Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

James Gould to George Abbot, 19 April 1839

[From James Gould in Baltimore, Maryland, to his wife Eliza's cousin George Abbot on the ship Lamarang at Liverpool, England. A short postscript was written by his wife. He talks about how much they enjoyed having George's daughter Elizabeth stay with them the past winter, and how they saw her as far as New York on her trip home; hints at some sort of romantic relationship for Elizabeth over the winter; talks about Elizabeth's activities with them; and describes seeing a mosaic in New York that he would like to buy.

Addressed to "Capt. George Abbot, of ship Lamarang at Liverpool, Care Waddington, Holt, Eng., Liverpool," and postmarked "Baltimore, MD, Apr 20."]

Baltimore 19th April 1839

Dear Cousin George,

Agreeably to promise I write you by the Great Western which vessel is expected to sail from New York on Monday the 22 inst. and will I hope arrive with you in time to place you in the possession of letters from all your family.

Matters have been with us pretty much as when you was here. We have been favored with the society of dear Elizabeth¹ untill Sunday last the 14th on which day I accompanied her to N York and should have gone to Boston with her, but found that the Father² of your Mr. Brigham³ was going to Boston the next day and I remained with her at Mrs. Thompsons [?], and placed her under his charge on board the Boat for Stonington, and she doubtless arrived safe home the next day. We hope to get letters from her by tomorrow or next day to that effect.

To say that we have been pleased with cousin E for the time she has been with us would give but a faint Idea of the gratification we have received. She has been our companion, our Friend, our Daughter in all that could make life delightful to us. And if we have essayed to make her time pleasant, it promoted our happiness in doing so. We both love her dearly and she has entwined about our hearts those bonds of affection that will endure while life remains, probably. We parted with her with extreme regret and hope it may be convenient for her mother⁴ to allow us her society the next winter. We feel however a delicacy in arguing it as Nancy might think us unresonable, at a time when she might need her services so much. We therfore leave it to time and circumstance to decide for us.

Things in a certain quarter were as I suspected, altho' no engagements have been made or asked, yet a marked prefference has been evident. I do not think however her heart is enlisted and am glad of it. Two or three years hence will be time enough.

We have been to several parties since you was here and on the whole had a gay winter, and Elizabeth had a party also. She is a general favorite and her young friends here were much interested in her, and with us lament her absence.

A short time since, with Elizabeths permission I wrote to Georgianna,⁵ and on my return from New York yesterday I found a reply to my letter from her, and a very pretty letter it is. I rejoice with you in your promising daughters, and hope our interest in them will increase with time and longer acquaintance. It gives me great pleasure to find Eliza⁶ so much interested for them, but I will not allow her to love them more than I do.

I could write of Dear Elizabeth till you were tired of reading - of our music, our reading our latin, our converse, our happiness, for she was the life of our little circle. And we cannot yet realize but that she will be in presently, and it seems as if we were expecting her, constantly. Georgianna says that she will write occasionaly and at least fill a part of E's letters to us now and then. If so we will yet be acquainted and when she has done going to school you will perhaps let her come to us for awhile.

I gave cousin E the best counsel I could and she has returned willing and anxious to assist her mother and the family in every way that she can. And she has not misimproved the time she was with us, but at stated and regular periods has studied music and other studies. And we read together, the best works I could procure, and her mind is a rich store house from which in after life she will be enabled to draw much happiness if properly regulated. And I have tried to impress upon her the importance of diciplining the feelings and cultivating kindly affections as being of more consequence than [?] learning or other acquirements. And she has I hope received it in the kindly spirit it was given, and seemed always willingly to take advice from me, and I love her the more for it.

While in N York I took her to see the Mosaic Picture at the counting room of Mess. B.³ and Hammond. We sat there an hour stud[_____] nearly, and to me it was a rich treat indeed. I would like to possess it. Mr. B. said he was not at liberty to dispose of it, but wanted me to make an offer. I could not do that but he has engaged to advise me of the terms if it is for sale at any time. He spoke of 2000$. I would give that and hope the owner will take it.

I should be pleased to hear from you at Liverpool. If you have leisure do write and say how you are, where & when going, and how soon we may expect to see you again.

We have heard from Warren.⁷ He arrived out at Calcutta 1st Dec and we look for the ship next week, but he will not come home in her, but will be along some time in the summer or fall. I leave an inch or so in hopes that Eliza⁶ will say a word, and with renewed assurance of esteem & regard I am yours very truly,

James Gould

[The rest of this letter is in different handwriting, written by James Gould's wife Eliza.]

They say a postscript is often the best part of a letter. May it be so in this case, for I write merely to send my love & to say that I have received much pleasure from Cousin E¹ this winter and unite with James in the wish for her return the next year if agreable to Nancy.⁴ Good bye and believe me your affectionate Cousin Eliza.

Do write us.

 

Copyright Charles Towne. Usage of this work is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0
Compiler: Charles Towne

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