Metadata
Title
Sarah Josepha Hale to David E. Hale
Creator
Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell, 1788-1879
Date
1829-11-14
November 14, 1829
Medium
Manuscripts
Language
eng
Type
text
Collection
Sarah Josepha Hale Collection, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Identifier
46-M-129
Rights
http://www.philaathenaeum.org/rights.html
Text
Boston Nov. 14, 1829
I have delayed writing you, my Son,
with the hope that an opportunity would
present by which I should be enabled to
transmit you some books along with
my letter. I have now the prospect of
sending them the last of this month,
but I feared you would think my silence
was caused by illness or some unpleasant
circumstance and so I cannot refrain
till that time from giving you the
pleasure of knowing I am very well.
Your brothers and sisters are also in fine
health. I heard from Newport yesterday.
Martha Ann & Sarah have had the measles,
but they have recovered and are happy
as birds. M. gets on well in her Latin.
Horatio is contented though he will think
you are vastly favored in having such
a snug seat at West Point with [the?]
hope of gaining the honor or the
first Institution in our country.
Indeed, my dear son, I think you
have a '[price?] put into your hands,' and I
hope you are improving it. But why do
you not write me oftener? You know how
anxious I am to learn all that regards
your course of studies and your progress.
Do you attend at all to your Greek and
Latin? I know the former is not much to
your liking, and now you can omit it
with impunity I fear you will. But recollect
that your mother wishes you to be a scholar
as well as a scientific and military student.
I know that you cannot excel in all studies,
that art is long and life short; but there
will be intervals in which you may, by judicious
improvement, obtain a knowledge of
those languages that are, as it were, the
interpreters of thoughts and sentiments that even
now influence, buy sympathy, the wise and
learned of every nation. Latin and Greek are
study in every seminary throughout the world
that professes to educate scholars- I wish those
languages, or Latin at least, was made a necessary
part of the studies at West Point - because I
think the youn [young] men would then have the foundation
of the acquisition of other languages
permanently and systematically established.
And in America gentlemen should be [DE: more]
skilled in the modern languages – they ought
to speak the French & Spanish, if no more, fluently.
They may be sent on foreign missions - or
they may wish to travel in Europe and if they did not
they will meet with the men in are our own country
who use those languages - and there is all
South America where they would be necessary.
But I need say no more, for I am sure you
will not think your education complete
while you can only speak one among all
the dialects of the nation. I urge you more
on this point because I know you are naturally
more inclined to love mathematical studies
and the pomp & circumstance of your military
shows, than [?] and philological
researches. Another branch of your duty which you do not
yet wish, and chiefly because you will not
make [ED: hole in page] familiar in writing to me. You
will, I hope, for the future be more [?].
Tell me what your studies now are - when and
how long are your vacations - who are your
particular friends - describe their characteristics,
their persons and dispositions as far
as you understand them- and the good qualities
for which you esteem them - and
tell me have you been [vaccinated?]?
There, I have given you subjects for half a
dozen letters. [?], I must not forget to tell
you of little Willy - dear creature, he is well
and so happy! He always [?] your letter
and says 'how I love brother David! when
will he come to Boston.'
Your affectionate
Mother.
Cadet David E. Hale
West Point
N. Y.
I have delayed writing you, my Son,
with the hope that an opportunity would
present by which I should be enabled to
transmit you some books along with
my letter. I have now the prospect of
sending them the last of this month,
but I feared you would think my silence
was caused by illness or some unpleasant
circumstance and so I cannot refrain
till that time from giving you the
pleasure of knowing I am very well.
Your brothers and sisters are also in fine
health. I heard from Newport yesterday.
Martha Ann & Sarah have had the measles,
but they have recovered and are happy
as birds. M. gets on well in her Latin.
Horatio is contented though he will think
you are vastly favored in having such
a snug seat at West Point with [the?]
hope of gaining the honor or the
first Institution in our country.
Indeed, my dear son, I think you
have a '[price?] put into your hands,' and I
hope you are improving it. But why do
you not write me oftener? You know how
anxious I am to learn all that regards
your course of studies and your progress.
Do you attend at all to your Greek and
Latin? I know the former is not much to
your liking, and now you can omit it
with impunity I fear you will. But recollect
that your mother wishes you to be a scholar
as well as a scientific and military student.
I know that you cannot excel in all studies,
that art is long and life short; but there
will be intervals in which you may, by judicious
improvement, obtain a knowledge of
those languages that are, as it were, the
interpreters of thoughts and sentiments that even
now influence, buy sympathy, the wise and
learned of every nation. Latin and Greek are
study in every seminary throughout the world
that professes to educate scholars- I wish those
languages, or Latin at least, was made a necessary
part of the studies at West Point - because I
think the youn [young] men would then have the foundation
of the acquisition of other languages
permanently and systematically established.
And in America gentlemen should be [DE: more]
skilled in the modern languages – they ought
to speak the French & Spanish, if no more, fluently.
They may be sent on foreign missions - or
they may wish to travel in Europe and if they did not
they will meet with the men in are our own country
who use those languages - and there is all
South America where they would be necessary.
But I need say no more, for I am sure you
will not think your education complete
while you can only speak one among all
the dialects of the nation. I urge you more
on this point because I know you are naturally
more inclined to love mathematical studies
and the pomp & circumstance of your military
shows, than [?] and philological
researches. Another branch of your duty which you do not
yet wish, and chiefly because you will not
make [ED: hole in page] familiar in writing to me. You
will, I hope, for the future be more [?].
Tell me what your studies now are - when and
how long are your vacations - who are your
particular friends - describe their characteristics,
their persons and dispositions as far
as you understand them- and the good qualities
for which you esteem them - and
tell me have you been [vaccinated?]?
There, I have given you subjects for half a
dozen letters. [?], I must not forget to tell
you of little Willy - dear creature, he is well
and so happy! He always [?] your letter
and says 'how I love brother David! when
will he come to Boston.'
Your affectionate
Mother.
Cadet David E. Hale
West Point
N. Y.