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LETTER THIRTEEN.


London,

February 18, 1839.

My Dear Father,

My sister, in a letter which I received last Friday, informed me of your sudden and alarming illness; but I hope you are now much better, and trust that I shall learn from her next letter that you are safely restored to your former state of health. I had the pain of learning from the same letter of the increased illness of my poor mother. This did not surprise me, but I sincerely hope I shall be surprised the next time I hear from you by the assurance of her being more comfortable and happy. He who, in His wisdom and chastening^ love, has so long and so heavily afflicted my beloved mother, and who now has brought you, my dear father, to the

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