[Thomas Waters. R.M., to his wife, Elizabeth]
Addressed to Mrs Waters, 21 Mulgrave Place, Woolwich, Kent
H.M.S.Barham Spithead 21st Oct. 1831
My Dearest Love
I am delighted to find that Betsey has begun to cut her teeth, because, I think it must be such a consolation to you; sweet little Innocent I think she is very prudent in not attempting yet to walk alone, considering she is so very young I think you cannot you cannot be angry with her; Mrs. Willson’s youngest child but one is not able to walk, although it is three and twenty months old, and healthy. It is very extraordinary that our children are so afflicted with swellings in their throats, I cannot account for it, unless the complaint is epidemick in Woolwich; one would think there is some poisonous matter in the water, do the cockroaches get into the jug in the pantry, it might be covered by a kind of catgut, or does any unwholesome metallick substance come in contact with the victuals? I hope the bread is not bad; one would be almost afraid that the disease is infectious but I hope it is not. I cannot conceive how you can give your girl a good recommendation, if she is wasteful and negligent, and does not like nursing, will not keep the things in their places, and cannot or will not assist you in sewing, rather a gadder, and you believe, not very particular in her company; I should be cautious with respect to the character I gave, did she bring one? I think she could not; worth having and I fear she has not earned one since she has been with you; I wish you could get a Woman that would be of real service to you in the management of your house, however time and patience with perseverance must be our motto- I think it will be as well to send our boys to whatever school Mrs. Gray sends hers, Mr. G. is likely to find out the best; What school does Mrs. Nicholls recommend? I should not neglect her judgment upon that point- I am glad that Mr. Stockwell is in such prosperous circumstances- Sir Walter Scott takes a passage in the Barham to the Mediterranean, he goes to Naples where he intends staying the winter for the benefit of his health; he will be accompanied by his Son and daughter- We expect to sail by the 27th Inst. Your Rochdale letter I have just received and I feel very much for your distress of mind, as to the loss of the money it does not give me a moment’s uneasiness, I wish you may feel as little about it as I do, My dearest Love money is not my object, but your happiness is, riches are such uncertain, or I may say deceitful, servants, that I place no faith in them, if we possess them, we do not know how soon they may fly from us, I think it our duty to be reasonably careful, as it enables us to be more independent of them; I like riches, but I do not place my happiness on them, they are useful to our existence, but we have no need to be miserable if we should be without them; our own honest, prudent endeavours, with the Almighty’s blessing, should be our trust; let us consider how fortunate we have been and that will reconcile us to trivial losses; I wish our loss would be your brother’s benefit, I fear it will not, however he has my good wishes for his reformation, let us be thankful that you have one brother who is likely to do well; no prosperity can be expected without a firm reliance on Providence together with our best endeavours; In the midst of your troubles you have one friend left of your Fathers’ who is both willing and able to assist, Mr Chadwick has entitled himself to our best thanks and good wishes, make my respects to him, with my grateful thanks for his good will towards us- I am at a loss to say which would be the most convenient way to you, to have the money remitted, it might be paid into my Agent’s hands in Town and you draw a bill on him for it but I am afraid that may be attended with difficulty, in the first place whether Mr.Chadwick’s banker will forward it to him, and in the next whether my Agent through mistake may refuse your bill, you can but try, unless you can hit upon a better plan- if it is paid that way it must be to Capt. Madden at James Rice Esq. but you had better think what is the best mode of getting it. If you knew when it would be at Mr Chadwick’s banker you might draw upon that Bank through the Woolwich bank- Dearest Love ever yours faithfully
Thos. Waters