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