[dateline] July 22d 1786—Wimpole Street London
I have also to sollicit your Pardon my Dear Brother for haveing so long delayd writing
you. I know that you will overlook it and forgive me. You are not at this time uninformd
of the change which has taken place in our family, tho
<I have till now been silent> my pen has lain unemploy'd from the 29th of April to this day.
1 At present your Sister is settled in Wimpole Street about half a mile from Grosvenor
Square. I suppose Mamma will inform you of every particular that you may wish to be
informd of, and I will indeavour for the future to take up, the thread of my discourse
from the 22d of july, and continue to forward to you the subject of my reflections.
{ 283 } My friend will write you by this Conveyance,
2 and you must continue to favour me with your daily journal with as much freedom as
ever, for your sister is not alterd, only in Name. She feels if possible an additionl
attachment to her family, and more sollicitous to promote the pleasure and happiness
of each individual of it, and more interested in what may concern them. I have to
acknowledge the receipt of your N 13 14 15
3 by
<Clallihan>, and to assure you that they gave me great pleasure.
We were very glad to hear that you had entered Colledge, and I can easily excuse you
for not writing when you had so important a work to accomplish. Persevereance with
judgment with affect what ever you wish, that lies within your own ability. Yours
will I hope be directed to important and usefull objects to those which will render
persevereence Loudable. Many of the Customs at the University must undoubtedly appear
to you ridiculous, and the manners of the Governors, unnecessary. It is a misfortune
that People so often mistake the means, of promoting their importance and dignity
but it is the case in almost every class of Men. They attend to triffles, more than
to greater objects and often by such mistaken means destroy every particle of that,
which they are so anxiously sollicitous to Support. I have ever thought that dignity
exists in the mind and where it is not implanted by nature I am inclined to beleive
all the forms and rigid formalities that can be invented by Pride and folly can never
be mistaken by the least discerning for that, divine principle, possessd by a few.
I have seen, an affectation of dignity very often, but I have never seen but very
few, who possessd the real principle. You will I hope persevere in your resolution
to pay all proper respect to every Govenor of the University, and tho to me you write
with all possible Liberty you should be upon your guard, to others, especially in
Colledge where your example would <have weight>, be injurious to others were You to fail. I do not at all wonder at your observations.
The Death of Charles Warren must have been very distressing to Mrs W—— particularly.
I think he was the flower of the family. I am sorry for their misfortunes in every
way. W
[inslow's] Conduct must be the greatest affliction to them. Charles Storer has I think addopted
the most eligable plan he could and his friend must approve him, but I doubt whether
he is active and determined enough to overcome the Hardships and inconveniences to
which he must be subjected.
4 But I hope he will, for he is a very worthy Youth.
Before I proceed further I must notice that part of your letter
{ 284 } when you tell me you are learning the flute. This my Brothers gave me great uneasiness,
and permit me to intreat of you not to continue the use of it. You may be assurd that
it is extremely injurius to healhts. The first Complaints of Chareles W arrose from
playing upon the flute. I must beg of you to lay it aside and to persuade your Brothers
should they be so unwise as to use it to do so likewise. Charles would be more certain
to receive injury than you or Thomas, but I hope you will all be persuaded to desist.
It will be too Late when you feel the ill affects of it as you most certainly will,
ere long.
I thank you for the vrces inclosed pray who is Delia a real or, feignd, Character.
5 The verse is smooth and the sentiments just. I shall be pleased whenever you favour
me with your productions. I think it is a pleasing amusement and I dont see any disadvantages
arrising from it, provided you do not spend to much time or steal a little from more
important studies which I dare say
you will not.
[dateline] July 22d.
Mr Randall arrived last Saturday nigt. He left Mr Lamb at Madrid. They went to Algiers
but the Dey would not see them. After spending 6 days there they Left it and returnd.
Congress have not appropriated money enough for the purpose of Buying a peace. Mr
R— is for Building ships and makeing War on them. Mr Barclay, the last account were
from Macadore, about an hundred miles from Fez the seat of the Emperior of Morroco,
from whom Mr B had received Mules and a Guard to Conduct him to Fez. The E— is represented
as a very benevolent Good Man. Mr B, is much pleased with his excurssion. Tis a pitty
his motions were not a little quicker.
Mr R, will I suppose be married and go soon to N Y.
6
I have mentiond to you the
<Turkish> Tripoline Ambassador.
7 He made me a vissit the other day, he is very oald, and seems to be honnest and good,
in his Way. By Dr Gordon I was surprized not to hear from you. He has been to see
us twice and looks as meek, as Moses. I think he is really to be pittyd, for really
I dont see but his prospect is nothing less than wretchedness. In leaving America
he has shewn great want of judgment, for he finds that he cannot print his History
here without beeng Liable to procecution, and I suppose he placed all his dependance
upon that prospect of Publishing it. He has already I heard from Dr Price been abused
and insulted by one of his own Brotherhood, in a Coffe House where the dissenting
Ministers meet every Tuesday.
{ 285 } Indeed I think his situation must be distressing. Mr Ramseys History of the Revolution
in south Carolina, which is thought to be an impartial and well written Book, does
not sell, here, and the Bookseller dare not offer it for sale. In short nothing respecting
america nor any body or any thing from America, is esteemd or respected in this Country
excepting by a few very few individuals. I think the sooner we get out of the Country
the Better and I am very sure the sooner we return to America the happier for our
family, but Congress are so slow in their motions and somany months and years, employd
without affecting any thing, that tis enough to tire our patience. Ship after Ship
arrives, and no letters nor no news. Pappa has written I am sure quires of Paper to
Congress since his residence here, and, all he has yet got in answer is an acknowledgement
from Mr J— of the receipt of letters of Such and such dates. We are expecting the
June packet every day but whether it will bring any thing worth knowing is very uncertain.
This has you know been the Case ever since Pappa has been in Europe, and so I suppose
it will continue, this is entree nous. You have doubtless heard of Mr Humphriess arrival, and of Mr and Mrs Roggerss.
[dateline] 23d
Pappa has bought the Books you desird for and sends them by this Conveyance. Mr Appleton
is going home. I beleive I shall give him my Letters. He is to dine to day with us
in Grosvenor Square, with several other persons, amongst the No, is one singular Character,
a Major Langbornn from Virginia, who has, spent these two years in walking over Europe,
and in making his observations upon, every Class of Men, their Manners Customs &c—from
le Roy sur le throne, to the lowest of his subjects.
8 He appears to be a sensible Man, and from his appearance and Conversation you would
not suspect him of such an eccentricity of Character. He has been here about a week,
and has dined with us, several times at Grosvenor Square, where we are almost every
day.
Tomorrow we are going 25. miles out of Townn to visit Mr Brant Hollis, Nephew to the
Gentleman so well known in your Universsity. He is an agreeable pleasant oald Bachelor,
and we promise ourselves much pleasure from the excursion. The partty Consists of
Pappa and Mamma Mr Bridgen Mr S, and your sister. While I am there or upon my return
I will give an account of it.
I requested you some time since in one of my letters to send me a lock of your Hair.
9 I now repeat it and desire you to add to it a lock
{ 286 } of each of my Brothers, dont neglet it, but by the 1st opportunity after the receipt
of this, inclose them to me done up like yourself in three seperate papers—and remember
it is the first request made You by your sister