Elizabeth Trist to Nicholas P. Trist
My Dear Nicholas | Monticello June 19th 1819 |
I have been disappointed every mail for the last two weeks not receiving a letter from you as I had calculated on receiving a letter from you every month and your last was dated 5th of May Your Brother received one since written some days days later I had flatterd my self that you had gone through your examination and wou’d be able to execute your intention of writing more frequently when you had less to attend to, presuming on that circumstance I feel uneasy thinking the heat of the weather has made you sick for it begins to be sickly in this Neighbourhood particularly among the Blacks Mr Jefferson has 16. down at Lego and buried one yesterday Six were getting better but eating cherries occasion’d one to relapse and I understand little hope is entertain’d of his recovery Ellen came down to day after being confined to her bed two days with a fever Ben is also convalescent after a severe attack, the rest of this family are well. Jefferson has moved to Tufton I saw him yesterday for the first time since his fray with Bankhead he looks the worse for his assasinating foes attack and I fear will never have the proper use of his left arm again the last Court they expected to have had witnesses examined which wou’d have proved that Jefferson did not attack Bankhead but in his own defence but the Court dismiss’d the suit as Bankhead was present I believe upon the whole it is a fortunate thing as he has been obliged to leave this Neighbourhood for they live now with his Parents who are excessively fond of Ann and he will not beheave to her there as he did here she writes to her Mother sisters, and they answer her letters but never mention his name she is under the impression that her Brother commenced the fray—I left Farmington on the 16th last Mr D very unwell tho able to go about the House and Garden Mrs D Seems to be in tolerable health but wou’d be the better if she was to go to the springs they treated me with so much kindness and when I left them beg’d me to return as soon as possible that my room shou’d be kept for me and the carriage sent for me when ever I wou’d let them know when I wish’d to return. Mr Jefferson takes his trip to Bedford for the summer in two weeks, Ellen and Cornelia accompany him and I expect Stay some weeks here, last evening Browse Francis young Baker and Wilson Miles Cary with James Randolph came up the Mountain they are all Students under Mr Stack and La Porte is establish’d in keeping the Boarding House there no doubt but Stack will have a large school he has 14 or fifteen scholars already they are much pleased with his mode of teaching and he says they are the most orderly Boys that he ever had any thing to do with, Elizabeth Randolph is here and I expect as usual that we shall have a dance this evening as to Browse he seem so taken up with Books that he seems to think of nothing else I cant believe that it wou’d give him any concern if he never saw me he received a letter from your Mother a few days since date 22d May she complains of all our negligence in not letting her hear from us oftener it is three months she says since she received a letter from me and not one from him since the 27th March, I never let a Month pass without writing she received a letter from you date[d] 1 April The river is higher than it has been for two years and was Still rising they saw 200 plank a day and the crop Was beautiful Lewis Livingstone has paid them another visit he is now preparing him self for the Law Da—n has been in real trouble his Father was not content with refusing to pay his debts but vilified his character the poor fellow was sent to Prison he was released and is in partnership with some young Man in Orleans I did not know that Browse was going to write or I shoud have left it to him to inform you of what she mentions to him respecting your old friends it gives me pleasure to hear that they are all well—I have not heard from Liberty since the first of May The family here all appear to remember you with the [. . .] feeling of friendship, Mead lives with his Brother at a place call’d Kaolin near Richmond Mr Jefferson thinks the college will be fit to receive students in April he has Rece’d several letters from Europe highly recommending as Professor of Modern Languages a German by birth but has a perfect knowledge of all the modern languages as well as other branches of Education he lives at present in England The Stockings you left at Leitches are not to be had I wonder you never mention’d them before, had they ever been worn I hope my Dear Nicholas that you will have no more accounts at Stores I am afraid for every body that runs in debt no one can be secure of freedom or happiness that does God bless and preserve you and Give you firmness to resist all temptations that will injure Your self or others believe me Your affectionate Grand Mother