Leaf 1 recto

Cork August 24th 1778
GHAD/FD/3
Cork 24th August 1778

Dear Madam

I hope you are so good that you wont impute my
not answering your kind favor, only from the true cause;
which is the constant hurry I am always in; and from the
great aversion I have to writing, which hinders me
when I have a moment to spear of profiting of it.
I can express the pleasure it gave me, to hear from Miss
fitzsimons your health is so much better, I am in hopes that
this summer will reestablish it perfectly and that the Almighty
wont take you to himself till you see our rule established
in your city, as I think known can tend more to his
honour and glory in the world than it does. I wish it was in
my power, to do what you propos’d to me, and I should have
readily undertaken it, but I am so much involv’d in debt
as the first foundation cost me, between four and five
thousand pounds, and I can say with truth that wan farhen nobody
contributed to it till the Ladies began their new building
and Chaple, then some well dispos’d persons help’d towards it
and since they ladies come over they never spear’d me any