My dearest Mrs: Dickenson

      My Mother & myself received your letter
on Wednesday & I take the earliest opportunity of
thanking you for it. You ask whether I do
not wish to see you, nothing could or would
give me sincerer joy, but you say Madam
Prudence forbids it, & she is a Lady whose orders
must be obeyed, I think of you often very often,
& wish you were with us in Albemarle Street,
but a few hours, nay a few days, would
not satisfy us, after so long an absence from
the friend we so dearly love. The latter part of
your letter to my dearest mother gave her
sincere joy, she will be happy, very happy, to
see Mr Dickenson, pray assure him from
her of a very sincere welcome, but before he
comes just write a few lines that we may
not be out of the way when he arrives,
how our Dear Anna Maria will be surprised,
& how happy will she be to see her dear
brother, we are both going this evening to a
private concert at Mr. Reveleys in Clifford
Street.

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My dear Anna Maria has mentioned to you
some thoughts relative to my late dear Father's
manuscripts, & she has sent me your answer,
I am much rejoiced that you approved of my not
giving them into the hands of Doctor Brocklesby,
I wished much to consult Dr. Warton, & I certainly
will have nothing done till I see him, you advise
me not to give even into Doctor Wartons hands a single
line of the manuscripts but a fair copy, &
that were you Mary Glover you would transcribe
them yourself; Alas my dear Mrs. Dickenson
I am too much out of health for such an
undertaking, write to me soon & tell me why
you think Copies are requisite; Mr. Collier
called on me yesterday morning to say that
he would give me all the assistance he could,
he by no means advised me to publish the plays first
as he said that my Father was much more admired
as an Epic writer than a Dramatic, which being
the case, he should advise the Athenaid to be
immediately published but without the least alteration,
there were two or three things which had my
dearest Father been living he would have desired
him to have altered, but he said no one else
could do it, he added that, that poem would

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very much increase his fame, & that the plays
would then be read with admiration, he also
said that as the printer is often very careless
he would himself attend the press, that full
Justice might be done to so admirable a poem.
I thanked him very sincerely for his kind offer, for
attending the press is a most laborious piece of
business; he approved very much of my waiting to
consult Dr.. Warton, & when he took leave of me, he said
Miss Glover you must not suffer any body else but Dr.
W.. & myself to have any thing to do with the manuscripts
. -- Tell me what you think of his offer,
when I see him, I will mention what you say about
the engraving from the portrait & likewise the quarto
edition. My Mother desires her kindest love to you &
Mr. Dickenson. I knew you would be shocked
with the behaviour of a certain gentleman,
he has been at Bath near a month & has
never once wrote a single line to my mother
or me. I well knew you would be pleased with Mrs: Aufrere
's letter, she has always been particularly kind to me,
& I hope I shall always deserve her friendship. --
You have heard my poor Father mention a
Mr. Ockendon, I have found a great many very
pretty things of his writing, & some time or
other I shall hope to amuse you by reading
them to you. We all unite in best Compliments to
Lady Wake Sir William & the rest of the family
Tell Mr.. Dickenson that the thoughts of seeing him & hearing
particularly of you. (would that we could see you) will
I hope make me quite well, I am but very poorly.
      adieu dearest Mrs. Dickenson & believe your
                             Sincere & obliged friend     Mary Glover
Mrs. Lenton
desires her best compliments to
Mr. Dickenson & your self.

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