Transcription
CATALOG NUMBER HF 3011E
OBJECT NAME Letter
DATE n.d.
AUTHOR Alice Ann Hoffman
RECIPIENT Judge Josiah Ogden Hoffman (New York)
MEDIUM Paper, ink
PEOPLE Mr. [Delasavre], Madame Moreau, Mrs. Greenleaf, Miss.
Lawrence, Mrs Dennan, Mrs Oscley, Mrs [Miche], Mr
Lam-Levy, Mrs Lenox’s, Mr. Guerard, Mamma, Matilda, Ogden,
Mary, Becky, Papa,
PLACES
KEYWORDS Grand ball at Mrs Lenox’s
[PAGE 1]
Mr. [Delasavre] a frenchman who came with Madame/ Moreau went with us, he is a very gentleman/ I wrote french to him a great deal - - - - The next/ morning we returned to school & did not leave it/ till last evening, Mrs. Greenleaf came to see me here/ & Miss. Lawrence - Mrs Dennan, Mrs Oscley, Mrs [Miche]/ & Mr Lam-Levy - I indeed, altho’ a boarding school/ I [unrecovered] am paid as much attention as any grown up/ lady- Last evening there was a grand ball at/ Mrs Lenox’s Madame Moreau was there, & I/ hear delighted every body with her dancing, she/ danced the Gavot with Mr. Guerard, you know/ the little frenchman who visited at our home last/ winter- She plays [unrecovered words] on/ the piano, tambourine, he was taught by L[unrecovered] & I have heard that he said she/ played with more harte than even himself-/ I have not yet seen [inserted: her] but I hope I shall soon-/ Here my dear [inserted: father] is the account of my week/
[PAGE 2]
You will say I have had too much holiday- Re-/-collect it was New Year- next week I expect to/ pass quite solemnly - I wrote to Mamma/ a few days ago I was almost ashamed/ to need my letters, for Matilda scribbled over it/ so badly- but I could not write another one/ as I had no paper- Kiss her for me, and beg/ her if she does write at all to any body to/ answer my letters- I shall write to Ogden in/ the course of the next week- I intend keeping up/ a correspondence with both him & Mary/ tell them so- & do beg Mary to answer my/ letters - I was glad you wrote to my Becky, I/ never had so exalted an opinion of any one, as/ I have of her, indeed my Dear Papa, you know/ not half her goodness- She looks quite handsome/ more so than ever I think, but “she improves her/ charmes, with inward greatness, unaffected/
[PAGE 3]
Wisdom, & sanctity of manners”- She is thought by those/ who know her, to be as near perfection as a mortal/ can be- What can I say more? - - - I like the whole/ family, they all treat me as a sister, & are as attentive/ to me as possible - - - -
Are you not tired of this long & tedious letter/ I know you must be, I do not feel in a very good/ mood for composing well- altho’ I am in an affectionate one- but when writing to you can/ [page torn] otherwise-
I am writing by candle-light, my eyes are/ very tired but [inserted: my] affection will not [inserted: let me] finish & so my/ letters [crossed out] / [crossed out] - - However good night [crossed out] / “Take this heart, my father, this heart,/ Which while it thorns shall throb for love & thee” - /
Alice Ann Hoffman
[PAGE 4]
[Address; written on letter]
[Top of Page]
Alice Ann Hoffman
[Middle of Page]
Josiah Ogden Hoffman Esq/
No: 68 Greenwich Street/
New York
[Postmark: Phil, Jan 7]
[END OF LETTER]Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
