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New York Jan 7 30
Dear, dear Margaret how glad I feel after having [passed?] the whole day in necessary, but otherwise not pleasant domestic [associations?] to catch a few moments of flashing daylight to talk to you. It is rather unlucky to begin with an hiberianism but no matter. I am not the first female who took advantage of all her privilege.
I would not answer your letter as soon as I receive it because I was very much engaged and could and have written a short hurried one and I did not like to set about that as a task, which in different circumstances would be an enjoyment.
[?] Akerly has stolen some of my precious moments, precious because they were to have been passed with you. A propos, what has become of Tom Smith? Where is he, what doing, and when intending to return? I remember this young man with much pleasure and look forward with elevated expectation to what he will become.
Thank you dear Margaret for your explanation, it has satisfied me entirely. I feared you wished to be to singular, to [?] common forms when you knew your motives were [sure?], but this is dangerous to awaken and from the influence of an example to others also we might not to "suffer our good to be evil spoken of" - but you were right dear Marg aret. I rejoice that with sincerity I can say so. Your attention to [?] is praise worthy situated as you are it is an important duty and I hope you will have the pleasure of being conscious that you have fulfilled it. I hope your namesake thrives, pray Margaret, let the [rest?] be. Beyond, [?] your regret at the proposed change which would have [untitled?] you to that name, not having taken place, and given that to another which you would prefer for yourself.
I am glad to hear you have a good clergyman, and are able to attend constantly at church. I have become more than ever convinced of the beneficial tendency of the practice.
May your school prove successful and your pupils never forget the lessons of virtue they receive from you, and may they be more [impressioned?] by your examples.
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If you have visited Mrs Brown more frequently I think you will like her by this time, she improves very much on intimate intercourse, the [coldness?] of her gives plate to tenderness and produces tender attachment. I have not written to her but will very soon. I received your leters the same day.
My dear Margaret, you might have mistaken her in regard to our friend, she only repeated to you, I imagine, what was said by Miss H. [MH?] told me Miss B had said the same thing to her, but did not speak from her own observations. Indeed, so very far from it, that she with great seriousness asked me questions relative to mother, and not satisfied with my assurances, told Maria sometime after, that she strongly suspected such an event would come to [pass?]. She was mistaken. You, my dear friend, shall know every thing that relates to myself as soon as I do, or rather as I can tell you.
Happiness is not always in our [?] Margaret, but I will promise to try and deserve it, and confidently trust that - sooner or later - it will be mine. How happy, yes happy, do I feel in being assured of your happiness, dear Margaret how much I thank you for the assurance, it is indeed a question which any heart would prompt, but which I do not think I could ever put to you; how much this [?] I thank you for giving it [masked?].
How does such constant attention to [?] agree with Wordsworth's health, he must not carry his industry too far and sacrifice a greater blessing for a less. Does the aim of Washington agree with him, has he grown any farther. Tell him I see his purpose constantly but have not yet become a democrat, that I listen to political discourse with pleasure totally diverted of [?] and never pretend to join in it, because I think it involves much more knowledge than falls to my share. It has formed the greater part of my reading for the last month so that I am really obliged to him for his literature. It is really a sad time with me in regard to reading. I have not finished Ramsay yet, though I began before you were married, and I have so entirely forgotten what I have read of his work that I shall be forced to begin again. In French I do better I have finished [Massontel's Ineas ?] and returned them, I read from ten to twenty pages daily in Adele et Theodric, which I borrowed from Mrs Brown. I felt inclined many times to exchange Adele for [?] [?], bur I felt too the necessity of returning it as soon as possible. Had I been reading but a book of my own I should not hesitated to
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have given you the preferences. I have not had time for one line of memorandums since I left Brunswick, and you know my fondness for this kind of writing. Little, however, have I had to write. I have seen many persons, talked a great deal, been visiting frequently, but have gained few ideas. I do not go to assemblies or Balls, as I intended, for Ms Eliza has perfectly recovered, yet Mama was afraid the exposure to midnight air might injure her and I do not feel disposed to enter the gay world without her. Mama has suffered so much from a severe cold this winter that she was confined to her chamber for more than a week and I have been housekeeping almost ever since Eliza's indisposition.
I pass my time much as I did last winter except that I go out more frequently. I see Maria Nicholson always once a fortnight when she stays all night with me, often more frequently and sometimes for several days. I have not been able to visit her often, three weeks ago I passed a charming day with her tete a tete, I found more real enjoyment in her society than I had since we were together at Brunswick. My esteem for Miss Harison increases with my knowledge of her a great portion of my pleasure is derived from her conversation.
We make each other long and frequent visits. A week ago, she, her sister, M Nicholson, Fanny Johnson and her brother, Mrs T. Morris, S Linn and the two Ms Millers took tea with me. We eat together, from five till ten. The hours pass on delightfully, the tide of converse flows rapidly without once ebbing. I thought of you Margaret and thought how glad I should have been if you could have joined our party and brought your friend with you.
One finds I missed Mr Bleecker, he had not heard my invitation, but went to see Fanny Johnson. Did I tell you that I thought she resembled Mary Jones in her face, NB saw the likeness after I pointed it out. She is not as handsome, but her animated contenance expresses the most benovelence and has some of that benign expresion which we have so often admired in her brother.
AB visits and is pleased with her, and she thinks well of him. I think it would be a charming match, but do lets tell him I said so. I am pleased to see him so often with Ms Johnson, such a companion must be very adventageous for him much more as then CBB. The latter has I believe settled in Philad; says he does not intend to write any more novels, but apply to business, he is in partnership with his brother, a merchant. I do not see Ms Johnson very often, so sometimes once sometimes twice a week
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Mrs L. H. Smith Washinton City
[MB] more frequently. Mr Miller about once a week, the Physician very seldom. He has had very bad health this winter. Constant sucession of colds, which made him apprehend a severe attack of pleurisy.
Monday 2nd Feb - My fingers are almost numb with cold, but I will not sheet unfilled thus you may say with great justness that quality and not quantity should be considered, if so I fear your sentence, and can only plead in excuse that exercise in writing is as requisite to approach excellence, as in anything else.
I spent last evening with Fanny Johnson, her brother William and Mr Bleecker, the gentlemen desired to be remembered to you.
Mrs Dey is the mother of twin boys - she has been quite sick. Mrs Prevost has a daughter and so has Mrs Morgan. You have heard, I suppose, that my ill fated little friend Anna Nicholson has lost her father. He died in prison and this circumstance seems to add to their grief. I have had a sweet letter from her since this melancholy event.
Mr Miller preached a sermon on New Year's day, a comparison of the past with the preceeding century in regard to religon, morals, arts and sciences [e c]. It is to be printed by subscription with long notes making an xxx xxx of 500 pages.
I hear very seldom from Mrs x xxx. She is impressedxx by the xxx society she xx.
Write to me soon dear Margaret and I will reply immediately.
Yours truly
Maria Templeton