From T. Thorne Barnes at 6 Argyle Terrace, Plymouth, to [Lewis] Court.
Barnes promised his mother that he would look through the box of old letters that she left and destroy any that he felt it proper to be rid of. He has been so busy and he has had to read so many hundreds, many of which he has burned, that he has only just finished.
Among this enormous number there was none from either of the ladies named by Court.
He has enclosed the only ones that he thinks are likely to be of interest. They were written by William and Catherine O'Bryan and Barnes's Aunt Serena (Mrs Octavius Lake formerly Serena Thorne). He has also enclosed what remains of his mother's memoir.
Several of Barnes's grandmother's letters were stirring because of the firm faith which she expressed in God's goodness, despite the various ill with which she was afflicted. Many of them did however refer to matters which Barnes's mother wished to remain private and in Barnes's opinion rightly so. He has therefore destroyed many items which in some ways he would have liked to have kept.
He hopes that Court will be able to obtain what he desires from another source, but does not know who to suggest other than [William Bryan] Reed.
He would like the enclosures to be returned when finished with.
In a postscript, he mentions that Mrs [Serena] Lake was a preacher for many years.