The Cotman Letters 1835-1837

{typed transcript}
(Postmark “Manchester MY 9.1837).

Addressed to:
Single letter
Mr. M. E. Cotman
Mr. Slaters
Upper Hay Market
Horwich.

/
{handwritten}
Manchester May 4th 1837
I George St. Piccadilly

/
{typed transcript}
My dear John
I received your letter this day and was much delighted to hear from you. We are so much alike in almost every thought that not to be much attached to each other would be unlike any thing I can possibly imagine, and you know as well as I do the greatest affection has every and will ever exist between us. in fact, as You say, we have shared each other’s pleasures and lightened each other’s , if not exactly woes, at least small troubles, and I trust we ever shall, at least believe me in saying it shall ever be the uppermost wish in my mind, so continue to think and act according to that principal. I learned from Norfolk You had been rather poorly, so have I, but am well now, and find by the tenor of your letter you are better also, this so such a strange world that we are in that when most afflicted we are perhaps the best off, that is if not so at the time of the pain of illness are in a state of preparation for improv’d and better circumstances it has ever been so with Father as you know and for that reason he has adopted the motto. “Man’s extremity is Gods opportunity” and I am certain the truth of the Motto is illustrated in my case, for I was in extremity enough as you know and too I am delivered and so it will be with all and the more patiently we bear our lot whatever it be and the quieter we conduct ourselves under pain of any sort the sooner it will be removed and we are presented again to the world as new beings cleansed from X , and are fine Gold or like the Grub. which lies without life or motion for a time at last becomes a beautiful Fly a perfect animal of its Specie and so it is with us we may be afflicted with pain in the body or the limbs for a time and may be prevented