Julia G[riffiths] Crofts to Frederick Douglass, May 1, 1863

LETTER FROM THEH OLD WORLD.

NUMBER LXXXVII.

LEEDS, May 1st, 1863.

MY DEAR FRIEND:—I have just reached home, after three weeks absence. I meant to have written to you from the beautiful neighborhood of Stratford-on-Avon, but as I was rusticating to recruit my health, a strict prohibition was put on my writing anything but strictly necessary letters, and I may here say this is why no communication of mine will appear in your journal this month. In a few hours the post will leave here for the United States. It is, therefore, impracticable for me to expatiate on the beauties of the winding Avon, the charm of watching the unfolding buds of this sweet season of spring, and of listening to the song of the sky-lark, the blackbird and the thrush. I have no time to tell the interest attached to being in Shakespeare's birth-place on his birthday, of seeing the flags flying form the windows of the little town in commemoration of the nativity of our [i]mmortal bard, and hearing the "Merchant of Venice" read in "Shakesperian rooms." All these matters I must now pass over. On my way to Stratford I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with that devoted and self-sacrificing friend of the slave, Mrs. Goodrick, at Edgbaston, and of seeing her elegant drawing room bazaar in aid of the antislavery cause. Considering that circulars had gone forth, long ago, announcing that we shoudl have no bazaar this year, I was quite astonished at the display of articles, both of use and beauty that appeared. Our indefatigable

friend, Mrs. Stoddart, of Dublin, kindly contributed largely; the Coventry, Bristol and Leicester friends assisted Mrs. Goodrick, and her friends in Birmingham added considerable contributions, and lastly, gave their valuable time, in addition to which Mrs. Goodrick lent her pretty drawing-room, to secure the success of the undertaking. I am rejoined to find that gratifying results followed, and that a handsome sum of money has been realized by them to be devoted to the cause so dear to our hearts.

The memorial note which I enclose, my dear friend, reached me yesterday morning, in Leicester, and gave me the first intimation that our truly excellent and much beloved friend, Mr. John Smith, of Glasgow, has been called away from this transitory scene to the eternal joys that await the faithful servant of God. I can wish nothing better for any loved friend than that when their summons comes, they may be as ready to meet it as was this much valued friend of ours, this devoted and untiring friend of the slave. Truly, "he rests from his labors and his works do follow him." I cannot at present realize the truth that shall, in this life, see his bright smile and hear his kindly voice of welcome no more. I enclose the notes which I received from one of his sorrowing sisters with the notice,

feeling assured that your warm sympathy and deep grief will be united with mine at the loss of this dear and much valued friend, this kind, generous, disinterested friend of the oppressed.

Another memorial card met me on reaching home, informing me of the death of one of the friends with whom I landed in New York this day fourteen years!—Mr. Charles Brown, then a British subject, but now (the card says) "Citizen of South Carolina, C. S. A." You will, I know, remember this gentlemanly young Englishman, by whom you were ushered into a drawing-room of one of the leading New York hotels, nearly fourteen years ago, just landed, and fresh from the free soil of our own free country. Mr. Brown could not at that time believe in complexional aristocracy, and behaved to any colored friend of mine as if her had been white! Amidst the denizens of the "Old Dominion," and the fierce citizens of South Carolina, this once gallant young Englishman heard a different creed, and it would seem adopted it also, or whence is it, after returning to his fatherland to die, that the ominous words appear, associated with his name, "Citizen of South Carolina, C. S. A."

My deep sympathies are with his sorrowing family, who have long been looking anxiously for the return of the absent son and brother.

Doubtless there are others besides Hazel who, could they have their future course predicted to them by another Elijah, would explain "Is thy servant a dog that he should do this thing."

I must close in haste. With our [illegible] kindest regards and best wishes for the prosperity of the cause of Right, and the speedy freedom of every slave in the American states,

I remain, as ever,

Your faithful and affectionate friend,

JULIA G. CROFTS.