Transcription
New York Dec’r 5th 1844
My dear Sister
Having accidentally, or perhaps I / may more truly say, being induced bu inclination to / run up home for a few moments this morning, I found / Sarah with your letter of Dec’r 1st in her hands, and / availing herself of the prerogative of married life / was making herself acquainted with the contents thereof.
To shew you how readily I can forgive your seeming / neglect of me, I will answer it at once. Indeed my / own silence has not been prompted by your delay in / answering my letters, which delay I have always attributed / to [gain?] indisposition, but I fear must be charged to a / constitutional failing of procrastination, however, as the / ice is broken I trust that in future our correspon - / dence may be more regular.
You tell us of the marriage of your sister [Harriet] / but leave us in the dark as to who the happy man may / be, your sisters being native Yankees have ventured upon / their national trail and guessed it must be a Mr Wallace.
I am truly glad to hear a good account of her future / husband and only only their wedded life may afford / them the same satisfaction, which a similar state with / your good sister Sarah has given to me. I do not think / that I mention too much in saying that these sentiments /
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Are fully reciprocated by my little wife.
Sarah is very much afraid that I should not / give you as favourable a report of her as she would wish, / as I always say to her when her ideas conflict with / mine, which, however, occurs but seldom, that I shall / give you a sad account of her in writing to you. She / need have no such fears __ she is too Kind hearted + / affectionate ever to mint an unKind word __ too good / I sometimes think for my unworthy self. Romance, / it is said, takes its flights on the occasion of the marriage / ceremony – perhaps it does – true affection takes its place / when the parties have any real worth in themselves, / and tho’ the married life may be not all sunshine, / yet much - very much of the happinefs in that state depends / upon the parties themselves, The “[solm??] second thoughts” / as you express it have only served to confirm me in my / choice and convenience me that I have enjoyed more / such happinefs during the few months of my / Benedictine life than in the mary precious years / of [^ my] Single blessednefss.
Sarah I found almost smothered in the yet / unfinished folds of a winter coat or cloak which / she intends to display to the gaze of [^ the audience at] St George’s Church / on next Sunday, we attend there regularly tho we / shall attend there regularly during the winter when / not prevented by the weather. We were at a / concert last evening at the Appollo Saloon Given / by a young [Misses Slomans] - there debut to a new /
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York audience, I believe there was plenty of [science?] +c / but not much melody _ at least it did not afford any very great gratification to myself, who, however / fond of music, does not pretend to understand the / science of it. My candour got me a good scolding from / Miss [Noah?] (whom perhaps you may remember) in which my / little wife joined. The former Knows about as much of music as / the latter, but they were acquaintances of Miss N’s and / she scolded because I did not praise against my con - / victions, and the latter because I would not hush the / old maid by agreeing to all she said.
We had a “soiree” at Mrs Lelands about two weeks sin-[page torn] / and as [page torn] gave so much satisfaction another is on the / tapis for this evening. Sarah did not attend the first / but I believe she will to shew herself to night _ I have / consented that she may dance 4 times provided she / will [^ not] forget she is no longer an unmarried Lady, but / the Lawfully wedded wife +c +c
Your sister Mary goes on in her usually independent way. / You can’t imagine how my feelings have warmed towards her / as I came to understand her true character _ she is a / most sensible woman and truly worthy. Little Florence / seems to enjoy life exceedingly in N. Y. and I do not think she / has any [mind?] to return to Boston for the present. Your / Aunt [S Mrs L. ?] jogs on in her same old way as lively / as [?illegible] and active as ever, and Grandmama looks / well + hearty.
You must excuse the hasty manner of
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This letter and its illegibility as I write in my office, and / there are sundry Bishops + Clergymen discussing the / merits of missionary institutions +c at my elbow __ / Is that my ideas are not much at command.
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I will endeavour to get Sarah to write, but as I have / failed so often I have but little hopes of being successful / I will write again shortly myself [???]
Believe me with much affection
Your brother William I.
[POSTSCRIPT]
When / directing / to my self / or Sarah / you can / direct to / care of / Rev P. P. / Irving / 281 Broadway
[POSTAGE STAMP - red ink, large oval]
AMERICAN LETTER
OFFICE
No. 12 STATE STREET
BOSTON
MAIL COMPANY
[POSTMARK - blue ink]
[6?]
[ADDRESS]
Mrs George Wales
67. Temple Street
BostonTranscriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
