Transcription
CATALOG NUMBER HF 3027
OBJECT NAME Letter
DATE 1840
AUTHOR Rebecca Gratz
RECIPIENT Ann(e) Hoffman Nicholas
MEDIUM Paper, ink
DESCRIPTION Addressed to Anne on the changes in her family.
PEOPLE Miss Emma, Mrs G, Mr {Conol?}, Caroline, J. Biddle, Caldwalader,
Me Rotch, Julia, Sara, Savannah, Matilda, Jane, Charles, George,
Becky,
PLACES
EVENTS Mr {Conol?} separation from his wife
KEY WORDS legal separation
Philadelphia Jan 28th [1840?]
Your letter My Dear Anne was much [?]/ welcome and [?] feelings so [?] and [?]/ that I could not doubt you had cherished affections/ in silence during the long [?] of our [?]/ [?], I do not know that I even was more grateful/ than on once [?] recognizing your [?],/ and the [?] patience of your [?] happiness/ was so [?] that I could not [?] the [?]/ -[?] of [?] your letter to Mrs J. Beadle, with/ when I often [?] about you- she [?] my [?]/ -[?], and [?] me a new book to [?] by the/ [?] [?] to you- the letter Vol. [?] “Womens/ [?]” is too good- ever to be out of date- even tho the official/-ly of friendship a [?] [?] should detain in life the [?]/ has ceased- I have been [?] informed by Felica of/ [?] the changes in your family- Dear Emma, [?]/ and the [?] of [crawford?], in your [?] [?]- [?]/ have now I hope got through the worst difficulties of a new/ country, and every change will be an improvement/ seeing your children happily settled without losing/ their society,- and above all My dear Ann, you have/ [?] to accommodate your-self to the [?] [?]/ [?][?] to place you in and this is/ a happiness. more to be when on than any [?] person/ [?] [?] - [?] replying to your [?]/ for source in when you feel the deepest [?] [?]/ [?] and Anna are in Paris it was long before [Mrs G?]/ disgraceful [?] of [?] [?] her-
[END OF PAGE 1]
Mr. [Conal?] leave to America, not to claim his wife and surprise/ her, but to rescue his children from her (∧care) the boy be took with/ him, Many he placed with his brother in [?] land. leaving only/ the youngest girl under Carolines protection- which undoubtedly &/ her receiving no protection from him [?] her to apply for/ a divorce or at least to [?] legal [?] to that effect/ while things were in this state- Mrs G & Anna [?] for/ [?]. I have since heard that C. has abandoned the/ intention of [?] keeping herself by legal [?] and believe/ she has left the city for the winter to teach music in [?]/ southern city, Poor soul, she was educated for a belle a / few [?] accomplishments [?] in the [?] of [?]/ and [?] agreements her weak mind left [?]/ -[?] by [?] and the [?] a man who had no other/ recommendations than a handsome face & person - no wonder/ their happiness was wrecked.
You are not so much out of the world as not to know that J. Biddle has [?] from “the monster” and is in a personal/ station, where if he minds good reports & evil reports he may be/ haunted and reported by turns- as you knew how the breath of/ fame veers about just as [?] [?] turn - but he looks/ well and both he & Mrs Biddle [?] about you on every offer/ [?] [?] the latter a few days ago, begged that I would send you/ her best love - The Cadwalader & [C?] are well and appear/ to be [?] from [?] their children are [?] [?]/ and they live wisely in their own [?] circle- Mrs [R?]/ and the Dr I [?] times much in the [?] they look well- / “what private griefs they have I knew not-” I suppose now / Rs [?] in the [?] affect man have been a source/ of bitter mortification to them- and then the [?] ill health/ of Mr Rotch, much be a source of gloomy anticipation for a [?] / deservedly dear to them both./
You [?] Dear Anne so affectionately about my widow's/ sister [?] family that I cannot help telling you of them/ [?] too. I [?] new you collects the [?] about you/ children and [?] them, new to [?] them wisely/
[END OF PAGE 2]
Ellen had fallen into ill health about the time of her Fathers/ Death, and was an object of great interest to us all- about/ there mothers also, the [?] a for form, and the was the happiest/ of mothers- but it was only lent for the [?] [?] of [?] weeks/ and her sorrow, has again breaks her spirit but I think she/ has [?] in health; and she is a [?] woman who/ [?] not [?] at the dispensation of Good./
indeed one family has been [?] [?] many affectionately/ since we met, My dear Brother from whom alas; even in/ life we has been long [?] was taken from us in [Italy?]/ [?], after a long [?] itself- I was with him in his last/ hours, but cannot dwell upon feelings which you too have/ experienced and would rather wrestle with than reveal/ it is such trials that preference as for our own [?] by losing our holds on life- they teach us to “communicate with our own hearts & be [?]-”/
Julia & Sara nurses [?] than affectionate love to you/ and Emma may [?] wine, and (∧Eire) also to Matilda, I should/ indeed [tear in page] to see your grown children- and all your [?]/ -[?] but my dearest friends are so I called over this wide/ country that I always despair of bringing them in there [?],/ [?] has moved to Savannah & Sara [?] to Washington/ but if I ever reach Lexington again, you know you are to write/ me at my brother [Bea’s?]- perhaps too [?] [?] letter is/ [?] J L Lewis, he is at [?] in Europe, having gone out with/ [?] [?] as his physician- his wife & child [?] the winter/ with his father, Becky is not yet married- it takes a N. York lawyer/ longer to build upon his house,than an [?] Dr. [?] has [?]/ been made nether in [?], so I think the perfect fighters we/ heard the other day, that yr brother George was courting Miss [Jane?]/ of Albany, but neither Charles or Julia believe it; the lady is/ rich and amiable. Go sends you both regards- he had been,/ a good [?] of an [?] [?] the lad your [Jae?] [?]/ the written at Marus bay, in the [?] my near [?]/ to live in your memory- we all love to talk of you and the/ [?] times we [?] in the ones on/ other [?] to better-/
[END OF PAGE 3]
[TOP OF ENVELOPE]
I wish we had the pleasure of reading your books, which both/ you & Emma seem so much to read but except [?] [?]/ [?] or nears papers that [?] go by [?] and are of/ [?] [?] to you, I fear there will be no correspondence this/ winter, the [?] however have a [?] [?] in N. York which/ occasionally contains a new play and may teach you both little/ care and this you shall have - I [?] My dear Anne let use hear/ from you as often as you can, that is wherever your kind thankful/ flew with [?] free to break thankful- you [?] to [?] her/
[ADDRESS]
25/
Mrs. Anne Nicholas
[Belridere?] Illinois
[BOTTOM OF ENVELOPE]
for tho’ I cannot doubt your friendship, your letters are/ awful [?] bringing [?] [?] afar to [?] the/ break and tho they “be few & far between” my faith never [?]/ that they will cure and [?] me the [?] dear friend/ unchanged & [?] [?] bless you Anne/ believe me with the [?] [?]/
Your Affectionate
Becky
[END OF LETTER]Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
