Letter – William Blackett to John Erasmus Blackett – 23 Jan 1804

Thorpe Lee Jany 23 1804

My Dear Sir

      I should have answered your kind letter before but was in hopes to have given you a better account of my Father by waiting some days, I am sorry to say that I fear there is now very little hopes, he is growing weaker every day, & in the state he is now it would be a happy release for him when it pleases God to take him from this world. He has for some days been quite insensible, but this morn is more collected than he was yesterday, but is too weak to be taken out of bed & put into a great Chair which has frequently been done of late, his back is now very bad, but the bottom of the back, there is a large hole the size of an egg which increases every day, & is very deep, & they say the Mortification shall probably spread there, & the <Bark> which he now takes again has lost its effect he has taken it so long in such large quantities, it is really a very shocking situation to be in & very distressing for us all to see him suffer so much, every thing has been done for him that can be done, but nature seems now to be quite exhausted & the food he now takes is very trifling, nothing but liquids; am very glad to find my Mother is better than we could expect & seems to be quite aware of the danger he is in, Mrs Chiswick will I hope be here in a few days, & will we hope when the events take place take my Mother with her to Debden & keep her there for some time; My Father has never once Mentioned where he would wish to be sent, but conclude to Ripon & he probably mentions it in his will which he made about ten or twenty years ago & who the Executors are I don't know; but rather think my Uncle Harry is one.  We had a letter yesterday from General Scott from Verdun where he is sent with many English, my Sister & family stay at Versailles, he says he is very well treated there & about a dozen of them mess together & he passes his time tolerably well; My Sisters situation is I think very unpleasant as she has no one to protect her, & her two English Men Servants are sent with the General to Verdun. I have written letters to them with an account of my poor Fathers illness, but when the General wrote which was the 26th of December they had not received any of them, therefore the shock to my Sister will be very great when she hears the account of his dangerous State.  In my Uncle Harry's last letter he says if he is well enough he will set out for this place the beginning of Feby but in the present state of things think it impossible my Father can last all that time. All here join me in affect[ionate] regards to yourself Mrs Collingwood & family & I remain Dr Sir your very affectionately  

      W Blackett 



[Annotated in JEB’s hand on envelope:] William Blackett Esq. 23 Jan 1804