Susan B. Anthony Papers, 1815-1961. Correspondence. With family; also one letter from uncle Albert F. Dickinson and an exchange of 14 letters between Susan B. Anthony and her sister Guelmar's future husband, Aaron M. McLean, 1839. 23 ALS.. A-143, folder

Battenville, NY A M McLean [?] July 6th Free

Miss Susan B. Anthony New Rochelle, N Y

received Wednesday 7 mo. 10.

New Rochelle, June 7, 1839. First day afternoon.

Esteemed A.

I will write a few words to inform you that the way seems open for Eunice to leave New Rochelle day after tomorrow or third day to visit Schaghticoke. She will probably remain at home until next first day. I hope it will be convenient for our people to send those little items which I have named before. FIve weeks to day I was at Rose Street meeting in New York and heard the loudest sermon on the Vices of the City, that has been preached in that house very lately from Rachel Barker of Athens. I guess if you could hear her preach once, you would (after it) believe in womens preaching. What an absurd notion, that women have not intellectual & moral faculties suficient, for any thing but domestic concerns.

Received, (with respects) a Rural Repository, last fourth day which was the third of the month, with the most pleasure imaginable, every word in it was lovely, particularly the piece that was marked. I should like very much to hear about all the parties on fourths July [?] hope you will give a particular detail of them in your next. I should like to step in and see how they look at Centre house falls, writing on travelers & gentry. I can tell you what it is. I feel really lately I have written two letters before this several to day, I was requested in the last letter to mention all the enormous mistakes in spelling, butt to tell the truth I am so glad to get the letters, I do not look at the spellling or writing.

E. will remain at home until second day so that if mother wishes to go down to Schaghitcoke she can go First day. I so hope I may get a large quantity of letters from you. Battenville Centre [?] folks. S.B.A.

Aurora M. McLean. P.M. Battenville. Wash, Co. N.Y.

New Rochelle 7 mo. 7. 1839.

Admit to Aunt Mary

Dear Sister M.

I dreamed of you last night, what think you, was it a good dream or a bad one. I am sorry to say it was a bad one. I imagined myself at home, & some one asked a favor of you, and you in a sulky manner, argued the right of the request & seemed to think it some one elses [liusings?]. Do not this dream too frequently verified in your daily conduct towards those who ask favors of you. Consider well dear sister, & if it ever has been the [?]. Write to discontinue it for the future, Think whether it makes you any happier or whether those around you are ren dered more comfortably and if your answer to these enquiries is yes; then by all means adhere to the practice, if, no; nev er allow yourself to indulge in it again, for every time you do, it only weakens you, and increases that unhappy feeling, that you are not treated as well as the rest. Rest assured Dear Sister that we all regard you equally with the rest, but that particular trait in you charac ter, we do dislike, I sincerely hope you may be enabled to command strength to overpower it, so thus secure your own happiness as well as that of those around you. Do not indulge anger towards any one, for that will also make you unhappy. Suffer yourself to think much about serious things and Deaths, for that will strengthen you in doing well. Read the Bible and other good books & spend your [bisine?] moments in commiting some good piece as chapter to [memory?]. I learned two chapters in the last weeks one was the 42 [Blane?]. Do you ever

Those cherry stones in the paper are out of a large sweet cherry nearly as large as a plum. Please plant their and take good care of them and and merritt you may have the breed if they should live. they are the best I ever ate.

I am thy affectionate sister

S.B.A.

think of our dear Grandmother & Father, and dear little sister who are laid in the cold, dark grave, and think of conducting in this world, so well as to meet them in heaven when you shall leave this earth. I hope when I shall return home, (if permitted) to find that you have corrected this fault. This I say, washing it, promote your happenings in all the love a sister can feel toward another. If I have set a bad example in any thing do not follow it. There all things cultivate patience with our brothers.

I send a few shalls that I picked up on the sea shore. Those in the loetter box are for [Massitte?], give him a kiss for me & tell him to be a good boy. The rest are for you. I also send a fine gray linen pocket handkerchief to be yours whenever you think you have corrected that fault, then ask [Q?] if she will mark your name[?] on it and then call it yours soon. Mother had letter be the judge, it must be used carefully.

Mary S. Anthony Centre Falls, Wash Cty. N. Y.