Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

Yesterday evening Mr. & Mrs. Key came here after paying a visit at Tufton, and as they spent the day with us I have been obliged to defer writing to my Dear Sister until candle light, and the evenings being the time of my greatest indisposition I should scarcely make the attempt, but that I have felt much better for a day or two past than I have done for many weeks before. another objection to employment at night just now, is the want of the excitement usually produced by tea, which I have been obliged to give up entirely, as well as coffee, using boiled milk as a substitute for them both in the morning & evening. I think I should have suffered less from this attack of dyspepsia if my appetite had failed as it generally does, but it is uncommonly good, ’tho’ rather whimsical. you were very right in supposing that it would be a great comfort to us to know how well provided you are with sick nurses, for though I never doubted Mr. Coolidges assiduity & tenderness on such occasions, I own I have less faith in the skill of men than I have in that of women, and yet there is such a difference in the skilfulness of female nurses that we could not be quite easy about you until that of your fille de chambre had been put to the proof. I hope your sickness was too short to deprive you of any of the flesh gained since your residence in Boston, for you know we always classed you with the odes, and have pleased ourselves lately in imagining your looks in fine health, handsomely drest, & animated. you are sadly wanted in the drawing room here, as well as every where else, dearest Sister, for we find great difficulty in keeping our guests & ourselves awake, particularly if Mama happens to be in a silent mood. C. & M. are some times roused to make them selves agreeable, but I very much fear that I shall die with pleasant conversation in me, as somebody did with the truth, because it never came out of them. Do not suppose that I aspire to any thing out of the common way; I only wish to enjoy rather than endure company, & to do that I am sure nothing is requisite but to have some conversation at my command, that I might be an actor in the scene instead of a drowsy spectator. in some company I am satisfied with being merely an auditor, & feel no desire to use any organ but that of hearing, but of course it is not an every day occurrence to be thrown into such society, and I wish to partake on of the pleasure of society generally. I have no right to expect people to attempt to entertain a lady Sarah Lidhurst, and yet like her I am not content to sit on my pedestal, stiff, cold, silent, & left to myself. I begin to think that my spirits, & intellect stagnate from want of change & variety in life, for I am unwilling to consider myself too stupid to improve. indeed my occupations at present are not calculated to sharpen wit, or raise spirits, for I am so constantly employed at my needle endeavouring to keep two wardrobes in order, that very little time is left me for more agreeable & improving occupations. as yet I have never been able to devote more than two hours in the day to books, & have not touched a key of the harpsichord for months. this last piece of neglect must end with the arrival of my piano, for I shall consider it a duty to practise regularly, after having gone to the expense of purchasing an instrument. thus you see that you have quite as much leisure as I have, for it is but justice to myself to say that I am quite industrious, and do not find the day too short for all that I have to do in it because I trifle away time. I am sick of this egotistical strain, but trust to your affectionate indulgence not to be disgusted with me.—

Mr. & Mrs. Key are going to spend a part of the vacation in Washington, and not only students & professors, but even the hotel keepers & Mr. Brockenbrough are going abroad, which will be very ungallant behaviour I think, having been assured by one of the Miss Tuckers that the ladies at the University would be left without a protector entirely. [. . .] Dr. Dunglison goes to Richmond on business, & will be absent but a few days, and as Mrs. D,s baby is too young to travel & she obliged in consequence to remain at home with it, Mama is going to press her to spend the time of the Doctors absence with us. these ladies, as well as all our other neighbours are constant enquirers about you. indeed all our acquaintances whenever we meet with them, make you the subject of their first enquiries. how we came to be so negligent in repeating these constant proofs of regard, I am at a loss to say, unless that each of us makes herself the theme of every letter She writes, as I am apt to do. you are also the subject of much conversation with strangers, at least all who come from the North. the Duke of Saxe Weimar and t his Secretary [. . .] whose name you recollect is Huygens, were have been here since we last wrote, from them we heard of you also. Did you see much of them, and how did you like them? I was but a short time in their company; [. . .] the day they came Mama, Mary & myself spent at Tufton, and when we returned home in the evening I was too unwell to make my appearance, and they left here immediately after breakfast the next morning. we were very much [. . .] struck with a personal likeness in the Duke to Col: Peyton.

Cornelia & Nicholas & myself are planning a visit of a day or two to Mrs. Madison before the bad weather sets in, but I shall not think it atall certain that we are going until we are there, from the great many obstacles that generally oppose themselves to our plans for visiting; of course I shall scarcely be disappointed if we stay at home, although I should like to go very much. another visit I am very anxious to make this winter, but as yet see no possibility of doing so. Aunt C. & the girls have invited me very pressingly to go to Carys-brook, & I wish to spend some days there, & avail myself also of an invitation to Bremo. I have some curiosity to see the establishment, & still more to hear Mrs. Cocke play on the harp, which She never touches in the summer season.

It is getting very late, and my letter must be put in the Office by the boys who go off before sunrise to the University, therefore Adieu. Maria Carr continues in the same state, life [. . .] extinguishing like the dying flame of a candle. it is almost to be desired that it would terminate more speedily, on account of her unfortunate friends whose sufferings are so protracted. the little crayon head done by Mr. A. V. is safe & hanging where you left it in the drawing room. we are very glad of the permission to detain D’Anville, which I had persuaded Mama with some difficulty not to send in your trunks, certain that you would grant us the permission to use it some time longer, as soon as asked. can you send us any information on the subject of the fashions, particularly with regard to frocks & neck dresses, if you have them, patterns would be still better, & might come by the piano. Mama & the girls join me in love to Joseph & yourself, my Dear Sister, may heaven grant you the happiness you deserve so much, and your mother & sisters the comfort of knowing it, & seeing it. once more adieu. “de loin comme de pres ”