Morse Family letters & addresses

From my Papa dated Aug 23d 1799 Recd Ansd

Master S. F. B. Morse Student at Mr. Foster's School Andover

Charlestown Sep 5 1799

My dear son, I received your letter of the 27th ultimo last Saturday. It gave us pleasure to hear you had kept at the head of your class, till, for your good behaviour & improvement you were advanced by your instructor to the Bible class. I hope it will be your ambition to be at the head of this class also. Your being "very well contented" is an evidence that you are a good boy & that Mr & Mrs Abbot take good care of you & that Mr. Brown is very kind to you & that you behave well at school & treat your school mates in a kind & gentlemanly manner. I hope you do all

these things & that you will be very thankful to Mr & Mrs Abbot, Mr Brown & Mr Foster for all they do for you. Be always ready to do everything to please them & make them happy. Your having such a desire to see usshows that you have an affection for us-- whiat gives us pleasure. And be assured, my son, we all want much to see you & the more because you have ben so good a boy & have improved so much as we find by your letters. You do well to show your disaapprobation of all wicked conduct & is dividing the company of those who practice it. If you reprove others for their improper conduct, remember, my son, you might be guilty of no such conduct yourself, otherwise those who you reprove will

say to you "first reform yourself before you reprove us". But I hope they will have no occassion to reproach you in this way.

Your Mama & I talk of coming to see you the last of this month or the beginning of October but it is yet uncertain. At vacation I shall come or send for you. In the mean time see how much you can improve in your reading, writing, Spelling, & whatever else you atted to.

Your Mama, & I, with Nancy & your little brothers, are all well, & Send our love to you. My regard to Mr [and] Mrs Abbot, Mr Brown [and] Mr Foster, Your Mama & I drank tea yesterday at Mr. Brown's Father's -- all well--

I am, Dear Son, yours affectionate Father Jed Morse

S. F. B. Morse.

Master S. Finley B. Morse Student at Mr Foster's School Andover

Mr Kneeland.

From my Papa. Sept 5 1799