Address: Captain Flinders

                    Beverley July 4^th 1810

      I will not aƒsent it as a fact my dear Matthew,
but certainly I have a strong persuasion in my mind
that you have forgotten that your demi-sister Bell
is in existence. Is it something in the air of that vile
Isle of France, which has the effect of the waters of {lethargy}
on you? But I believe I can account for your inatten=
=tion in another, and more probable way; I think it
is almost invariably the case, when we unfortunate
Damsels begin to grow rather antiquated, and to "[illegible]
virgin thorn of single bleƒsedneƒs" that you young
Blades begin to neglect us, it is very cruel, tho' very
natural, & therefore I must forgive you, but I am
determined not to do it, until I have told you that I
think you very idle, and good-for-nothing. ——
To tell you the news of the Country would be useleƒs,
as Ann is scribbling to you from morning to night,
you will before you read my letter, be acquainted with
our removal to Beverley in Yorkshire, & all the
rest of it, my Mother, Ann & I live together in a dear

house, the smallest you perhaps ever saw, it is however
very comfortable, & , but that happineƒs is not the lot of
mortals, a certain portion of bitter, is ever mixed in our
cup of sweets, I believe I shoud be happy, but my Mothers
health is far from good, and Ann is always fidgeting &
twittering about you, and that she says much, but I often
see her eyes red, and swell'd, although I use many argu=
=ments to persuade her that she has more cause to re=
=joice, than to grieve, for my part, if I were ever sure
my husband would be taken abroad, and confined there
for nine, or ten years, I would marry tomorrow, tell
old De Caen when I have a husband I'll send him
to him, and he may have the gratification of keep=
=ing him tied by the leg, as long as pleases.
      My Mother and I were at Ramsgate last summer, we
went by water, and paƒs'd between Sheerneƒs and the
great Nore, how I thought of you, and the poor old
Investigator, do you remember my being on board there.
What fun it was to be sure. M^r & M^rs Peake are now
fix'd at Ramsgate, & are I hope doing very well, he did not
succeed in the vitriol concern, I dare say you remember
Ann, their daughter, she is become a great stout woman,

and is very soon to be married to a young Dutch man,
he came over last autumn to see her, and, as on account of
the war, intercourse between England & Holland was cut
off, he continued to get out in an American, conceal'd in a
box of hams, it must be pretty good kind of love I think
that would keep a man alive in a box of bacon. You
perhaps recollect my two cousins Bell & Elizabeth Hip=
=pins, you will be surprised to hear that Bell is become
a very elegant woman, not handsome it is true, but
a remarkably fine figure, very tall (Do you know
I am not a bit bigger than your wife, how provoking,
when of all things I wish to be tall) I spent three months
with them last winter, the first time I have visited
the Metropolis since I went with you, my Aunt looks
quite young as ever, and my Uncle is as disagreeable
nay, if I must speak the truth, I shall say ten times
more disagreeable if poƒsible, than when I saw him
before —— Do you think you shall ever see dear little
England again? Don't you long to see its white cliffs.
I'm sure you must. I have for many years laid by my
best gowns for the purpose of visiting Captain Flinders
on his return, in the event of his being made Port Admiral
but I have so repeatedly been disappointed that I have
given up the practice — Give my love to all the D'Arifats

I'm sure they are charming people, I long to see them
I wish you would write to me in French, I could read
your letter, tho' I could not reply to it in the same.
language. — If you don't make haste home
all your friends will be either married, or dead, or
the former within a short time we may reckon three
in your own family, your Aunt Penelope, your Cousin
Henrietta, & your Sister Hannah, Henrietta too I hear
is shortly to be added to the list — I will wait your
return if poƒsible, but pray do not tarry long, in the
        mean time I am your most affec^ate Bell Tyler