Letter – Elizabeth Stead to John Erasmus Blackett – 7 Sep 1804

								Pauls wolden 7th. Septbr. 1804.

My Dear Sir

      I have received both your very kind letters and am particularly obliged to you for the advice contained in the latter respecting my health, it would I have not the least doubt suit most constitutions, but I have uniformly found that whenever I drink more than 3 or 4 glasses of wine I am very much heated and irritated with it. 

      I imagine that my last letter to our dearest Patience will be the means of prolonging her stay with you, as I do not think that there is any likelihood of our friends arriving so soon as she imagines, and indeed if they were to arrive she would hear it the vessel being in the channel time enough to be here before they could be ready to set out and I have desired Mr. Timms to write to Newcastle the moment he hears of the vessel being seen, and likewise to me and if it is not a Post day to send a man & horse to Pauls wolden. I think at any rate she might remain till the 25th.

      I observe what you say about Mr. Hargrave, I have no objection to taking Twenty Thousand for the Estate & think he ought to pay one half down & the other in Instalments, of course every possible precaution to be taken to secure regular payments. I place the utmost confidence in your & Mr Thomas’s opinion & rely on your decision.

      I enclose you a line from Miss <Finweeke> which I received with the particulars of a place which I before knew of, Patience will derive some comfort from seeing that <Mereneale> could not sail so soon as she expected, I dare say not till the end of Augst. I will write to Patience tomorrow or next day desire her to let me know in her next her determination. I am rejoiced to find the Cold Bath agrees so well with her.

      Pray make my best love to her & my sister & all friends. and I am always My Dear Sir

      Ever <affty. Yrs> <Bessy> Stead