Metadata
Title
Sarah Josepha Hale to David E. Hale
Edit: Also includes message from Horatio Hale to David E. Hale
Edit: Also includes message from Horatio Hale to David E. Hale
Creator
Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell, 1788-1879
Date
1836-08-03
August 3, 1836
Medium
Manuscripts
Language
eng
Type
text
Collection
Sarah Josepha Hale Collection, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Identifier
46-M-157
Rights
http://www.philaathenaeum.org/rights.html
Text
Boston, Aug. 3rd 1836
My dear Son -
Your letter of the 30th June, reached me
this morning, and gave me great pleasure.
I am very glad you left Fort Drane -
we see daily the accounts of the progress
of the war, with the Seminoles, Creeks &
other savages. - I do wish this state of
things could be ended. The Creek war, it is
thought is brought to a close - but the Cherokees
are not yet pacified. - Gen.
Scott is recalled; - perhaps you know this -
and will be tried by a Court Martial for
the failure of the war in Florida. Of course,
we do not know how the affair will
appear when investigated. He probably had
appalling difficulties to struggle with, and
if he can be honorably acquitted, I hope
he will be; for it is hard enough to
live a soldier's life, without being disgraced
for failures which could not be
prevented.
I rec'd your letter of June 5th and
wrote a long letter in answer, which, if
it reached you, may trouble you a little -
But bear in mind, my dear Son that in
[ED: the following text appears along the left side of the page]
- P.S. I must leave the two ends for Horatio - In the mean time
let me beg of you to write often. I am very uneasy when I do not
hear from you, at least once a fortnight. I will not allow any of [your?]
[ED: the following text appears upside down along at the top of the page]
letters to be published.
S.J.H.
all my warnings or advice I have only your best
good in view - I do so want to have you live
as you will wish you had done when you are
called to leave the world - I want to have you
[?] - and the peculiar temptations to which
I know your profession will subject you. I must
[advert?] to, in order to counsel you to avoid
them. I wish I could send you my table load
of books. I have sent a number of papers, my
Magazine, [etc.] - and hope some of them will
reach you. I rec'd your letter with the 50
dollars, have had the bill exchanged, giving a
premium of 6 per cent - the money was
a great help to me - for my expenses are,
this year, more than my income will be.
- Horatio goes on bravely at Col. It is
now vacation - but at the Exm. he had the
first part in his class, and is called the best
scholar which has been in the University
these many years. - In short, he is the
public favorite, and I am now only anxious
to guard him from the vanity which so
much flattery and success has a tendency
to inspire, and keep him calmly and perseveringly
employed in deserving
the [DE: ?] praises he meets with, and If he can
only pass safely through this ordeal of prosperity,
without allowing the commendation
of the world to become necessary to his
further progress, I shall feel sure that he
will, if he lives twenty years longer, be really
a great man. Hitherto he has shown no undue
spirit of pride or exultation - he is the
same quiet, studious unassuming youth, as
he was when a boy. And he is very much
beloved. I do so want to have you meet
together. And next spring, I hope we [?]
[ED: page torn]t. May God [spare?] my children to me
[ED: page torn] they once more meet together, in [?]
daily and nightly prayer. -
Frances comes next week to Boston
to spend the vacation with me; and
William will be here the last of this
month, and stay a fortnight. I shall
write you how they appear. I had a
letter from your sisters today - very well,
and want to hear from Brother David.
Your Uncle & Aunt Hale have gone on
a tour to Niagara, and Ohio to visit
your Aunt [?], and see the wonders of
the West. - I should like to make a tour
thither myself - but must not think of it
[ED: the following text appears along the left side of the page]
till you can go with [ED: page torn] - [Mrs.?] & Miss Ingalls - The Parker
family, Mrs Faxon & [ED: page torn] Mrs Pierpont [DE: and others] desire particular regards to you [ED: page torn] all my friends are enquiring for you
your Mother
Dear Brother - I was disappointed at finding you
would not be able to come north this year; I should like to
see you on many accounts. You will find after you come,
much alteration in those you left three years ago - little however in
affection. I am glad to hear you are in a healthy situation , &
even with all its drawbacks, the very wildness of it, & the [fine?] opportunities
[ED: this portion continues at the top of the page, but a large stain makes it difficult to accurately read, so it is not transcribed, except for the signature below}
Yours affectionate
Horatio E. Hale
[ED: writing appears along the left side of the page, but tears in the page make it difficult to make sense, so it was not transcribed]
My dear Son -
Your letter of the 30th June, reached me
this morning, and gave me great pleasure.
I am very glad you left Fort Drane -
we see daily the accounts of the progress
of the war, with the Seminoles, Creeks &
other savages. - I do wish this state of
things could be ended. The Creek war, it is
thought is brought to a close - but the Cherokees
are not yet pacified. - Gen.
Scott is recalled; - perhaps you know this -
and will be tried by a Court Martial for
the failure of the war in Florida. Of course,
we do not know how the affair will
appear when investigated. He probably had
appalling difficulties to struggle with, and
if he can be honorably acquitted, I hope
he will be; for it is hard enough to
live a soldier's life, without being disgraced
for failures which could not be
prevented.
I rec'd your letter of June 5th and
wrote a long letter in answer, which, if
it reached you, may trouble you a little -
But bear in mind, my dear Son that in
[ED: the following text appears along the left side of the page]
- P.S. I must leave the two ends for Horatio - In the mean time
let me beg of you to write often. I am very uneasy when I do not
hear from you, at least once a fortnight. I will not allow any of [your?]
[ED: the following text appears upside down along at the top of the page]
letters to be published.
S.J.H.
all my warnings or advice I have only your best
good in view - I do so want to have you live
as you will wish you had done when you are
called to leave the world - I want to have you
[?] - and the peculiar temptations to which
I know your profession will subject you. I must
[advert?] to, in order to counsel you to avoid
them. I wish I could send you my table load
of books. I have sent a number of papers, my
Magazine, [etc.] - and hope some of them will
reach you. I rec'd your letter with the 50
dollars, have had the bill exchanged, giving a
premium of 6 per cent - the money was
a great help to me - for my expenses are,
this year, more than my income will be.
- Horatio goes on bravely at Col. It is
now vacation - but at the Exm. he had the
first part in his class, and is called the best
scholar which has been in the University
these many years. - In short, he is the
public favorite, and I am now only anxious
to guard him from the vanity which so
much flattery and success has a tendency
to inspire, and keep him calmly and perseveringly
employed in deserving
the [DE: ?] praises he meets with, and If he can
only pass safely through this ordeal of prosperity,
without allowing the commendation
of the world to become necessary to his
further progress, I shall feel sure that he
will, if he lives twenty years longer, be really
a great man. Hitherto he has shown no undue
spirit of pride or exultation - he is the
same quiet, studious unassuming youth, as
he was when a boy. And he is very much
beloved. I do so want to have you meet
together. And next spring, I hope we [?]
[ED: page torn]t. May God [spare?] my children to me
[ED: page torn] they once more meet together, in [?]
daily and nightly prayer. -
Frances comes next week to Boston
to spend the vacation with me; and
William will be here the last of this
month, and stay a fortnight. I shall
write you how they appear. I had a
letter from your sisters today - very well,
and want to hear from Brother David.
Your Uncle & Aunt Hale have gone on
a tour to Niagara, and Ohio to visit
your Aunt [?], and see the wonders of
the West. - I should like to make a tour
thither myself - but must not think of it
[ED: the following text appears along the left side of the page]
till you can go with [ED: page torn] - [Mrs.?] & Miss Ingalls - The Parker
family, Mrs Faxon & [ED: page torn] Mrs Pierpont [DE: and others] desire particular regards to you [ED: page torn] all my friends are enquiring for you
your Mother
Dear Brother - I was disappointed at finding you
would not be able to come north this year; I should like to
see you on many accounts. You will find after you come,
much alteration in those you left three years ago - little however in
affection. I am glad to hear you are in a healthy situation , &
even with all its drawbacks, the very wildness of it, & the [fine?] opportunities
[ED: this portion continues at the top of the page, but a large stain makes it difficult to accurately read, so it is not transcribed, except for the signature below}
Yours affectionate
Horatio E. Hale
[ED: writing appears along the left side of the page, but tears in the page make it difficult to make sense, so it was not transcribed]