Thornton, Maria Eyre

Hannah More to Marianne Sykes Thornton, April 5th 1809

I write a few lines to thank you for your kind solicitude about me, when you yourself were probably suffering so much more. Mrs. R. T. confirms the account of your very oppressive cold, Which I hope /will be removd by/ the blessing of God on this fine change in the weather, for it is now raining green pease and goosebery Tarts: and our grass, which on Sunday was as brown as a Mat is now as green as an Emerald. I thank God my fever has given way and I am again much better, tho I had an ague fit the night before last, as I generally have on every change of weather. I heartily rejoyce at the improvd account of who spent a long day here Yesterday (which prevented my writing) thinks he looks tolerably. In addition to her heavy sorrows,2 she is now involv’d in two or three /law/ suits which are this moment trying at Our Assizes, and in which, as her Antagonist (her late Steward) a friend of a deep designing Man has made a party against her, I fear she will be cast. Every thing however which relates to money is a trifle compared with her other causes of sorrow.4

Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, 9 October 1815

I was prepared for your truly afflicting intelligence by a preparatory letter from , our most kind and considerate friend in both the calamitous events of the present sad year.^* It would be difficult to say whether I mourn most deeply over the state of the body, or rejoyce most triumphantly over that of the mind of my . I will not add to your sorrows by dwelling on my own, but I will say that no one out of her own family can feel deeper sorrow than myself. I know I ought not to dwell on this distressful side of the question, but keep my eyes more intently fixed on that bright side to which your piety points my attention. May God’s holy name be praised that in this second conflict she is enabled by his grace so to glorify her Redeemer. My prayers for her are fervent and frequent. She is much on my mind in my long nightly vigils. But I feel that I stand more in need of her prayers than she of mine; Her purified spirit is ascending to her God and Saviour She must be lifted by a mighty faith, to manifest such serenity and resignation under circumstances so peculiarly trying to her affectionate maternal heart. Some months ago, before her illness, Mrs. R. Thornton (from whom I have not since heard) put me in mind of an expression of mine on my first acquaintance with your dear Mother nineteen Years ago – ‘that she would make a good Martyr.’ I did not think I had so much penetra /tion/

Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, November 5th 1823

My most affectionate respects to and , and my love to all the Thornton’s in the world, not forgetting Aunt Robert who I hope goes on with tolerable health.

Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, November 20th, after 1825 and before 1828

Kind remembrance to Aunt Robert
All the gentry below stairs
send their kind duty, especially
the illustrious ^*