Address:
M^r Peake
            Battersea near London
For M^rs Flinders

Stamped: PORTSMOUTH

Annotation: July 1801

                    Investigator – Spithead July 5. 1801

    Indeed, my dearest life, I fear thou art distreƒsing
thy self with reflections, in which at this period,
my love, particularly, thou oughtest not to indulge.
    I trust that a very short period indeed will now see
me absent from England, and each wasting day
will then bring nearer the period of my return. Rest
confident, my dear, of the ardent and u ^ ^na lterable affec-
-tion of thy own M.F:; he does love thee beyond
everything. I go, my beloved, to gather riches and laurels
with which to adorn thee; rejoice at the opportunity
which fortuitous circumstances give me to do ^ ^it . Wilt
thou not feel a pride in thy M? who will have gone
through so much, and with whose labours, individuals
in all parts of the world will be acquainted, and for
which they will thank him as an useful member
to society? Repine not then my dearest, at this ne-
-ceƒsary absence. What could we do without it?
    I ask of thee, my dearest girl, but two things. To
make thyself happy and to retain thy affection for
thy

wandering husband.
    Thou art anxious to get into Lincolnshire, and I
am very much so that ^ ^thou shouldst. By easy stages
I hope thou wilt soon be able to travel in company
with M^r Tyler.
    I think indeed it is only weakneƒs and anxiety,
that now hang about thee; banish the last, my dear-
est and the first will soon leave thee. Thou feelest
to be amongst strangers, and that tends to excite
uneasineƒs. When thou gettest to Partney, thy poor
head will be supported by the hand of affections
and thy woes soothed by the cheering voice of thy
excellent relations.
    Dost thou wish to make me happy, my dearest,
let me hear of thy composure. Thou must not weep,
or think otherwise about our seperation, than as
it is the medium through which we are to arrive
at independence, and as it will save us from fu-
-ture seperations. It is certainly, most neceƒsary to
our future happineƒs.
    I am pleased to find my meƒsmates improve
upon acquaintance; even young M^r Westall, though

his foolish days are not yet paƒsed. They are now over
at the Isle of Wight, botanizing and scrutinizing, being
as well as myself anxious to begin their labours.
    I am very sorry that thy eye again adds to thy
ills; but am satisfied that weeping and uneasineƒs
are the causes, if thou hast not lately caught any
cold.
    Be aƒsured, my love, that no opportunity
of writing to thee shall ever be paƒsed by. Madeira
will be the first place, and the C. of G. Hope most pro-
-bably the next. In two months after we sail, thou
mayest expect to have a letter.
    I beg of M^r and M^rs Peake again to accept my
remembrances and thanks; and of thee, my dearest
love, I beg, to consult thy happineƒs and mine, by
making thyself so composed and as cheerful as
poƒsible. Repine not at the ways of Providence.
Give not to Unbelievers an occasion to doubt thy
reliance in him; and rest aƒsured of the unalterable
affection of thy own wanderer
                                    M.F.