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at last we found a farm for sale, which tho not all we desired, had beauties & advantages enough to induce Mr. S. to purchase it -- Many an interesting ride & walk did it afford us -- he went out almost every day to see the progress of the workmen who were busied in raising our little Cottage & clearing the ground. -- In May my dear Sister [?] came on, in order to be with me during my confinement. I enjoyed myself very much while she was here; my friends were very attentive, the season was delightful & our market supplied an abundance of fine vegetables & strawberries -- I was in good spirits & felt all the animation of affection & hope, at the anticipated event.
Every thing seemed to combine to give pleasure to this period; but the most interesting circumstance was the arrival of Baron Humboldt, from his travels in South America -- He came to see us the morning after his arrival, being introduced by a mutual acquaintance. Never have I seen a human being, who so instantane ously prepossessed every beholder in his behalf -- He is of the middle size, a face which if [?]ed would be called plain, but which when he spoke was lighted up with the glow of benevolence, & the intelligence of genius & so intimately were these blended, not only in his face but his character, that one knew not whether most to admire or love him. He was communicative in [?] not from vanity, but from benevolence--He knew how natural curiosity was & he took a delight in gratifying his listeners with the most copious & interesting details Of himself he seldom or ever spoke, but only of such objects & circumstances he supposed would be inter esting. His discourse flowed like a torrent, his countenance was so expressive & his gestures so
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animated, his voice is touchingly sweet & harmonious, [?] that there was an indescribable charm in all he said & I could have listened to him for days in succession. Never have I known any individual who awakened in me such enthusiastic & affectionate admiration; [?] affectionate, for there was something so conciliating in his manner, that one felt towards him as a friend, but it is in vain to try & describe one, whose charms of face, person, manner & discourse, [?] are of that intellectual, spiritual, moral cast, which rise above the power of words
E'en Stewarts faithful pencil could not trace The nameless charms that animate his face Vain as the pencils [?], the pen would try to give the soul that lightened in his eye When silent & his features [?] at rest His soul lay dormant in his thoughtful breast. [?] of genius sparkled in his eyes And oer his face no swift impression flies. But when he speaks, his soul [?] [?] divine In glowing rays oer all his features shines.
But enough, bad verses are more inefficient than prose.
He passed 10 days here & [?] there was not one of which he did not spend a part with us. He had two companions, a Peruvian & a young french man, now professor of botany at Paris. This visit was an intellectual festival for us who
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a few days after he went, my deart little Susan was born. She was very small, but quite healthy. I had much more pleasure in her than in Julia's birth, or rather my pleasure was more unmixed. With regard to Julia, my anxiety was such that I was constantly apprehending some disease, or some instant death--Oh how many tears have I shed over the little creature, in real anguish of heart; how often at night waked to examine if she were alive--with Susan I felt little or none of this, & I was only sensible of the joys of maternity. This confinement would indeed have been a happy period to me, had not the sweet hours of convalescence been clouded with anxiety by the illness of my dear sister--she however soon recovered. Sure no one could be better attended, nor could wealth ever purchase such assiduous & watchful care -- [so?] the heart bestowed it & the gifts of the heart are not to be bought for gold! Sister used to read all the mornings some entertaining work; we dined late, after dinner I amused myself with my children--& in the evening my good husband & often other freidns joined the little affectionate circle. Sister, left us the last of July & tho' Susan was only three weeks old, we were induced to remove immediately to our cottage--The billious fever was very prevalent in the city & the children very sickly -- I had a severe attack of fever and believing it to be billious, I was so alarmed by the idea of its communicating to the family, that I insisted on an im mediate removal. When therefore the fever went off, we so took advantage of the interval, I was put into a carriage & supported by my dear husband, with my children & Susan set off for the country. In the scenes that followed, most forcibly did I feel the advantage of the disposition with which a kind Providence has blessed me, for I believe no effort of reason would have reconciled me, to circumstances which with my temper became