by neglecting your health, or by repining, but by doing to the best of your power and judgment, and trusting the result to Providence, as we only believe, but we do not know, what is best for us; I feel the greatest confidence in the Almighty’s will towards us, every circumstance from my promotion, and since my joining this ship, seems to me to have been fortunate, neither would I change my situation upon any account; if we were not now and then to experience some light afflictions, we should not know in what happiness consists. I am sorry, extremely sorry that Joseph suffers so much in his throat, but I hope it will make him a better boy, he has caused us some vexation, John, I hope, will soon be better, and Thomas also, and I hope and trust that our children may all be good, what a blessing it would be; and may the Almighty make you happy my Love is the ardent wish of your most devoted Husband — I hope Mary suffers less in her head; I sun anxious that she should make household affairs her study, after she has left school, and by her virtuous conduct prove a comfort to us, and an honour to her family – I think you need not be uneasy about not having received a letter yet from Rochdale, it will come in good time, I have no doubt, people in business are rather dilatory about things that do not particularly concern them, we must wait patiently, and perhaps we may fare the better for it-

If you do not have a remittance from Devonshire as soon as you think you will want it, you will do well to write to Mr. Sillifant, I think he likes to hear from you first. Your Letter dated on Saturday I received on Sunday, I certainly think you ought to have a blistering or a strengthening plaster applyed to your breast, or something else that is likely to remedy the complaint that is of such a serious nature; delays you ought to know are dangerous, recollect your poor children will be the sufferers from your neglect of your health, do not sit so much at needlework, put some of it out. Do not be penny wise; you should avoid stooping, as much as possible, when you are sitting; Mary stoops a great deal when she is walking or sitting, she ought not to, it is bad for both of you-
Dearest Love ever affect.^y yours

          Tho^s. Waters