Metadata
Title
Sarah Josepha Hale to David E. Hale
Creator
Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell, 1788-1879
Date
1830-12-06
December 6, 1830
Medium
Manuscripts
Language
eng
Type
text
Collection
Sarah Josepha Hale Collection, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Identifier
46-M-136
Rights
http://www.philaathenaeum.org/rights.html
Text
Boston Dc 6, 1830
My dear Son,
I hav[ED: page creased] [have?] been since my return
from Keene quite engaged and have
neglected much longer than I intended my
letter to you. But I send you papers [?]
so I hope you do not think I forget you.
Your sisters are well and improve finely.
I think you will be much gratified with
their appearance and manners when
you meet. I am looking forward to
the time with anticipations of much
pleasure - but many months must
intervene and how many circumstances
may arise to damp all my hopes?
Yet I am not of a melancholy mood -
nor have I now any cause for desponding,
tho', I am very lonely, at times, as
you will understand when I tell you
I left William at Keene to spend three
months with his sisters. He wanted to [stay?]
and they wanted him - and so I left
him - but I do almost repent it.
I should not have left him however, if I had
been obliged to stay quite alone. but
Horatio is with me; he will spend the winter
here - he hopes longer - he works in the printing
office of [Patricia?] [Newt?] - earns about three
dollars per week, - and has two hours [DE: ?] each day
for study, and two afternoons in a week.
he attends the dancing school. He can
pay all his expenses by his own industry,
and still have some time for improvement
- and he is delighted to live with
me. He is an excellent scholar, and will,
I hope have the means of obtaining an
education - but he must struggle hard,
as all who wrestle with fortune are
compelled to do; the reward attending
excellence in any department of science
or literature, cannot be obtained without
earnest exertion - and I do not repine
that my children have to depend on
themselves, but I shall feel humbled
if they do not manfully strive for
the prize. It is not for the poor triumph
of excelling others I wish the
success of my children, but that they
[DE: will] may be qualified to assist others, and act
their part in the drama of life with that
noble elevation of sentiment and character
which shall be worthy the high title of republican
Americans. You have no doubt
read with avidity the stirring news from
France - and perhaps almost envied the
heroes of the Polytechnic the brilliant
opportunity they have had of distinguishing
themselves - but you should reflect
that to American example France is indebted
for her liberal opinions, and
that the greatest glory of freedom [ED: page torn]
now rests undimmed on our own Ca[ED: page torn]
- and remember too - that to preserve liberty
is more glorious than to reconquer it - the
former is a pedigree sustained - the latter
whispers of the chain that has been [?] -
the marks can never be entirely effaced.
Well, I have run over my paper,
and said hardly a word I intended -
How is your health? and how prospers
your drawing? I know you will succed [succeed]
in that. The half-yearly examination
draws nigh - I shall think often and
anxiously of you - thill I hear how the
ordeal passes. Horatio sends love
Your Mother
Cadet David [E.?] Hale
West-Point
New York.
My dear Son,
I hav[ED: page creased] [have?] been since my return
from Keene quite engaged and have
neglected much longer than I intended my
letter to you. But I send you papers [?]
so I hope you do not think I forget you.
Your sisters are well and improve finely.
I think you will be much gratified with
their appearance and manners when
you meet. I am looking forward to
the time with anticipations of much
pleasure - but many months must
intervene and how many circumstances
may arise to damp all my hopes?
Yet I am not of a melancholy mood -
nor have I now any cause for desponding,
tho', I am very lonely, at times, as
you will understand when I tell you
I left William at Keene to spend three
months with his sisters. He wanted to [stay?]
and they wanted him - and so I left
him - but I do almost repent it.
I should not have left him however, if I had
been obliged to stay quite alone. but
Horatio is with me; he will spend the winter
here - he hopes longer - he works in the printing
office of [Patricia?] [Newt?] - earns about three
dollars per week, - and has two hours [DE: ?] each day
for study, and two afternoons in a week.
he attends the dancing school. He can
pay all his expenses by his own industry,
and still have some time for improvement
- and he is delighted to live with
me. He is an excellent scholar, and will,
I hope have the means of obtaining an
education - but he must struggle hard,
as all who wrestle with fortune are
compelled to do; the reward attending
excellence in any department of science
or literature, cannot be obtained without
earnest exertion - and I do not repine
that my children have to depend on
themselves, but I shall feel humbled
if they do not manfully strive for
the prize. It is not for the poor triumph
of excelling others I wish the
success of my children, but that they
[DE: will] may be qualified to assist others, and act
their part in the drama of life with that
noble elevation of sentiment and character
which shall be worthy the high title of republican
Americans. You have no doubt
read with avidity the stirring news from
France - and perhaps almost envied the
heroes of the Polytechnic the brilliant
opportunity they have had of distinguishing
themselves - but you should reflect
that to American example France is indebted
for her liberal opinions, and
that the greatest glory of freedom [ED: page torn]
now rests undimmed on our own Ca[ED: page torn]
- and remember too - that to preserve liberty
is more glorious than to reconquer it - the
former is a pedigree sustained - the latter
whispers of the chain that has been [?] -
the marks can never be entirely effaced.
Well, I have run over my paper,
and said hardly a word I intended -
How is your health? and how prospers
your drawing? I know you will succed [succeed]
in that. The half-yearly examination
draws nigh - I shall think often and
anxiously of you - thill I hear how the
ordeal passes. Horatio sends love
Your Mother
Cadet David [E.?] Hale
West-Point
New York.