Dorcas Brown letter to Charity Rotch, Providence, 30 of the 9th Mo 1812

              B-236-8
    
             Providence 30 of the 9 Mo 1812
    -not having felt much ability of late for writing, my pen
  hath been longer silent than usual, never the less, thee & thy
  dear companion have been frequently in remembrance, & now
  having a direct opportunity by Alexander Skinner, I cannot
  withhold my tribute of grateful & affectionate remembrance
  of you my endeared friends, he gives a pleasing account of
  your settlement & situation, he is also well pleased with it
  himself, I should admire to see you in your new habitation
  -the distance however is so great, that I never expect it !
  I feel very glad, my Dear Charity, tht the change proves
  so beneficial to thee, I begin to fear that it will be your
  permanent home, that you will hardly remove within our
  Borders agian~ & if it is right that you should remain there, 
  I hope to be content.--Thy friends here & here away
  are in usual health, James Arnold & Wife, their Aunt
  M. Rotch, & their Sister Mary, left us this week for New
  Bedford.  Sally looks in very delicate health, she is a sweet
  interesting Woman, they all visited us on first day last, 
  Sally mentioned thee with affection , & spoke of the encouragement
  thou gave her of perhaps, boarding in her family, if thou went
  to Bedford to live, & that she loved Aunt Charity, etc etc. 
  last evening thy Nephew & Neice, Samuel & Lydia Rodman
                                          way
  call'd here, they had been a part of the ^ home with William
  Fisher & Wife, who had been making them a visit at Bedford
  I believe they went as far as Hartford, she appears to be 
  a very amiable Child, I loved her for coming to see us, her
  Parents & Grand-Parents on both sides I loved.  My Brother
  O Williams is yet on the move, but is not yet fixed on the Spott-
  He is I believe looking towards the Ohio, but the distance is
  great, & his family numerous.  Sister would be willing to go almost
  any where with a prospect of doing better.  He has thought 
  of going to look this Winter,  & I think it probable that he will
  reach the Ohio--A. Skinner dined with us, & is now
  about setting off for Leicester, that I must shorten my letter-
  If I could see thee, I should have many things to say, but
  they must rest for the present, & in that Love that is not
  subject to change, in which my O B tenderly unites, I rest thy
      affectionate friend.  D Brown