Metadata
Title
Roswell Elmer to Sarah Josepha Hale
Date
1829-08-27
August 27, 1829
Subject
Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell, 1788-1879
Medium
Manuscripts
Language
eng
Type
text
Collection
Sarah Josepha Hale Collection, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Identifier
46-M-191
Rights
http://www.philaathenaeum.org/rights.html
Text
Charlottesville (Albemarle Co.)Va. Aug. 27, 1829
To: Mrs. Sarah J. Hale.
Dear Madam: - Your letter of July 16, has been received.
I have delayed an answer until I was about to
leave this place, for the purpose of trying my own perseverance
in the steps which I am about to take - my inclinations
& feelings prompting me to return to my "air home"
and the scenes of my dearest recollections; but my ambition
leading me into the uncertainties of adventure
- whence either they may be crowned with success or
defeated by misfortune. - My resolution is now fixed
- and I am about to try a scheme which has engrossed
my thoughts and inquiries for the last five months. --
On the 29th inst. I shall take the Southern Stage for Salisbury,
N. Carolina; whether I remain there any considerable
time is uncertain, but it is probable until
a cool weather comes on; - when I may go South - if my
"air castles" shall have then vanished - - - -
It would have pleased me much to have been a [shorer?]
in your visit home - To have seen my old friend and
master -"Col. Boston" noosed in those silken fetters with
which he has been so long dandling - May all good and
kind Spirits watch over and bless him! I perfectly
agree with you in your sentiments of his character and
virtues. - His are kind & ardent feelings - too sensitive
sometimes, for his own convenience, but always honest
and honorable. I wish him success in his present
undertakings - One thing only, have I against him - that of
neglecting to answer a letter which I wrote him, while at
[?]; but I have properly concluded that he has
more important business and [?] calls than waiting
upon me - that his opinion of me is by no means as favorable
as I may have flattered myself - so adieu. I am pleased to
notice the late [arranger?] - cuts of [?] Spectator. Mr. French I
think manages his paper with taste & credit, and my old
friend & companion Metcalf who finds an opportunity for
the display of his genius & industry. It might be a good establishment
in any other state than New Hampshire; for
such is the competition that only a small profit can be realized
from a newspaper establishment in that place, though it may
yield there a good support. I am in hopes that Metcalf will succeed
- he brings a good share of industry & good habits to
the undertaking. - - - Mrs. [Forwith's?] remembrances, I believe,
you put upon me for a quiz - but no matter - The friendship
which I formed for Mrs. Forwith & family, while at Newport, I
am now, and always shall be happy to remember, as
well as for yourself, and many other of the good people,
whom I have met "in days o' auld lang syne." - - - You ask
me to "give you a description of the Virginia ladies - that you
may publish it in the Magazine." Oh, no! I never perpetrated
a line for the public eye, in all my life - nor can
I now enter into a dissertation on a subject so intricate and
presenting so many [?] varieties & changes as do these, the
very sine qua non of all the perfection & loveliness. I cannot
do this. Were I to make an effort I could not do them justice;
for I have not had time and opportunity to know much of the real
character of the people of Virginia - and much less will I
meddle with that if the ladies! - - Since I have been
here I have kept myself rather retired, as I felt myself
a stranger among them and perceived the stifled prejudice
of the people against "Yankees" - or northern people; yet I have
often been invited to attend parties, et cetera. I have attended
two cotillion parties, where I have met some very pretty ladies
[ED: the following appears in red ink, written sideways on the page through
the above text, and is difficult to read. Follows page 4, which references the red insert]
and [low?] as any that I have ever seen - So that all is not
[gossip?]! Yesterday towards evening, I returned having spent
two days very pleasantly. Indeed none can complain of the hospitality.
as for Virginians, though they are jealous of Northern people,
[correctly?][?] [?] [much?] [?] no [?] [?]"Yankee peddlers [?]
adventurers- I must conclude, for the rain is falling
fast & the thermometer stand at 64° all day, which has quite
[diminished?] [?] [senses?] - But, when I shall leave
reached a warmer clime you shall again hear from poor
'Tom Quigg. A wanderer." I look forward to the time, when
I shall again meet you together [?] [?] [?] [?]
-fondly [nothing?] [?] trusting to me [that?] happiness [at?] a [future?]
time which will [do?] [for?] the present. Lo Adieu,
dear reader - my grateful remembrances are ever
yours - - - Roswell Elmer, Jr.
ladies. I should not utter my real sentiments were I to say, that
they exceeded in beauty & accomplishments the fair of my own state,
& were I to speak against them I should do them an injustice. - They
spend more of their time in dancing & visiting and less to study &
to improvement of the mind than ladies of the same wealth
in N.E. They make but a light matter of riding 15 miles on horseback
to a dinner party (Indeed [they?] can ride no other way on account
of the badness of the roads, and the bye paths in which they have to
travel across plantations, [etc.]) The prettiest dancer that I have met
among the ladies was Miss Randolph, a sister of Dr. Jeff. Randolph
- she is the youngest of the family - about 17. She is not handsome,
nor are any of the family. Mr. T.J. Randolph is a man of about
35 years of age, six feet two inches high & quite spare in form -
His right arm is useless from a wound received from his
brother-in-law (Fawcett who married his sister) with a dirk
knife in a quarrel. Fawcett is a dissipated man, and becomes mad
when intoxicated - His wife died four years since, and it is said by
many to have been occasioned by his ill-treatment. Mr. Randopl
is as much esteemed as any man in the county He lives at a beautiful
residence called "Edgehill"(tho' not the scene of a no[ED: page damaged]
that title, published in Richmond last season. The day before
yesterday I took a ride down to Everettsville, about eight miles
distant, to visit some friends with whom I had become acquainted
there. I had an opportunity of seeing the plentious
[harvest?] & every thing pertaining to a country life. - Col. Rodgers
thinks his corn crop will amount to [7,500?] bushels & his wheat crop
in proportion - Imagination can hardly conceive the beauty of
[these?] luxurious [fields] of golden grain. I went about a mile
& a half further to the plantation of Col. Lindsay where I stayed
until the next evening. I had spent a day, before, with Col. L. and
now came to bid him good bye for the last time perhaps! His
hospitality I can never forget - To meet with the friendly & hospitable,
in a land of strangers, is like the cheering rays of the noonday
sun - dispelling the mist of sadness which dwells upon the
mind of the wanderer. His farm consists of about eight hundred
acres of land & fifteen negroes - and he is himself a practical [farmer?].
His house, two stories high tho' not large or splendid, but surrounded
surrounded with beautiful shade trees. With an agreeable wife and
family of six children - the oldest daughter of 17, just married.
- I could not fail to be agreeably entertained. The house was not
finished, or furnished with the splendid furniture which you
meet in the houses of farmers of half the wealth in N. England;
but every thing appears in a most rustic form. But still
they live at their ease, - [DE: and] every thing [DE: must] being done by the
servants. With regard to the employment of the ladies - they would
be considered idle by the people of the north; But who would be industrious
if they could do without exertion? Many of the ambitious
middling class of people are industrious & in some measure
follow the customs of the north - but the customs & habits are
so fixed that they cannot well get along without falling into the
modes of the majority. Every kind of laborious work must be
done by the negroes. There are some white people here who are as poor
See red [insert?]
To: Mrs. Sarah J. Hale.
Dear Madam: - Your letter of July 16, has been received.
I have delayed an answer until I was about to
leave this place, for the purpose of trying my own perseverance
in the steps which I am about to take - my inclinations
& feelings prompting me to return to my "air home"
and the scenes of my dearest recollections; but my ambition
leading me into the uncertainties of adventure
- whence either they may be crowned with success or
defeated by misfortune. - My resolution is now fixed
- and I am about to try a scheme which has engrossed
my thoughts and inquiries for the last five months. --
On the 29th inst. I shall take the Southern Stage for Salisbury,
N. Carolina; whether I remain there any considerable
time is uncertain, but it is probable until
a cool weather comes on; - when I may go South - if my
"air castles" shall have then vanished - - - -
It would have pleased me much to have been a [shorer?]
in your visit home - To have seen my old friend and
master -"Col. Boston" noosed in those silken fetters with
which he has been so long dandling - May all good and
kind Spirits watch over and bless him! I perfectly
agree with you in your sentiments of his character and
virtues. - His are kind & ardent feelings - too sensitive
sometimes, for his own convenience, but always honest
and honorable. I wish him success in his present
undertakings - One thing only, have I against him - that of
neglecting to answer a letter which I wrote him, while at
[?]; but I have properly concluded that he has
more important business and [?] calls than waiting
upon me - that his opinion of me is by no means as favorable
as I may have flattered myself - so adieu. I am pleased to
notice the late [arranger?] - cuts of [?] Spectator. Mr. French I
think manages his paper with taste & credit, and my old
friend & companion Metcalf who finds an opportunity for
the display of his genius & industry. It might be a good establishment
in any other state than New Hampshire; for
such is the competition that only a small profit can be realized
from a newspaper establishment in that place, though it may
yield there a good support. I am in hopes that Metcalf will succeed
- he brings a good share of industry & good habits to
the undertaking. - - - Mrs. [Forwith's?] remembrances, I believe,
you put upon me for a quiz - but no matter - The friendship
which I formed for Mrs. Forwith & family, while at Newport, I
am now, and always shall be happy to remember, as
well as for yourself, and many other of the good people,
whom I have met "in days o' auld lang syne." - - - You ask
me to "give you a description of the Virginia ladies - that you
may publish it in the Magazine." Oh, no! I never perpetrated
a line for the public eye, in all my life - nor can
I now enter into a dissertation on a subject so intricate and
presenting so many [?] varieties & changes as do these, the
very sine qua non of all the perfection & loveliness. I cannot
do this. Were I to make an effort I could not do them justice;
for I have not had time and opportunity to know much of the real
character of the people of Virginia - and much less will I
meddle with that if the ladies! - - Since I have been
here I have kept myself rather retired, as I felt myself
a stranger among them and perceived the stifled prejudice
of the people against "Yankees" - or northern people; yet I have
often been invited to attend parties, et cetera. I have attended
two cotillion parties, where I have met some very pretty ladies
[ED: the following appears in red ink, written sideways on the page through
the above text, and is difficult to read. Follows page 4, which references the red insert]
and [low?] as any that I have ever seen - So that all is not
[gossip?]! Yesterday towards evening, I returned having spent
two days very pleasantly. Indeed none can complain of the hospitality.
as for Virginians, though they are jealous of Northern people,
[correctly?][?] [?] [much?] [?] no [?] [?]"Yankee peddlers [?]
adventurers- I must conclude, for the rain is falling
fast & the thermometer stand at 64° all day, which has quite
[diminished?] [?] [senses?] - But, when I shall leave
reached a warmer clime you shall again hear from poor
'Tom Quigg. A wanderer." I look forward to the time, when
I shall again meet you together [?] [?] [?] [?]
-fondly [nothing?] [?] trusting to me [that?] happiness [at?] a [future?]
time which will [do?] [for?] the present. Lo Adieu,
dear reader - my grateful remembrances are ever
yours - - - Roswell Elmer, Jr.
ladies. I should not utter my real sentiments were I to say, that
they exceeded in beauty & accomplishments the fair of my own state,
& were I to speak against them I should do them an injustice. - They
spend more of their time in dancing & visiting and less to study &
to improvement of the mind than ladies of the same wealth
in N.E. They make but a light matter of riding 15 miles on horseback
to a dinner party (Indeed [they?] can ride no other way on account
of the badness of the roads, and the bye paths in which they have to
travel across plantations, [etc.]) The prettiest dancer that I have met
among the ladies was Miss Randolph, a sister of Dr. Jeff. Randolph
- she is the youngest of the family - about 17. She is not handsome,
nor are any of the family. Mr. T.J. Randolph is a man of about
35 years of age, six feet two inches high & quite spare in form -
His right arm is useless from a wound received from his
brother-in-law (Fawcett who married his sister) with a dirk
knife in a quarrel. Fawcett is a dissipated man, and becomes mad
when intoxicated - His wife died four years since, and it is said by
many to have been occasioned by his ill-treatment. Mr. Randopl
is as much esteemed as any man in the county He lives at a beautiful
residence called "Edgehill"(tho' not the scene of a no[ED: page damaged]
that title, published in Richmond last season. The day before
yesterday I took a ride down to Everettsville, about eight miles
distant, to visit some friends with whom I had become acquainted
there. I had an opportunity of seeing the plentious
[harvest?] & every thing pertaining to a country life. - Col. Rodgers
thinks his corn crop will amount to [7,500?] bushels & his wheat crop
in proportion - Imagination can hardly conceive the beauty of
[these?] luxurious [fields] of golden grain. I went about a mile
& a half further to the plantation of Col. Lindsay where I stayed
until the next evening. I had spent a day, before, with Col. L. and
now came to bid him good bye for the last time perhaps! His
hospitality I can never forget - To meet with the friendly & hospitable,
in a land of strangers, is like the cheering rays of the noonday
sun - dispelling the mist of sadness which dwells upon the
mind of the wanderer. His farm consists of about eight hundred
acres of land & fifteen negroes - and he is himself a practical [farmer?].
His house, two stories high tho' not large or splendid, but surrounded
surrounded with beautiful shade trees. With an agreeable wife and
family of six children - the oldest daughter of 17, just married.
- I could not fail to be agreeably entertained. The house was not
finished, or furnished with the splendid furniture which you
meet in the houses of farmers of half the wealth in N. England;
but every thing appears in a most rustic form. But still
they live at their ease, - [DE: and] every thing [DE: must] being done by the
servants. With regard to the employment of the ladies - they would
be considered idle by the people of the north; But who would be industrious
if they could do without exertion? Many of the ambitious
middling class of people are industrious & in some measure
follow the customs of the north - but the customs & habits are
so fixed that they cannot well get along without falling into the
modes of the majority. Every kind of laborious work must be
done by the negroes. There are some white people here who are as poor
See red [insert?]