File 1: Hassall family, correspondence, volume 3, pp. 1-668, 1793-1821

"to frustrate your grand designs - but I trust

you will be directed by a special Providence

to know whether you are called by Jesus, to

the awful and import office.

You fear study – But consider under what

disadvantgious [sic] circumstances you have

attempted your Latin — you will

find yourself a new man when separated

from such cares — Any attempts to

acquire Latin previous to your departure

in my opinion will dishearten you

and intimidate you at the enterprize

and I mistake if it has not already

had some effect of that kind on

your mind — I speak from what I have

often experienced, but I would not offer my

experience or imperfect knowledge as any

rule for you – I only hint my opinion

and will further add, that should you

fall short of a quick and happy genius in

acquiring classical, or philisophical [sic] knowledge,

you may make amends by zeal & assiduity

to your Master's work – as also in poss-

essing requisite qualifications, that

I hope you do, tho' to mention such,

is not the duty, nor province of a

Friend — I am much obliged by your

polite & condescending offer of taking my

letters. We must consider it extremely Kind

your intention to pay us a short visit –

In Ireland the people go many miles to get

the priests blessing, before he goes to College —

but should I not [illegible] it in their superstitious way

let me have a share in your progress [for pardoning and

upholding Grace to?] Yours Sincerely Ja Bradley

"

[MS 72]

Mr Thomas Hassall Paramatta -

[Ink blot]

[MS 73]

Macquarie Grove March 3rd 1817 Dear Sir I had the pleasure of yours of friday night and am much obliged by your kind intentions to find wife among the late adventurers - but I must never expect to see her in this Colony. Tho' [though] I hope you may in England - I continue to write her by every ship - but got no letters except the one after it was reported she had bidden farewell to sorrows - I must say I am very unhappy about her. Along with all my other misfortunes I have that of loving her to an excess - which has made my exile the more intolerable. She was my idol - it was just that I should be punished for being uxorious as well as covetous - she was virtuous good & wise but had not descernment [discernment] enough to foresee her ruin in me - alas! she delivered a better fate

[MS ?]

but I have reason to hope from her own Words that she had profited by her affliction - Pardon Dear Sir I did not begin to write with an intention to treat you to any notation of my Sorrows - I think you would do well to open Blomleys letter - and let it be answered to his friends - At his death there was a small balance of £1.15-5 Cy - even that might be of use to his poor family in England - should you know their address and recollect when Providence guides you to that happy shore -- you might remit them that Sum. Tayler has £11 Cy due - I should have attended the Sunday school but had neither horse nor saddle - besides I dislike to leave the farm lest I be taken at an advantage - for we have a worse set men - than ever I know at [MS 75] one time on the farm. I was much gratified by finding a few terms in your letter that Savoured of Geometry, which with a little plain Trigonometry will prove essentially useful - you could not imagine how much it will enlarge your ideas and strengthen your reasoning faculties and prepare you for other Studies - You might in a short time acquire such a knowledge of the above with local Geography & a smattering of Navigation, as would make your (crossed out word) passage pleasant & profitable and your company still more agreeable to the officers - with whom you cannot converse without being at a loss to comprehend their terms of Latitude & Longitude - course departure and distance. All this with the pleasure of keeping a regular Journal may be acquired [Ink Blot]

[MS 76]

or 5 weeks - & you have such an opportunity with Mr Gilcrist - nor need at present you of attending a little to your Latin - At all events get familiar with maps - and charts on Mercators Projection & be sure to have a few good lectures on the Globes. I can do myself the honour of presenting you with a treatise, rather an epistion on Navigation, which a person of a moderate capacity may work by knowing the rules of their - I have a selfish view in offering it - as I expect you will send me in return an excellent author from England - meantime I have the honor to be Sir your obedient humble Svt [servant] J. B -

Mr. Thomas Hassall Parramatta (underlined)

Mr Jas [James] Bradley(underlined)