X95/292/10

From: R.Shafto Hawks, Vestry of St.Mary, RotherhitheTo: Thomas Sworder, Hertford

18 Apr 1862

From: 1862 To: 1862

From: R.Shafto Hawks, Vestry of St.Mary, Rotherhithe [Surrey]; To: Thomas Sworder, Hertford "Your Letter received yesterday morning was of such a nature that I really could not bring myself to answer it before, feeling so much grieved on your account. It is very unfortunate but when we calmly look over the matter, I see that this misfortune has arisen through your goodness of heart in endeavouring to assist others, & bad as it is that those others should bring so much trouble upon you, yet it is a source of great comfort to feel that it has not arisen through any wrong act of your own. It does seem to me that you have no good cause to blame yourself. We are all living creatures & if you erred, it has been on that bright side of human nature emanating from a good & kind heart, desiring to assist the younger branches of your Family. I know you will feel this blow the more strongly on account of your wife & children, but I am greatly mistaken if any one of them who is able to understand any difference that might possibly happen in worldly position will not most cheerfully subscribe to everything that is necessary & strive to the utmost to make you happy & cheerful. And although I do not look upon this matter in so gloomy a light, it is only such reverses that bring out those best feelings amongst a Family, which afford a great consolation to any one in trouble. If there is now, or at any future time, anything in which in my humble way I can further the comfort of yourself & the interests of any of the Family, it will be a source of the greatest gratification for me to do so, as I can never forget your Kind generosity extended towards my Brother Edward (unfortunately with the same bad results to you). Your further goodness in sending Gurry to school at a time of the greatest import to him & when neither myself nor any Member of our Family could do it & your invariable Kindness to all of us at all times, these are obligations that I never can forget & shall never be able to discharge. It may be that a good Providence in His Wisdom may deal a severe blow, but it behoves us to bow meekly before it & to submit in as cheerful a manner as out frail nature will admit, but I feel the strongest Assurance that the man who has done the many beneficent & Kindly Acts that have marked your life will never be left to struggle through any trouble (however slight) without being guided & protected by His Wisdom, Aid & Comfort. With love to Fanny & the Children".

item

Sworder, Thomas,
Sworder, Frances Jane,
Shafto Hawks, R.,
Shafto Hawks, Edward

general correspondence, debt