Name/Title
Goodwill NotesEntry/Object ID
002011Tags
William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House AssociationScope and Content
— Elizabeth, served Round Her Chocolate, Old Bread & Cheese, When this was used — She Cleansed Her China Cups & Saucers, with the tin Dishes, in Hot Water And then served Round the tea, The Refined Sugar together with those Delicate Cakes, Designedly prepared as it were to Close, the Evenings Festival ... And When all was tasted of all Seemly Expressed by the Countenance ... A Self approved Satisfaction ..... And after a Small Pause — of a few Seconds of time ...., — Christopher Denn, Arose from his seat, and Stood up with the Men (who had no seats, to sit at the Table) And Said; "It is a singular Sacred & Providential Circumstance, Realized, in Congregating so motely a Group of People, as is, in this Assemblage here this Evening; And Yet to have, no Other Connection, than a Sudden, trifling or Small Acquaintance; Nevertheless, have fulfilled their Engagements!"
"And I may," says he "to You My friends of the woods and Natives of the Soil, It is Your prudential Fidelity, & Parental Providential Care ... With these Workmen With You, from New York, that have Conducted this Long wished for, Expedition of mine, in these Woods, and to the Very Selected, and Sequester Spot, I Designed for a Residence * ...... I feel at a Loss for Words, my friends, to Express my gratitude to You all ....... and the more so, when I consider, The Prudential Sympathetic and Parental Concern, Which Your Behaviour and Actions Expressed ... towards This, Our Adopted & Orphan Child, And Which has Brought Her safe to Our Arms & Embraces this Evening ...
While it was Our Duty, to have Accompanied Her, throughout the Hazardous Campaign ....... But When Remorse, stung Us to the Heart, for the Neglect of Duty We Repented of Our weakness, Folly, and Wickedness, for Attempting to keep up the [exalted] glossery, of the Farcial Barbarian, and the pitiless Sophistry of the Scorned, in Their Dignitaries, of High Life .... While it was Remorse, that stimulated & prompt us to Our Duty; Yet it is to You my friends Whose honest Minds, Benevolent Disposition, Good Hearts & Willing hands, has Erected this Commodious Building — —
— — Where —
— Where, in the Morning of this Day, was a perfect Wilderness, and now, a Convenient Habitation for Us all, to Assemble and Congregate together ... ....... this Evening ... — Claiming no affinity, not even .. a Slight Personal Acquaintance .... But, merely the Fidelity, of the ties and Links of Nature ... Which, "As the Laws of Nature" "And of Nature's Providence Whose Benevolent Chain ... The Fidelity of Which, has Drawn and Congregated, this Motley Assemblage of People Here ... This Evening — — The "Still Small Voice" of Self-approving Hearts, whose pure Devotion, has been Displayed throughout this, Our Hazardous Expedition .. "Without Hypocrisy ... And Religion Without Priest Craft — *** And Which has Rendered them Susceptible of participating of the Highest possible Publick Festival, by Way of Supper .... "With thy Neighbour as thyself" .... Nevertheless, a Due Sense, and Regard has been Evinced ... throughout the Whole of this Evenings Festivity, from its Commencement, of that Delicate Pathetick Sympathetick & Modest Sensibility, with Which, Female Nature is Heir to; — And Which of itself, in Common, is the Soul of Society ... With "thy Neighbour as thyself", Commingling Joy & Sorrow .. Hope & fear — Pleasure & pain — through Life — A Sentiment flowing Spontaneously from the Head & Heart — And With Which, I Close the Festivity With You my friends, this Evening .. I have Done ..
................... Let Us Sit Down .. And Compose ourselves a Little .... Before We Repose, on Our Beds, to Rest .. through the Remainder of the Night .. As the true and Natural Sabbath — for Each Natural Day. X X
When Sarah & Elizabeth, again Rose from their Seat Bench, and placed it in, its first station — When Elizabeth spoke & said, Sarah, Let me Clear off the Table, and Wash up the Dishes, as the Water is yet Warm — While You may proceed to Unbind Your Bed, Which Christopher Shew You, and Called it Yours, When Shipt on Board the Boat, and for You Not to Loose it, untill You Came to Your place of Destination The Bed is now on the Spot, When she Cheerfully Attended to — it —
