[Peter Johnston, Jr., at Abingdon, Virginia, to John Archer Morton, Jr., at Bordeaux, France, March 26, 1817, care of William Campbell Preston. Floyd-Johnston-Preston Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary, Series I: Mss. Acc. 2002.37, folder 16. Note: folder contents list identifies the letter as dated March 26, 1819, but internal evidence corrects the year to 1817. These are my rough notes with some transcription, based on images made by Sue Davis, who graciously made them available. Paragraph breaks added for easier reading; Johnston's use of the "long s" modernized for the same reason.]
[Johnston's letter serves two purposes: as a letter of introduction for Preston and as a means of bringing Morton generally up to date with his (Johnston's) news and views.]
[Context: "[I]n May 1817, he [William Campbell Preston] sailed for Europe, by way of New York. with letters of introduction from Jefferson, Madison and the newly-inaugurated President Monroe. He began in Ireland . . ." ~ Patrick Scott, "William Campbell Preston, Student, Statesman, President & Professor being the First Annual Preston Lecture delivered on April 10th, 1996." (Columbia, S.C.: Printed by Request, 1996), page [6]. Link here.]
[Once in Europe, Preston traveled with Washington Irving and Hugh Legaré, among others. The Prestons were among the top socio-economic elite, with the Johnstons being on the second tier.]
Life would be scarcely supportable to me in this land of savages, but for the charms of the chase. The best of game is abundant, & we obtain it at pleasure. The climate too is excellent -- only a little colder, in winter, than I like -- but always healthy, except when epidemics prevail. Our best neighbors, and only friends, are General Preston's family. But they are from home during the greater part of almost every year.
My comforts & happiness depend entirely on my own family. Mrs. J., you know, is of a disposition to meet all the accidents of life, without permitting them to distress her tranquility. This is a great affair to me, not only in relation to myself individually, but as it operates on all my house-hold. We have eight boys; some of whom have attained manhood, and are likely, at least, to bring no disgrace, or misfortune, upon us. The rest are such as the children of other parents, who do all they can to inculcate proper principles on the heart, and to cultivate the understandings of their offspring. Providence has blessed us with a daughter, in our advanced age. I will tell you nothing about her, because I know I am partial to her. She is yet too young, perhaps, for any body to form an opinion of what she will be. I can tell you, however, what you would probably guess, if I did not say a word about it -- her mother & I think her a prodigy, & she is our chief delight. As you are a father, you know how to forgive any folly, of which we may be guilty, on a subject like this . . .
[Johnston then declares that if Morton returns to Virginia for a visit, he will be sure to spend time with him, for two or three weeks.]
[He asks about Morton's family, wife, boys and girls, and inquires whether he intends to remain in France permanently, or return to Virginia.]
Mrs. J. begs you to remember her, as she does you, with the kindness of an old friend; & for my own part, I pray you to accept the sincere assurance of my warm esteem & affection.
[Peter Johnston, Jr. (1763-1831)
John Archer Morton, Jr. (1772-1834)
William Campbell Preston (1794-1860)
Francis Smith Preston (1765-1836)
Mrs. J. = Mary Valentine Wood Johnston (1769-1825)
Eight sons = more clear evidence that this letter is dated to 1817, not 1819: Dr. John Warfield Johnston (1790-1818), the oldest of the eight, died on December 10, 1818.
Daughter = Jane Mary Wood Johnston (1811-1892)]
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
[Johnston's letter serves two purposes: as a letter of introduction for Preston and as a means of bringing Morton generally up to date with his (Johnston's) news and views.]
[Context: "[I]n May 1817, he [William Campbell Preston] sailed for Europe, by way of New York. with letters of introduction from Jefferson, Madison and the newly-inaugurated President Monroe. He began in Ireland . . ." ~ Patrick Scott, "William Campbell Preston, Student, Statesman, President & Professor being the First Annual Preston Lecture delivered on April 10th, 1996." (Columbia, S.C.: Printed by Request, 1996), page [6]. Link here.]
[Once in Europe, Preston traveled with Washington Irving and Hugh Legaré, among others. The Prestons were among the top socio-economic elite, with the Johnstons being on the second tier.]
Life would be scarcely supportable to me in this land of savages, but for the charms of the chase. The best of game is abundant, & we obtain it at pleasure. The climate too is excellent -- only a little colder, in winter, than I like -- but always healthy, except when epidemics prevail. Our best neighbors, and only friends, are General Preston's family. But they are from home during the greater part of almost every year.
My comforts & happiness depend entirely on my own family. Mrs. J., you know, is of a disposition to meet all the accidents of life, without permitting them to distress her tranquility. This is a great affair to me, not only in relation to myself individually, but as it operates on all my house-hold. We have eight boys; some of whom have attained manhood, and are likely, at least, to bring no disgrace, or misfortune, upon us. The rest are such as the children of other parents, who do all they can to inculcate proper principles on the heart, and to cultivate the understandings of their offspring. Providence has blessed us with a daughter, in our advanced age. I will tell you nothing about her, because I know I am partial to her. She is yet too young, perhaps, for any body to form an opinion of what she will be. I can tell you, however, what you would probably guess, if I did not say a word about it -- her mother & I think her a prodigy, & she is our chief delight. As you are a father, you know how to forgive any folly, of which we may be guilty, on a subject like this . . .
[Johnston then declares that if Morton returns to Virginia for a visit, he will be sure to spend time with him, for two or three weeks.]
[He asks about Morton's family, wife, boys and girls, and inquires whether he intends to remain in France permanently, or return to Virginia.]
Mrs. J. begs you to remember her, as she does you, with the kindness of an old friend; & for my own part, I pray you to accept the sincere assurance of my warm esteem & affection.
Peter Johnston . . .
[Peter Johnston, Jr. (1763-1831)
John Archer Morton, Jr. (1772-1834)
William Campbell Preston (1794-1860)
Francis Smith Preston (1765-1836)
Mrs. J. = Mary Valentine Wood Johnston (1769-1825)
Eight sons = more clear evidence that this letter is dated to 1817, not 1819: Dr. John Warfield Johnston (1790-1818), the oldest of the eight, died on December 10, 1818.
Daughter = Jane Mary Wood Johnston (1811-1892)]
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
No comments:
Post a Comment
Commentaires