Transcription
CATALOG NUMBER HF 3017
OBJECT NAME Letter
DATE October 2, 1807
AUTHOR Alice Ann Hoffman (Coldenham)
RECIPIENT Judge Josiah Ogden Hoffman (NYC)
MEDIUM Paper, ink
DESCRIPTION Charles (Fenno), Mary Robinson, Matilda, Uncle Sandy, Eliza,
Mama (Maria Fenno)
*Original spelling retained throughout work; content appears exactly as written.
[PAGE 1]
Coldenham October 2d, 1807
I cannot let Mary Robinson depart without wri- / ting to my beloved father. Your two late letters gave mela - / choly news of poor Charles. My heart sympathises with / you, & you feel not a pang which I do not partake / of- Would that I could afford you any consolation, but what / in your present situation could be offered? If we “sow in sorrow, / we shall reap in joy”- & let this my dear father console you _ Our present state is very imperfect, calamities prove / our friends. They teach us the road to heaven- / But my heart / feels too much for Charles to say any thing [inserted: much] on the subject / I sit & I picture myself the whole family drowned in grief / perhaps hourly expecting his death or- more dreadful still / that he is already gone- I sometimes wish I were with you to share your griefs / All I love most on earth to be in / affliction- O: that it fell only on me- gladly would I / bear it- Much sorrow has been thy portion my father, / but blessed be he that mourns for he shall be comforted-/ I feel as if a letter would now be deemed an intrusion / but I felt that I ought to write less you might suppose / me wanting in my first duty - Love to you - Tis that / animates & cheers me thro’ every misfortune-
[END OF PAGE 1]
[PAGE 2]
I thank my dear Matilda for the trouble she has taken/ with my things- I am not fixed for some time- Give my / best love to her, & I bid her write to me, we were quite disap-/ pointed she did not accompany Uncle Sandy (You tell / me to write to Eliza- I feel much for her in her present afflict-/ tion, & could it afford her any consolation would gladly do / it- But what can I say that would mitigate her grief? / Indeed I should not know what to say- If I were with her / willingly would I do any thing that ought to be done- / but I cannot write to her- however if you are anxious / for it, in your next express it & it shall be done / Remember me affectionately to Mamma, she will / need much attention _ I sicken at the thoughts of / the unhappiness of my family, my beloved family / But I strive against it, my father, as you value the happi-/ ness of your child, or your children, & your wife- Let / your next letter be less melancholy, for I cannot bear / the thought of your woe- Write me soon, altho’ I / dread to hear from you yet write me all. /
Ever the same affectionate child
Ann Hoffman
My dear Aunt & Uncle sends their love to you- Aunt / feels much for Charles, for she as well as all of us / became quite attached to him- She could not have [unrecovered] / him more attention & are you not grateful?
[END OF PAGE 2]
[Address; written on letter]
Josiah Ogden Hoffman Esq/
New York/
Forward by/
Mr Robinson-/
[END OF LETTER]Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
