12

Oaklawn, April 1, Ths 1837

Since I last wrote I have been very sick in great pain
of fever and now in dread of another Lord keep it off
I pray: but to my fate I submit - I must not murmur
against Providence. My case might have been worse
Lord protect me. Now I commit myself to the bed
of repose - Take me to thy care. Uninterrupted and well
may I rest. when I shall have risen in the morning
(if it be thy will may I feel thankful unto thee)
O, thou All Creator and Ruler of the Universe -
who leest and and knowest all things [endure?] me with
the mind to do thy will_ to obey thy commands to
reverence with more interest thy holy book.
Pardon I beseech thee my fauls of the past and
protect me in future [?] my experience of the past so
guide me in regard to [its?] future that my past offences
be expirate. Be with me ever I beseech thee - When
death receive me unto thy Kingdom where I may be
helped forever through the Lord Jesus Christ world with
out- end.

April Th. 13th Practice makes perfect. Every new piece
of law business I transact or participate in transacting
teaches me something I understood not before. Even yes -
terday taking depositions gave me some useful infor
mation. For many weeks I have done nothing in law
reading having attended Courts &c. Last I was quite
sick from cold I took at our Supr. Court. This cold
had a singular effect on me- a hard real ague and
fever quotidian and tertian, and severely sick I was
so much so that I feel very thankful that it was
no worse that it was not the prevailing epidemic
which is deadly even where as almost- every day informs
us- in short that I am again in tolerable health I am truly
thankful for every spring (a fine April day) inspires
me with poetry, with sighing, with sorrow and sy-
mpathy. The green foliage and varied] blooms and songs of
birds are poetic that these remind me of by gonedays
I sigh _ that as they bring to my reflection those who are
gone forever, and those grown up and embarked in life busi-
ness being thus alone and abstracted. I feel sorry I cant-tell
[which?] that as my situation is between misfortune and high hope
seeing no immediate chance of relief, I sympathise for myself.