New York 16th April 1798<\/p>\n
Colonel [Aquila] Giles<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span> has just called to say that his Deputy leaves New York for Philadelphia at three oclock. My children are both in my charge poor Mammy<\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span> being sick a bed, but nothing shall ever interrupt the course of my affection for you<\/span>3<\/sup><\/a><\/span> or prevent my expressing it when\u00adever it is in my power. I am very anxious to hear of your arrival and I hope you will satisfy me, if it is only by putting the pen in Maria’s<\/span>4<\/sup><\/a><\/span> hand, who will be an excellent Substitute when you are either busy or lazy, with the advantage also of giving her the habit of writing, and do not fear to lessen my pleasure in hearing from you by so doing for you know that one of the first rules of my happiness is to be satisfied with good in whatever degree I can attain it, besides which it is very material that absence should not efface me from Maria’s remembrance as I have not yet lost the Hope that my Anna may one day be as dear to her as you are to me\u2014difference of Age after a certain period is very immaterial and rather adds to affection by creating that kind of confidence we have in those who are at an age to Judge of our particular feelings, and yet have more experience to give weight to advice\u2014I forget that Futurity has no part in your calculations, but where it is the source of pleasurable Ideas I am very fond of dwelling on the good it offers\u2014<\/p>\n You meeting with your Family must have been a scene of so much pain to you as well as pleasure, that I please myself with the Hope that it is over\u2014And may Heaven grant you Peace in return for all the sor\u00adrow and confusion you have passed thro’ Here\u2014<\/p>\n Poor Miss Chippy<\/span>5<\/sup><\/a><\/span> will write I suppose by this opportunity\u2014She is a proof with respect to myself, how liable we are to err in our Judgments respecting others except we thoroughly know the motives of their ac\u00adtions for unfeeling and unkind as I must appear to her in affecting not to understand her oddities of behaviour I really and truely pity her Situa\u00adtion\u2014She was at church yesterday; tho’ I had not the pleasure of meet\u00ading her Eye\u2014My Father is murmering still at the manner of your departure, and never comes in without saying something about you\u2014<\/p>\n Give my very best love to dear Sister Charlotte<\/span>6<\/sup><\/a><\/span>, and tell Brother John<\/span>7<\/sup><\/a><\/span> that I never shall forget him.<\/p>\n Kiss your children for me and think of me as I am,<\/p>\n Yours most affectionately E.A.Seton<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"