Diary_1804-1807_part_one

rather amusing than otherwise. [?] we reached our Cottage we found that the Carpenters had not yet left it & that it was quite unfinished, not a door was hung, the windows were not put in, nor the partitions down stairs put up. The house was almost inacceptible, the wood & undergrowth was so thick, for we had not permitted a bush to be cut away, the kitchen was not yet begun, so that there was not a fire place within half a mile of us. Here we were in a situation we made & wild, as if we had settled in the western woods. — I was taken up stairs, a matress spread on the floor, from which the shavings were removed, & I lay down, with my little [?Sue, ?love], not 3 weeks old. The activity of Susan & the Nurse soon got the upper part of the house in order, the cold provisions we had brought from the City were spread & we ate made a hearty dinner. [?] [entire line ??] tea kettle was to be boiled, my good husband [word struck through] very ingeneously removed that difficulty & went to work & built a chimney which served us for three weeks. He chose two trees, about 4 feet apart, these served as the jams, a row of sticks reached from one to the other, he then built [?] against these sticks & trees & afterwards laid a large hearth of branches - on each side of this fire place he put forked sticks across which others were laid a pole, on which we hung our pots & kettles - when it rained we made a kind of roof of green boughs & thus for three weeks we never were without fire not withstanding several heavy showers - Nothing could have had a more pictur esque effect than this fire. When of an evening to bright flames shed their light on to surround ing woods, which just discovered the black girl sitting on the ground & singing as she watched the kettle. — In about a month the house & kitchen was inclosed & the silence & solitude which succeeded the departure of the workmen was the more enjoyed from the contrast. — Here in the midst of woods, in a house just finished, suff ciently to afford us a shelter from sun & rain, settl ed from all society, I passed 4 happy months - The novelty of the situation, made up to me for all its inconventiences

a few days after the event, my dear little Susan was born, She was very [?}, but quite healthy. I had much more pleasure in her than in Johns birth, or rather my pleasure was more [un??]. With regard to John, my anxiety was such that I was constantly apprehending some disease, or even instant death - Oh how many tears I shed over the little creature, in real anquish 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. Since no one could be better attended, nor could wealth ever purchase such assiduous and watchful care - So the heart has termed it & the gifts of he heart are not to be bought for gold. Sister used to read at the mornings some entertaining works, we dined late, after dinner I amused myself with my children & in the evening my good husband & often other friends joined this little affectionate circle. Sister, left in the heat of July & that Susan was only threee weeks old, we were induced to remove immediately to our cottage - The billious fever was very prevalent in the city & ?? children very sickly - I had a severe attack of fever and believing it to be billious, I was so alarmedby the idea of its communicating to the family, that I insisted on an im mediate removal - When therefore the fever went off, we took advantage of the interval, I was putinto 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 advantages of the disposition with which a kind Providence had blessed me, for I believe no effort of reason, would have reconected me, to [ ??] which with my [??] became

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What delightful rambles have we had through [deleted]the[deleted] woods which for many miles surrounded us, day after day did we wander miles, exploring scenes as wild as if many hundred miles distant from a City. - [Dreading?], married to [?] [?] our hours at home. My mind was ever busy in planning improvements & the idea of my children was associated with every thing which we planned. Beneath that tree they will play - When the first trees we plant, that yeild their fruit, they shall gather it. - When that walk is laid out, there shall they run - on these benches shall they sit -

Thus were] future hope mingled with present joys. - Oh who that can live in the country would bury themselves in a city. -

Would you to Natures Laws obedience [deleted]may[deleted] yeild, Would you a house for health & pleasure build Where is there such a situation found? As where the country spreads its blessings round? Where is the intemperate winter less severe? or when the sun ascending fires the year Where breathes a milder Zephyr to assuage The Dogstars fury or the Lions rage Where do less envious cares disturb the breast?

Then fly from grandeur & the haughty great The cottage offers a secure retreat, Where you may make that heartfelt bliss your own To kings & favorites of kings unknown!

[Francis?] Horace

1804

October 26

The whole of this day the weather has been tempestuous, early in the morning it rain'd, towards noon it turned to hail & a few hours afterwards to snow. The snow fell for five or six hours & entirely cover'd the whole face of the country; it was very cold during the night & the snow lay on the ground until noon next day. I have never known such cold & stormy weather at this season, as has been this year. The trees are stripped of their leaves & all nature already wears the appearance of winter. [?] this stormy day, the roaring of the wind among the trees, the pelting of the rain & hail against the windows, to me were pleasing & soothing sounds. I experienced to day these sensations of tender melancholy, those wanderings of fancy, those pleasing [reveries?], which I used to feel in the early period of life; that period when the heart is so sensible to every impression of pain or pleasure, that period when the imagination is kindled by the warmth of the heart, [deletion] [deleted]from[deleted] & when this [?] union of sensibility & fancy, produces that delicious enthusiasm, which elevates the [deleted]mind[deleted] soul. (Tho' it often misleads the reason) which imparts a charm to life, that is frequently disolved by experience & reason. A residence in the country tends to preserve & [?] this sweet glow of the soul; to day while I stood at my window listening to the winds, watching the falling snow & the agitated [forest?] I could with truth say with the poet

Oh! nature all thy shows & forms For feeling pensive hearts, have charmes Whether the summer warms with light & heat Or Winter howls the long dark night

In gusty storms

This violent storm knowed no impediment to the weekly visit of my dear husband; he walke'd out thru snow & rain, & most [agreeably?] surprised us as we were sitting down to tea.