Dunn, William
Hannah More to Marianne Sykes Thornton, February 1815 [copy, presented to EM Forster by his great aunt, Marianne Thornton]
But Gods Ways are not as our Ways. Poor dear * may He comfort her – no one else can What an effort my dear friend did you make to write me those few kind lines. – Whom I take to be a son of *, finished the letter in a way that has made him Stand high in my opinion. It was written in a fine spirit, & will you thank him for me It would give you a sort of sad consolation to see how every one who writes to me expresses themselves on the Subject of your beloved . Sorrow makes even eloquent. Mr. Dunn who has been staying with us is always sublime. From men like these who could judge & feel his Merit one expected it but I was pleased with an expression of the General feelings in more ordinary Men living in the turmoil of trade which is apt to blunt the feelings, but whose Shop is crowded with the first sort of Men. I mean my bookseller, , who writes thus ‘The death of your distinguished friend has excited a sensation of grief, more general & distressing than we remember to have witnessed’ This was said of the feelings of the world at large – my other letters being from religious men. Said no more than was expected of them. I am truly anxious about your health. Grace may enable you to subdue your mind but I fear Your body will not be so submissive. Every time you look on your sweet children, this duty will be pressed homeward to you – in a way you will not be able or willing to resist. I know not yet whether you have returned to Clapham. The events of these last three Weeks form the Chief Subject of our conversation. I think much of you – at a time when I hope you are not thinking of yourself – in the dead of night – for my nights are in general bad. We have paid to our departed friend the tribute of wearing mourning – it is nothing to the dead, but may testify to the living who are about us, our reverence for exalted piety & virtue. Though our friends have been very kind, they are naturally so full of their own sorrows that it is some time since I have heard especially of you.
Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, 28 January 1819
Had I written a few days ago I could have given you a favourable report of my .* but she has had another of her alarming attacks in the lungs and is just now now faint and weak. I thank God, who is always better to me than I deserve, that I have been tolerably for some weeks. Your account of the increasing excesses of the Baringites is shocking.* I begin to think now that the worse they are the delirium they have excited will be the sooner cooled. What between the blaze of these new lights and the frost of the worldly clergy our poor church is sadly threatened. I would not send off this which I cannot ever look over but that to morrow there is no post, and may be in suspense. Mr. Dunn has been false-hearted, for I thought he would have looked in upon us again. I rejoyce is so popular. He cannot be more so than he deserves. if he woud talk more he would be perfect. I am glad his rare talents have such a field. I am afraid tho, that it is a weedy, tho far from being a barren field. I long to know whither the School for the Sons of the great at which sent me the prospectus prospers, if it does I shall hail the omen for poor Ireland. I grieve for dear illness. I do love her. I am glad you nursed her so kindly
Hannah More to Marianne Sykes Thornton, November or December 1809
I have been in much care for a most amiable friend. Mr. Dunne, of whom you must have heard speak as one of the brightest ornaments of the Irish Church. He is indeed a Gem of the first water – His lungs being weak He was sent away from his pulpit for a year. was in good health, but near her time.9 She passed her confinement very happily at Clifton long after which she was seized with a fever of the most afflicting kind – She who came over well is dead, /he/ who was ill is recovered! – His loss is inexpressible, so is his piety – wrote instantly to me to get him here, I was thankful I had had the thought, and /had/ written to him to come instantly – He came but his relations being arrived he could not stay – I never saw so heroic a Sufferer – He does indeed glorify God by his behaviour. She was a woman of uncommon Merit, and [a] [tear] woman of fashion. He says her whole life was employd in leading him to heaven – Remember us all kindly to your friends