Hole, Felicia Elizabetha

Hannah More to Mrs Sarah Hole, June 30th 1815

Truly happy shall we be to see you amp; Your Sister;^* a ,daughter of yours you cannot doubt will be affectionately received.^* You must come and spend a long day. will have told you that my poor Sister , who was before very infirm has been keeping her bed five Weeks with a wound in her leg. I hope in a week or two she may be better able to enjoy seeing you. You will write and fix Your own day when it quite suits You. Write a few days before hand, (as the post is not always exact) lest we should any of us be from home, a circumstance however which rarely occurs.

Hannah More to Sarah (Sally) Horne Hole, 8 January 1816

I feel much pleasure at your report of dear Felicia. I hope it will please God to give her such a measure of his grace as to restrain her from the corruptions of a world which grows every year visibly more thoughtless, more dissipated, and more dangerous to a young, amiable, and inexperienced Mind. Rational Society, books well selected from History, Travels /Poetry/ and above all books of moral and religious instruction, together with those accomplishments which can be pursued and enjoyed, in the comforts of a home circle, form some of the truest and safest pleasures of life. I believe I recommended to you Sermons^*. I know nothing superior to them – solid, sober minded, and elegantly written.

Hannah More to Sarah (Sally) Horne Hole, 8 January 1816

Do you know that the Heroic Epistle to Little Sally Horne, is just republished together with the Search After Happiness, Bas bleu Florio &c in a little Lilliputian Volume price only half a Crown. It is printed to match the little Sacred Dramas published last year. You must know that I sold the Copy of these works many years ago to ; and this year some poor Needy Booksellers have published new Editions of these Works, this is downright piracy, and is robbing of their lawful property. In order to counteract these pirates Cadell has published these small editions at this low price and I shall be obliged to you to mention it to your friends not to buy anything of mine (except the Tracts) which has not the name of to it. I wish [tear] you would be so good as mention it [tear] any booksellers you may call upon. These small Editions sell rapidly in Bristol and London, I suppose they are got to Bath. Many are glad to get these Poems at so easy a rate as they were before sunk in the Mass of 18 Volumes^*. I can the better recommend these tiny Volumes as I have no interest in them, but I only wish to have justice done to my . You will excuse this long story. I congratulate You on your progress. God bless them both! , who are poorly, join in most affectionate regards to You. Mine to Miss Horne and the young Ones

Hannah More to Sarah (Sally) Horne Hole, 15 February 1817

I am glad to hear so good an account of your young people. Miss Hole I trust continues to apply to solid reading, and I hope does not suffer Music, elegant and pleasing as that talent is, to rob her of too much of her time, of which a fair proportion ought to be devoted, as I dare say it is, to better things I pray that she may get her religious principles so firmly rooted, that they may not be shaken by her commerce with the world hereafter.

Hannah More to Sarah Horne Hole, December 26th 1818

My poor health must plead my apology for my long silence; and a complaint in my eyes must excuse the shortness of my letter. I cannot however longer restrain the desire I have to send you my cordial congratulations on the happy prospect of your dear daughter’s union with a so every way worthy of her. Your character of is most interesting; and pleases me so much that I am much disposed to be Felicia’s rival and to fall in love with him myself. It is indeed a serious blessing to unite her to a man who is likely to promote her happiness in both /worlds/ and who will attend to her immortal interests as well as to her present comfort. May God bless them!

Hannah More to Sarah Horne Hole, August 3rd 1821

I rejoyce with you on the comfort you must derive from seeing your dear Children so happily settled, and about to be settled. I pray God to grant them his blessing, without which nothing is strong, nothing is holy; and that blessing is abundantly granted to all who live in his faith and fear, and who seek to promote his glory. My love to your amiable daughter and to your dear excellent , who I hope has not forgotten me. As to All the accounts I receive of that old and excellent friend are discouraging, as to any hope of improvement. I am willing to hope however that she suffers little pain, so her neighbour lately assured me.^*