Harriet Hackley to Catharine Wistar Bache
| Fredericksburg March 24. 1811 |
Can I flatter myself that my Dear Mrs bache will be pleased to hear from me after so long a silence? your affectionate letter was truly wellcome & I have no excuse to offer for so shameful a neglect in not answering it sooner than the state of my health, & spirits, which have both been bad during the whole winter, I am now tho’ much better thank heaven—indeed comparatively well, & intend leaving this in a few days.—most sincerely do I join in the wish that we were nearer together, for I assure you few things would delight me more than your society, & I earnestly hope we may meet again e’er long. accept my grateful thanks for your kind endeavours to raise my spirits, & believe me I do all in my power to keep them up, yet there are times when every effort proves vain, & I am miserable, tho’ these moments are always succeeded by an increase of indisposition.
I have not heard a word from home since the 25th of Decr & begin to be very impatient & somewhat uneasy, particularly as my dear Maria was then in daily expectation of becoming a Mother: my husbands letters all speak of his being fully employ’d, & having met with more success than he had calculated on; God grant he may e’er long earn a sufficiency to maintain us in tolerable comfort the rest of ours lives without being separated, for indeed by present sufferings cannot be endur’d a much longer term without producing a total inability in me to enjoy good fortune for what enjoyment is there in life when deprived for ever of health?
I have just received a letter as late as the 9th of Feby from home. Mr Hackley was well but there is no time fixed for my return & he seems to have no idea of giving up his present situation. he is not in very good spirits tho’ thank God he enjoys his health perfectly.
Jane desires to be remember’d to Sarah, my little ones are quite well, & little Hannah is a remarkably fine child.
you wished to know whether my women made any progress in the English language—the youngest of the two understands every thing said to her, & speaks tolerably. the other is still very much at a loss, tho’ I think improving: Lucia begins to speak English but has not lost any of her Spanish.
present my best respects to the Dr & love to your children, let me know when you hear from, Mary Jones, is Harriet well married? & what has become of the unfortunate wife of that poor deluded man Wm Brown!