Hayley-XXI-71

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Derby Nov 11.^th 1792

My d.^r H

I sincerely congratulate you & the dear Boy on the resolution he has displayed, & on having got rid of so severe an enemy, for I conceive this to be the tooth which tormented him some years ago. Mr. Guy is a charming man & an excellent surgeon, but upon these occasions his feeling is rather inconvenient, as timidity is often infectious & upon such tryals the Patient (especially if they be young) requires encouragement

I write on a sunday & have discovered that I have only folio paper, & as I have neither time or materials to fill a folio you must excuse this illeg

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half sheet - were I to attempt a whole one I believe I could at present fill it with nothing but a history of the poor Arnolds & their affliction.

M^rs. Chambers returned to Derby on Friday evening after spending her summer with the dowager M^rs. Sargent. I called yesterday morning not only to pay my respects to this pleasant woman & her charming daughter from whom I have received constant kindnesses, but also from an earnestness to enquire how the gentle & feeling Arnoldo supported such a tryal. This is their second child & eldest daughter & was from M^rs. C–s account every thing that a parent could wish a child in person & understanding She was turned of seven, & had been

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placed at a school at Hackney only a fortnight while M.^r & M.^rs A made an excursion to visit some distan relations at a distance. on their return thro London he called & saw her perfectly well & happy in her situation, in four days after an express was sent to announce her danger, & in four more she expired of a disease called the Croop which has been fatal to many children in this neighbourhood this autumn. Arnoldo has acted as I should have supposed him upon the occasion, written constantly to his mother to try to support her spirits & to intreat her not to let this new affliction dwell upon her mind or to harrass herself with the idea of his sufferings. Upon M.^rs Chambers return to Derby they are gone to her in town upon a principle of duty which their friends think will be of

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service to them tho it is with great reluctance that they leave their children at Halstead poor old Mary it seems is half distracted but my paper & time obliges me to

William Hayley Esq^re.
Eartham
near
Chichester

quit this melancholy history With love to Tom I am y^r very sincere

Eliza Hayley