Transcription
CATALOG NUMBER HF 3013 G
OBJECT NAME Letter
DATE July 8, 1805
AUTHOR Alice Ann Hoffman
RECIPIENT Judge Josiah Ogden Hoffman (NYC)
MEDIUM Paper, ink
PEOPLE Mr. Sandy Colden, Mr. Willet (Aunt’s brother), Uncle, Mamma
(Maria Fenno), Eliza
PLACES Coldenham?, Rockaway (mentioned),
EVENTS fight between Ann and JOH, fight between Mr. Willet and Uncle
Colden, Aunt is sick
KEYWORDS
*Original spelling retained throughout work; content appears exactly as written.
[PAGE 1]
Monday, July 8th, 1805
I received your letter my dear father on Saturday, / need i say what pleasure it gave me? It was a cordial to my droop - / ing spirits- I left you with a heavy heart- I left you at a time / when I was conscious of having merited your displeasure-/ I could not but [crossed out] and I experienced the torture of self - / accusation- My tears flowed fast and bitter were my / reflections- I recalled to mind all your past kindnesses. Your / fondness for me, your solicitude on my accounts, and I could / have killed myself for having given you a moments pain- / My thoughts all turned on my past conduct- That I could recall last winter; how differently would I act- O! My / father, my dear father, will you receive into your arms a / poor penitent whose future study shall be to deserve your / affection [crossed out words] / Will you take me again into your / bosom, will [inserted: you] try again the strength of my affections- you / need not [inserted: tell] me my dear parent that I do not deserve it- / I know it, full well, I know it- But when I plead with / a sincere and repentant heart my I not hope for / forgiveness- Believe me, I have injured myself as well / you, I have fixed a sting in my [inserted: own] breast which will never be erased, which will cloud every future joy, and / which need I repeat has [inserted: made me shed] many and bitter tears- the thought / of having occasioned you days and nights of pain and anxiety /
[END OF PAGE 1]
[PAGE 2]
That is done, and be my behaviour hereafter [inserted: what it will] how you can / never forget it- the remembrance of it will take from your / affection for me, and the idea that I ever could [inserted: have been] able to / occasion you a pang will make you fear that my repeat / it- I know you are all goodness, you will forgive, but / I fear never forget- nor can I ever forget my own / ingratitude it will be a source of grief to me as long as / I live _ I again beg you to try and love me if possible / as much as ever- and when we [crossed out] meet may / your embrace seal my pardon.
My best love to my dear Mamma, and / Eliza, I quite wish to see my dear little sister- Tell her / so and kiss her for me-
When do you go to Rockaway? I have / no objection to going with you, indeed I rather wish it / as the time will appear long till I [inserted: see] you- I have / only here a week and it appears a month- [crossed out words] / I should like to stay here a fortnight more but no / longer-
My poor Aunt is very sick, she looks / extremely ill- she has had a great deal to worry her / the other evening Uncle, and My Willett had a / quarrel- My Willet had dined here,. And had drank a/ little too much wine, Aunt & Uncle were sitting / on the sofa and he near them, he mentioned his / intention of going to New york to pay his debts with /
[END OF PAGE 2]
[PAGE 3]
his half-pay- “Why,” says Uncle, “you had better keep some - / thing to live on”- Mr. Willet began abusing him / and told [inserted: him] he had treated him ill all the time his family / staid here _ Uncle called him a “Rascal”- for some / moments he could not give vent to his passion- / He started up, Aunt screamed, and threw herself on / her husband’s neck, he pulled her away, and struck Uncle on the forehead, who remained perfectly cool. / Mr. Sandy Colden forced him out of the room and / he went home- Aunt was almost frantic- / The next morning- he wrote an apology, and / as being Aunt’s brother, Uncle does not intend to / take any more notice of it _____
Do not mention it, for it is known, they will know / that I am the author of the report-
Adieu! dearly beloved father-/
Your sincerely penitent/
Child - /
A. A. Hoffman-
[END OF PAGE 3]
[Address; written on letter]
Josiah Ogden Hoffman Esqr
No 60 Greenwich Street
New York
[Bottom of Page]
Ann Hoffman
[Postmark]
New York, Jul 12
[END OF LETTER]Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
