132. Robert Bloomfield to Catherine Sharp, 5 June 1804* 

near the Shepherd & Shepherdess City Road June 5 1804

Madam

Any proofs of kindness and esteem from your worthy family will henceforth be received by me without surprise, but not without the sincerest respect and affection for you all. I send six copies of my little poem & will certainly endeavour to particularise the why and the wherefore of its publication when I have the pleasure of seeing you, which I hope to accomplish some day next week. [1] 

The manner and conditions of your invitation proves that you think as you write and that you have got the right measure of my mind and peculiarities.

There is one section in your letter which almost provokes me to moralise for an hour, but as I am not writing a sermon, I will only say that for any one and, may I say, particularly a young lady to evince perfect happiness in their situation, and be sensible of Heaven's blessings, is a gigantic step gain'd in the school of human life. To feel and to know that you 'have everything that can make life desirable' is indeed excellent. I mean no imputation on young ladies, I love them all too well, but they will not all stop to think and in this my opinion I will remain

Madam your most Obdt svt

Robert Bloomfield

I will endeavour to be your guest on Sunday or Monday but may not be able to keep my appointment, therefore will make none