Revised Jun 6 2021

No. 84. N. Heywood to A. Graham Esq'r.

Liverpool — 3d. Oct'r. — 1792

My dear Sir

Your own inestimable Goodness will I am persuaded render every Apology unnecessary for the abrupt Manner in which I take the Liberty to inform you that I am just arrived at this Place for which I sailed immediately on reciept of your Letter's to Dr. Scott on Sunday last — Those Letters Sir contained the first certain Account of the dreadful sentence passed upon my unfortunate & most beloved Brother — They arrived all together, the Packet having been detained upwards of a Week at Whitehaven by contrary Winds — For me to attempt a Description of the Anguish which wrung our Hearts (only rendered supportable by the Tenderness of your kind alleviating Epistles) wou'd be as impossible as it is to express the everlasting Gratitude which your unequalled Friendship & Goodness have excited in the Bosom's of us all — But I am sure you will at present readily excuse reflections of this Nature, which affect me too much! — & permit me to inform you that by the Advice, & with the Approbation of Dr. Scott, My Uncle Heywood, & all my other Friends, I sailed on Monday Morning early & have been at sea till this Hour (12 o Clock on Wednesday) & as the Accommodations of the Vessel were so wretchedly bad that I had not a Bed on which I cou'd lay down, you may imagine I must be a little fatigued — I am in too anxious a state of Mind however to rest a Moment, & by ten to night I shall be on my Way to Town. — I write this lest any Accident (which tho I hope not probable is yet possible) shou'd happen to myself — but as I shall set off at the same time I hope to reach London as soon as my Letter where with your Permission I shall have the Honor to assure you in person how very sincerely I am my dear Sir.

with the greatest respect & Esteem

  your eternally obliged

    & ever grateful hbl serv't.

      N: Heywood

P:S: Let me request Sir you will kindly excuse this hasty scrawl — for between the delightful Hope of again seeing my dearest Peter at Liberty which you have assured me & all of us we may indeed entertain, & my Fears for his safety which (pardon me) notwithstanding those Assurances, I cannot help, I am scarcely Mistress of myself! —