Frowd, Mary
Hannah More to Sarah Horne Hole, August 3rd 1821
For my own part I am enabled this morning to prepare near seven hundred rewards for my d[tear]est Schools. They are flourishing and tho I am not able to attend them myself, yet I have an amiable and pious Young friend who spends her Summers with me, and in many respects supplies my lack of service. She is a Niece of , very pleasant, and strongly attached to me.
Hannah More to Mrs Smith, 1822
I have lost my amiable Secretary* for a few weeks. My health is very far from being perfectly restored, nor is it perhaps good for me that it should. I am in the best hands, and desire only an entire submission to his will. I am very much better than there was any prospect I should ever be
To Lady Olivia Sparrow, 29 October 1822
I will not touch on the many painful topics which have lately occurred – I rejoyce to find however that tho his loss can never be supplied, dear ’s family are left in comfortable circumstances. I had feared the contrary. – has lent me for a short time in the absence of my other friend. She leaves me to morrow. I have always some inmate to receive my company below, write my letters and carry on the family devotions, and read to me
Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, November 5th 1823
What is become of you? Where are you? What are you doing? It would indeed be more ‘germain to the Matter’ to put these interrogations to me, as I have long been in your debt for a delightful letter. There is another reason for your not asking where I am, as I am sure to be found in the bow window in my bed chamber. It is now about two years since I have been down stairs, and I think four years and a quarter since I have been in any house besides my own. It is not at present that my locomotive powers are not equal to travel down stairs, but that this unmannerly summer – as calls it, made my good order me to run no risque. I have however a pleasant prison, and am not anxious for a jail delivery. My health is much /better/ , thro the great mercy of God, than there was any human probability would ever be the case; with frequent solitary interruptions of bad nights. This is necessary to remind me that this is not my rest, and that this short reprieve is granted me for the great work of repentance and preparation. I see a good deal of company in the middle of the day, too much my Doctor thinks, but have yet had no one to sleep but the ,* and another friend. But the Post occupies and fatigues me much /more/ than my guests. If you saw my table most days, you would think, if I were not a Minister of State, I was at least a Clerk in a public Office and these pretty businesses it is, that so often prevent my writing to those dear friends with whom it would be my delight to have more intercourse I find however a good deal of time to work with my hands, while Miss Frowd reads for the entertainment of my head. The learned labours of my knitting Needle are now amassing to be sent to America to the Missionary Society* who sell them there, and send the produce to the Barley Wood School at Ceylon.* So you see I am still /good/ for something.
Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, August 5th 1824
We have had our Bible Anniversary at Wrington. It was held under a tent. There were some good men and good speakers. The élite of the assembly were invited to dine at Barley Wood to the number of 18. Miss Frowd did the honours, poor I having my usual scrap sent up to my room. To this room the greater part came up in the afternoon. Among others were the Pakenhams from Ireland /excellent persons/ Sister and brother to the * (by the way she was here once and all the Langford family)* , dear and and * &c &c For T. would not let us part without desiring this good Arminian to perform the family devotions, and it was really a very edifying Scene. The day before this, I had a visit from another dear friend the , and the day after a very agreeable one from the again, to introduce our .* Of the latter I was a little afraid at first, lest he should consider me a little unsound in point of orthodoxy as he is particularly strict and high Church. But I think I never met with so kind, I may say so warm and even affectionate reception from a total stranger. We are the best friends imaginable and he is coming again. I have not done with my Episcopal-ism yet. – For yesterday who should make his appearance but my and his .* Forster we had a sweetly comfortable day and these kind Souls were so full of feeling, thinking it likely that we should never meet again, that both of them actually shed tears at parting, after keeping their horses two hours at the door, God bless them! I think we are come a little nearer in sentiment, at least we agreed to differ. They were late in the evening to Wells to that . I cannot press my friends to stay all night, as I cannot see them late at night, nor before noon next day – But this exclusion will not extend to you and dear and when your Western excursion takes place. I shall rejoyce to receive /you/ for a night or two and shall turn you over to Miss Frowd for supper and breakfast &c. – we talkd you over pretty well with the Limerick’s* yesterday. I believe they miss you full as much as you do them.
Hannah More to Mrs Smith
Miss Frowd desires her best compliments
Hannah More to Mr Pigott, 28 July 1824
Having heard thro’ my Neighbour * that your dear and amiable Lady has happily passed thro’ her expected trial, I cannot refuse myself the gratification of offering you my very cordial congratulations on an event so essential to your comfort and happiness. I pray that it may please our heavenly Father to bless the life preserved, and the life given. I beg the favour of your presenting my most affectionate regards to ; in which Miss Frowd desires to join. I also desire my particular love to my dear little friend.
To Lady Olivia Sparrow, 18 October 1825
How shall I sufficiently thank you for your very great kindness in sending me such a bountiful supply. I had not reckoned on so large a Sum, and it will set me at ease as to some excesses into which I have been almost irresistibly drawn. I must /have/ contracted some of my concerns if I were younger; but never reckoning upon another year I do not think it right to distrust Providence by abridging my little Schemes – Little indeed compared to the ample extent of Yours. Only think of the graciousness of God to give you the heart as well as the means to educate, and thus rescue from ignorance, and as far as human exertion can go, from Sin, every child in your Parish! under your own immediate /Eye/ too! Oh The Magnitude of the good cannot be estimated. But oh to anticipate those cheering words Well done good and faithful Servant, enter Thou into the joy of the Lord!* If I were not on the very verge of Eternity, I should earnestly request (what I dare not now give you the trouble) for a copy of your plans, as I know all yours are will digested; but I shall never again visit my schools (which are unfortunately at a distance)* Yet my young /Friend/ does what she can, and visits them when the weather permits, and I should be gratified to furnish her with any instructions of yours. Her heart is much in the business. She has a cultivated & pious Mind
Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, 3 July 1826
My poor Women’s Club feast /in/ different Parishes are just over, my good friend Miss Frowd presides at these Anniversaries, and entertains with Tea some hundreds at each place. I call her the Queen of Clubs. 500 Milk Cakes from Bristol and about 14 dishes of Tee are devoured. My Clubs are, I thank God, thro’ my long perseverance become rich. There will be about £1500 among them when I die.
Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, 3 July 1826
Miss Frowds best regards. She longs
to see you, as does your ever affectionate and faithful
H
More
Hannah More to Mrs Smyth Pigott, after 1826
Miss Frowd joins in best regards
with my dear Madam
Your very faithful
and obliged
H More
To Lady Olivia Sparrow, 2 Nov 1827
You will see by the inclosed that I have embarked in another of my adventurous Sallies. Will you /will/ have the goodness to circulate it It pleases my heavenly Father to have spared me to a great age, to give me more time for repentance and preparation. Thro the piety and kindness of an excellent young Lady, a Niece to Lord Exmouth who almost lives with me, I am enabled to carry on my numerous distant Schools, Female friendly Societies &c. She is hands and eyes to me.
Hannah More to Thomas Dyke Ackand, after 1828
Miss Frowd’s best respects.
Hannah More to Mrs Smith, unknown date [According to Smith]
My good friend Miss Frowd is so
kind as to take the pen from me, as my eyes are not equal to say
more than that I am my
dear Madam
faithfully yours
H More
Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, Thursday, unknown date
The were with me when your very welcome letter arrived. – Come! come! I shall be most happy to see you and dear , and not the least glad to see my dear , the last I believe left in this land of nunnery abroad. Tell that Mary is very glad at the prospect of having such a helper in cleaning and cooking, and I will pay her wages for hard work by giving her a kiss every morning. I am glad you go to the first – as soon as you arrive there send me a line to warn the welcome hour when I may expect the really great gratification of seeing three such dear Creatures. It was certainly my turn.*
Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, Thursday, unknown date
Miss Frowd bids me say she shall be happy to make your acquaintance. She and desire best regards -
To Lady Olivia Sparrow from Mary Roberts on behalf of Hannah More, 01 May [1830]
It is now some time since dear has quite ceased from corresponding with her Friends, she has therefore requested me to assure your Ladyship of the very great pleasure with which she received the late kind & affecte. Communication from one whom she remembers with such unfeigned esteem & regard. Of those Friends indeed whom she yet does retain in her memory she has the most kind & warm recollections, but it is the Will of the Almighty that this faculty of her mind should visibly & rather rapidly decline; its amiable qualities however remain in full vigour, & as her benevolence is still exercised in a degree only limited by the very utmost extent of her pecuniary ability, her prolonged life is a great blessing to very many. The recollections too of the truly beneficial purposes to which she employed her fine intellect when it was in full vigour, must endear her to all who estimate talents only as their influence is exerted for the glory of the great Grace, & the benefit of His creatures – she has still many cheerful spirits & is very open to enjoyment & to the attentions of those immediate friends who surround her, with whom she is generally able to converse Collectedly & very pleasantly but as the introduction of Strangers now bewilders & fatigues her, it is deemed, by those who love her best & therefore consider her most, advisable to admit none but very old & intimate acquaintances to intercourse with her, altho’ to enforce such a restriction requires (it is found) a very Strenuous and determined effort, & brings upon Miss Frowd, the kind & affecte. friend who constantly lives with her, some reproach & ill will. & myself inhabit a house not fifty Yards from her abode,* & see her some part of most days, indeed are frequently her intimates.