Dorothea Blunt to Benjamin Franklin, March 18, 1779
Kensington March the 18th. 79
Dear Sir
Our friend Saint Hutton 7 offers me a chance for getting a letter to you, which tho I have long’d a long while for, & have not had, or you w’d have stood a chance for one of my superiour epistles which I know you did not dislike because you always answer’d. Why did you come to my native country? Or continue so long time in it, and then so quarrel with some , that you may as well not love others? Now for these, and other reasons, if I had not loved you very much I sh’d now dislike you exceedingly— Even I, who am many years younger than you, find nothing more desirable than peace and the society of those I’ve long known, I wish I c’d believe that the benefits gain’d by our loss of you were either considerable to the Many or likely to be lasting to the few. I find it impossible to write to you, and not in a certain degree to blame you for not doing more than you had in your power rather than leave us—but I have done and will learn to submit to all evils, I thank God, that I firmly believe His kind providence directs every Evil of Life, to some good to Man.
As Mr Hn: is not acquainted with my family I shall myself give you a little account of them. I lost my amiable Sister three years ago, who gave the strongest proof of being so in a patient resignation to a severe and lingering disorder, and to Death , notwithstanding her strong desire for Life . I was with her 7 months—never saw once out of temper, and tho except 600£ —she bequeathd all she had to me, never once told me so, 8 I am by the addition enabled to command a little dwelling of my own and I think it would give you pleasure to see me in it because I am told that I appear as I am very Comfortable. I see but little of Mrs Hewson she finding herself perhaps equally so in a little Cottege or small house at Cheam in surry. My Bror: Cs— has 10 children 8 of them Girls. I can say nothing on this subject as it realy distresses me, my Bror: Harry a Widdower still resides near Bath, has long had bad health has 2 Sons likely to give him comfort. My Bror: Walter plump as a partridge is I hope happy—and has only at present 2 Sons and one daughter. 9 Mrs M: Barwell still a fine woman, and more pleasing because less busy . Henckell with her respectable Parents resides at Hampstead and works in her Garden. D: B: has a little Garden, and tho she does not work in it is mighty fond of it. May God bless you and yours.
D: Blunt
Mrs Hawkesworth the same, and comes to me tomorrow. 1 I see my friends often from my situation which as I live alone I like.