Helpstone near Market Deeping
Northamptonshire
July 10. 1826
My dear Madam
 

I feel realy ashamed to write to
you to tell you of my willingness to write a trifle for your
work after this long delay to do so for it seems to
contradict the assertion after I have said it yet the
cause of the delay was my attempting to send something
with the letter but I have not felt satisfied with what
I have as yet done & I feel it nesesary for good
manners sake to write to you without it to tell you
that I am anxious to do something & most assuredly will
wether it be good bad or indifferent the attempt will
be the same -– I am sure Slavery is an abominable
traffic & a disgrace to Mehomedism or much more
Christianity & they who sanction it cannot be
Christians for it is utterly at variance with religion
& nature -- I should have liked to have had all the
time I can to write a Trifle in as I am very ill at
a proposed subject & scarcely or ever succeed as I could wish
will a month or 5 weeks be soon enough I think a
few verses in the shape of a song on the "Negroe Boy"
would perhaps do if I can treat the matter as it should
be at least I will try & if you want it directly I must
trouble you if you please to write again to tell me so
if not I shall take my own time as above said I have
never heard of the Work you mention as I am but
seldom applied to for such matters in fact I live in such
an unknown corner of the Country that a letter hardly
finds out the way to me unless directed as above &
then there is often some difficulty but I hope this will
find you to assure you that I am ever anxious to assist
in every laudable endeavour as far as my humble
abilitys will permit me & that I am

My dear Madam
yours very respectfully
John Clare