Hond. Madam,
In all Probability you have not heard from
me for some time past which I fear you will Impute to
my Negligence in not writeing but am sure you
will
Excuse me when I tell you it is Owing Intirely to
the severity
of the Season Which has been greater then ever was known by
the oldest Person in this Place it has been such as to cut of
all
Communication between us & Every other Part of the
globe
for some time past, which I would willingly think is the reason
I have not heard a Word from any of you since I left you Which
you will Natureally Supose by this time has made me Impatient to hear
from an affectionate Parent & a Brother who I look
upon
as the Preserver of my life. I am sure it will give you Pleasure
when I tell you I Never knew what it was to Enjoy so great a
Share of Health in my life as I have done this Cold Winter. & my
Cough is so trifling that it is Scarce Worth Mentioning
I am Really grown fat. I shall always look upon the Unfortunate
Accident of being Cast away on
Prudense Island. Although
dreadfull
at the time it happened one of the most fortunate Events of my
Life as it has been the means of my Spending the Winter
in a very Healthy Place & with a Set of genteel
agreable
People as I ever knew the attention that has been paid me by
them will forever merit my gratitude. it would be my
wish to spend the rest of my days here was it Possible.
the People in General in this Place are much Reduced by
the War Being invested by British Ships during the Seige
army for near three years then by the French fleet & army for
upwards of a year. this succession of military armaments has drove
Numbers of the most Wealthy from there homes to which they
Never mean to Return. the Houses in this town were originally
well built but are now going to ruin as fast as Possible every
thing has the Appearance of Poverty the only Publick Building
here that has been kept in decent Repair is the English Church
& this happend from accidental Curcumstances not from the
wealth of the People who Worship in that house as thay are not
able at Present to give any Person the smallest Consideration for
officiateing for them. The Gentleman that my Brother Inclosed Mr. Badgers
Letter to Which we have this moment Recived, Reads Prayers for them on
Sundays without fee or Reward. I should not have been so Particular
in giveing you an Acount of this Place but am sure you will be
Anxious to know Whether whether we mean to Remain here or know not
from the hints I have given you will Naturally Conclude it will
not answer I think it more likely then not I may spend the Summer
here myself. I am sory to find by my Brothers Account that the Letter
I Sent him soon after my coming to this Place has miscaried. In that I gave a
Very particular acount of my Misfortune in being cast away &
Suggested the Probability of my Remaining hear during the winter.
this Letter was calculated to give him & you a general Idea of
my Situation & to guard you against unfavourable Reports that might
have come to your Ears transiently. I am very Sory he did not Receive
as it would have prevented the disagreable Reflections which I fear you have experienced in Consequence of not hearing from me
Personolly My Dear mother do not allow Yourself to be distressed
about me or mine we shall all do very well I have not the least
Doubt let the World go as it will. give yourself no pain concerning
us but endeavour by all means to make your Life as Comfortable &
happy as possible & rest assured that nothing can give me more Real
pleasure than to hear of your being contented in your Present
Situation Acquiescing in that Dispensation of Providence Which
keeps you seperated from some part of your family. I am Determind
to Indulge the Pleasing Idea that we Shall not always be at this
Unhapy Distance from Each other. Whatever is my Lot I Shall
Endeavour to Reconcile myself to it. you may Depend Upon it
I shall not go from this Place till I have seen you Either in Boston
or Haverhill. Nat has not Ceased talking about his Uncle &
Ant an Hour at a time since he left them the People of our
Acquaintance wonder where this Haverhill is he talks so much
about & have conceived a Strong prejudice in favour of the
town & its Inhabitants from his Discription thay want to see
Nat mounted upon pony & Riding him down the Hill to
Water. he says if he had been up there While the Ice was in
the street he should have scated more then he has hear Which
has not been a little. dick Remains the same quiet Sedate boy
he always was but does not think all the Happiness his Brother
describes can possibly be met with on this side the City of London.
this is the place he wishes to Retreat to he has been Remarkably
Healthy during our Residence hear .While we are Indulgd With this Blessing we shall think ourselves very happy although
Seperated from our nearest Connections. the Distress of the People
at Newyork on account of Wood this winter has been beyond
Description. Mr. Badger received a Letter from a friend there
a few Days ago Who Says the Common Price was forty Dollors a Cord
& it had been sold for Fifty & the Price of other articles were in
Proportion thay do not Experience the sweets of Peace yet it
was fortunate for us that we did not remain there.
it has been sold hear for Eight Dollors which is a great Price
the most that we have give has not Exceeded five as we layd
in Sufficent in the fall but the Distress of the many poor
People in this Place has been greater than any thing of the kind
I ever knew before or hope I ever shall again & had not the
harbour Opened as it did the Inhabitants in genneral Would
have been Obliged to have burnt there Furniture
I am afraid I shall tire your Patience With this long Letter
for that Reason shall Conclude after beging you to give my
kind love to My Brother & his Wife & my Compliments
to Every friend.
Newport, Rhode Island March 5th 1784