"Dear Billy, TO MR. WM. DUNCAN. Gray's Ferry, October 30, 1802. "I was favoured with your despatches a few hours ago, through the kindness of Colonel Sullivan, who called on me. for that purpose. I have read and re-read, over and over again, their contents; and shall devote the remainder of this evening to reply to you, and the rest of the family, now joint tenants. of the woods. By the arrival of John F. here, in August last, I received one letter from my brother David, one from Thomas W. and one for Alexander from David Wilson; and last week another packet arrived from Belfast, containing one letter from your father to myself; and to your mother, brother and brotherin-law, and yourself, one each, all of which I have herewith sent, and hope they may amuse a leisure hour. F. has been wofully disappointed in the expectations he had formed of his uncle. Instead of being able to assist him, he found him in the depth of poverty; and fast sinking under a severe fever; probably the arrival of a relation contributed to his recovery; he is now able to crawl about. F. has had one child born and buried since his arrival. He weaves with Robertson, but neither likes the situation nor employment. He is a stout, active and ingenious fellow, can turn his hand to almost any thing, and wishes as eagerly to get up to the lakes as ever a saint longed to get to heaven. He gives a most dismal description of the situation of the poor people of Scotland in 1800. "Your letters, so long expected, have at length relieved me from much anxiety. I am very sorry that your accommodations are so few, for my sister's sake, and the children's; a fireplace and comfortable house for the winter must, if possible, be got up without delay. If masons are not to be had, I would attempt to raise a temporary one myself, I mean a fire-place— but surely they may be had, and lime and stones are also attainable by dint of industry. These observations are made not from any doubts of your doing every thing in your power to make your mother as comfortable as possible, and as your means will enable you, but from a solicitude for a sister's health, who has sustained more distress than usual. I know the rude appearance of the country, and the want of many usual conveniences, will for some time affect her spirits; let it be your pleasure and study to banish these melancholy moments from her as much as possible. Whatever inconveniences they may for a while experience, it was well they left this devoted city. The fever, that yellow genius of destruction, has sent many poor mortals to their long homes since you departed; and the gentleman who officiates as steward to the Hospital informed me yesterday evening that it rages worse this week than at any former period this season, though the physicians have ceased. reporting. Every kind of business has been at a stand these three months, but the business of death. "You intimate your design of coming down next spring. Alexander seems to have the same intention. How this will be done, consistent with providing for the family, is not so clear to me. Let me give my counsel on the subject. You will see by your father's letters that he cannot be expected before next July, or August perhaps, a time when you must of necessity be at home. Your coming down, considering loss of time and expenses, and calculating what you might do on the farm, or at the loom, or at other jobs, would not clear you more than twenty dollars difference, unless you intended to remain here five or six months, in which time much might be done by you and Alexander on the place. I am sorry he has been so soon discouraged with farming. Were my strength but equal to my spirit, I would abandon my school for ever for such an employ.ment. Habit will reconcile him to all difficulties. It is more healthy, more independent and agreeable than to be cooped up in a subterraneous dungeon, surrounded by gloomy damps, and breathing an unwholesome air from morning to night, shut out from Nature's fairest scenes and the pure air of heaven. When necessity demands such a seclusion, it is noble to obey; but when we are left to choice, who would bury themselves alive? It is only in winter that I would recommend the loom to both VOL I.-D of you. In the month of March next I shall, if well, be able to command two hundred dollars cash once more. Nothing stands between me and this but health, and that I hope will continue at least till then. You may then direct as to the disposal of this money-I shall freely and cheerfully yield the whole to your management. Another quarter will enable me to settle John M.'s account, about the time it will be due; and, instead of wandering in search of employment five or six hundred miles for a few dollars, I would beg of you both to unite in putting the place and house in as good order as possible. But Alexander can get nothing but wheat and butter for this hagging and slashing! Never mind, my dear namesake, put up awhile with the rough fare and rough clothing of the country. Let us only get the place in good order and you shall be no loser by it. Next summer I will assuredly come up along with your father and George, if he comes as I expect he will, and every thing shall flourish. "My dear friend and nephew, I wish you could find a leisure hour in the evening to give the children, particularly Mary, some instruction in reading, and Alexander in writing and accounts. Don't be discouraged though they make but slow progress in both, but persevere a little every evening. I think you can hardly employ an hour at night to better purpose. And make James read every convenient opportunity. If I live to come up beside you, I shall take that burden off your shoulders. Be the constant friend and counsellor of your little colony, to assist them in their difficulties, encourage them in their despondencies, to make them as happy as circumstances will enable you. A mother, brothers and sisters, in a foreign country, looking up to you as their best friend and supporter, places you in a dignified point of view. The future remembrance of your kind duty to them now, will, in the hour of your own distress, be as a healing angel of peace to your mind. Do every thing possible to make your house comfortable-fortify the garrison in every point-stop every crevice that may let in that chilling devil, the roaring blustering northwest-heap up fires big enough for an Indian war-feast-keep the flour-barrel full-bake loaves like Hamles Head*-make the loom thunder, and the pot boil; and your snug little cabin re-echo nothing but sounds of domestic felicity. I will write you the moment I hear of George. I shall do every thing I have said to you, and never lose sight of the eighteenth of March; for which purpose I shall keep night school this winter, and retain every farthing but what necessity requires-depend upon me. These are the outlines of my plan. If health stand it, all will be well; if not, we cannot help it. Ruminate on all this, and consult together. If you still think of coming down, I hope you would not hesitate for a moment to make my neighbourhood your home. If you come I shall be happy to have you once more beside mé. If you resolve to stay on the farm, and put things in order as far as possible, I will think you have done what you thought best. But I forget that my paper is done. "Robb, Orr, &c. have escaped as yet from the pestilence; but Robb's three children have all had the ague. Rabby Rowan has gone to Davie's Locker at last: he died in the West Indies. My brother David talks of coming to America, and my father, poor old man, would be happy to be with you, rough and uncomfortable as your situation at present is. As soon as I finish this I shall write to your mother and Alexander. There is a letter for John M., which he is requested to answer by his father-in-law. I hope John will set a firm resolute heart to the undertaking, and plant a posterity in that rich, western country, to perpetuate his name for ever. Thousands here would rejoice to be in his situation. How happy may you live thus united together in a free and plentiful country, after so many years of painful separation, where the bare necessaries of life were all that incessant drudgery could procure, and even that but barely. Should even sickness visit you, which God forbid, each of you is surrounded by almost all the friends you have in the world, to nurse you, and pity and console you; and surely it is not the least sad comfort of a death bed, to be attended by * The name of a rock near Paisley. affectionate relatives. Write me positively by post, two or three times. My best love to my sister, to Isabella, Alexander, John, the two Maries, James, Jeany, little Annie. God Almighty bless you all. "Your ever affectionate friend, "ALEX. WILSON." TO ALEXANDER DUNCAN. October 31, 1802. "Dear Alexander, "I have laughed on every perusal of your letter. I have now deciphered the whole, except the blots, but I fancy they are only by the way of half mourning for your doleful captivity in the back woods, where there is nothing but wheat and butter, eggs and gammon, for hagging down trees. Deplorable! what must be done? It is a good place, you say, for a man who has a parcel of weans! * "But forgive this joking. I thank you, most heartily, for this your first letter to me; and I hope you will follow it up with many more. I shall always reply to them with real pleasure. I am glad that your chief objection to the country is want of money. No place is without its inconveniences. Want of the necessaries of life would be a much greater grievance. If you can, in your present situation, procure sufficient of these, though attended with particular disadvantages, I would recommend you to persevere where you are. I would wish you and William to give your joint labours to putting the place in as good order as possible. A farm of such land, in good cultivation, is highly valuable; it will repay all the labour bestowed upon it a hundred fold; and contains within it all the powers of plenty and independence. These it only requires industry to bring forth, and a small stock of money to begin with. The money I doubt not of being able to procure, next summer, for a year or two, on interest, independent of two hundred dollars of my own, which I hope to possess on or before the middle of March next. C. S. is very much attached to both your |