08/07/2014

Letter from Beddome to Hall

In the archive at the Angus Library there is a letter from Beddome, dated February 18th, to ‘Richard Hall, hosier, of Red Lion Street, Southwark’. Written on a Saturday afternoon, this friendly letter asks Hall to purchase stock to the value of £100 and also mentions Mr Snooke. It has the greeting ‘to my good friend Mrs Hall’ and contains a hymn for her ‘By night, by day, at home, abroad’. Presumably Beddome had just completed it for singing the next day. The hymn is Hymn 498 in the posthumous hymnal.
It begins "I think my Account makes you Debtor ...". After the business part he writes
It being Saturday afternoon and my Head indisposd for thinking You will excuse my enlarging but I will send a few lines to my good friend Mrs Hall which I made at least the greatest part one Night after I was a bed not upon any particular Text but as expressive I hope of the Language of my own soul."
Six stanzas follow.
He ends "Thus I have almost filld up my Paper but cannot conclude without wishing You and your dear Spouse Soul prosperity & all Manner of spiritual Blessings Light in Darkness Peace in Trouble and mush of Heav'n upon Earth."
He then adds his wife's greetings to his own and concludes.

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