From Thomas Waters Sr. to his wife Elizabeth Waters (August 16, 1833)

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

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

18 H.M.S. Barham Napoli 16 Aug. 1833

My Dear Wife

Your letter of the 3rd June I received 23rd July, and cannot help thinking you uncandid; in your vexation some months ago, you write a letter which you know will vex me, you forward it, and
afterwards wonder I should be vexed; for me to point out any parts that displeased me would be ridiculous and could answer no good purpose; it seems you applyed some parts of one of my letters with which you were much displeased to yourself, now I must beg to say once for all that such parts were meant generally, and not intended to apply to you; at the same time if you could reap any useful hint from my observations, why, all Well– Your Brother’s letter is to the purpose, his accompt is satisfactory, and altogether, his letter is creditable to him as a man of business and he is entitled to our best thanks- Your Brother Benjamin’s case seems hopeless; it will be fortunate if he should be provided with a retreat in the Lancaster Asylum in such a state of mind. Remember me kindly to our excellent friends your brother Joseph and Mrs. Butterworth, to Sam and John, and to Mr. and Mrs. Tattersal. Of course we shall be glad to have our House relet as soon as a suitable tenant offers— Give my love to my Sister, when you write to her, I am glad you called on her in
Town, it must have been a fine treat for the two children, it was kind of you to take them, I hope Joseph behaved well, for Mary I have no doubt; I think you managed your jaunt exceedingly well, and to be able to return so early to- I wish, by all means, Joseph to learn French, and to begin as soon as his Tutor thinks proper; I understood, from one of your letters, that Joseph began when he first went to Mr. William’s school, and consequently that he had been learning ever since. I mentioned in my last that the Mediterranean mail is closed the 1st day of the month. You must think me a very frivolous being indeed, if you could suppose for a moment that I was displeased because you said in two or three of your letters, that you was busily employed, I cannot imagine how such an idea could have occured to you, notwithstanding your so often misapprehending some of the meanings in my letters; you may be assured that I am particularly interested in every thing you can say about your domestic employments, which, in fact, is your Province, the attending to your Household. I am apt to think that the boys letters are not of their composition, I would rather that they were; I wish Joseph would write a larger hand; I must do him the justice to say; that, with the exception of J is not sufficiently comprehensive for Joseph, his letter ends very properly, and I trust he writes in truth, and that he will be ever, as he attains to years of discretion, what he professes now to be, Dutiful- Thomas’ writing is much too small- John will do well to attend to his points; and the other children also– I am happy to find from Mary, that she is of much assistance to you in cooking, I hope she will be able to make a little relishing broth for me when I come home, and some nice gruel- We left Visicia Bay, near Tenedos, the 12th and arrived at Napoli 14th Aug.- Make my affectionate love to all the children my sweet Benny & Betsey I hope all will study to be good-
I remain My Dear Wife

Yours truly
  Tho^s. Waters