Dorcas Brown letter to Charity Rotch, Providence,4 of 5 mo 1809

              B-236-2
  
     Dear Charity        Providence 4 of 5 mo: 1809
             This is our quarterly Meeting Day which
  indisposition, prevents me from attending-it is cause
  of considerable regret, but I have thought good
  might be derived from it.
     Thy acceptable letter my Beloved Charity jointly
  to my dear Husband & self, was duly received-
  which I believe I before acknowledged- it was
  encouraging & strengthening to our Minds, & I hope
  when thou feels ability thou will not withhold from
  us, thy affectionate remembrance--thy Brothers
  S. Rodman & W. Rotch went yesterday to Greenwich
    -the former, kindly Lodged one Night with us-
  -we were glad to have his company, we had
  abefore heard of the decease of his son Thomas-
  but he gave us a more particular account-
  which you doubtless have received- it is indeed
  an afflicting dispensation, & would have been so
  had he been at home with his affectionate Parents
  & friends- abut its being otherwise, augments the
  stroke, & renders it still harder.  but as
  mercy is designed in our bitterest cups, may
  they be received  as from his had, who orders all
  things, in unerring wisdom, tenderness & love,
  tho' to us short-sighted mortals they may not seem so
    that I have very tenderly felt with the
  dear Parents, in the removal of their Son- whose
  youth & health, perhaps a very short time since
  seemed to promise many days, & what a lesson
  of instruction to his surviving associates and
  acquaintance- in general- that neither
  youth nor health, can shield from the shafts
                                         of death