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The Philander Chase letters were written in the 18th and 19th century and therefore may contain language that we understand today as harmful or offensive. You may encounter paternalist descriptions of Native Americans, racial slurs, or sexism. For more information, see our policy page.
Description
An additional letter to G.W. Marriott, furthering his thoughts from his previous letter the day before.
Date
6-15-1824
Recommended Citation
Chase, Philander, "Letter to G.W. Marriott" (1824). Philander Chase Letters. 375.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/375
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Transcript
Oxford 15th of June 1824
My Dear, very dear Friend.
I think I closed my letter yesterday To you rather abruptly. I was telling you something[s] that Mr Symons [related] to me of what took place in London… He said that this Gentleman from Canada seemed to be well instructed in the C[?]son of [?]ded him by Mr. [R]. N. N. who had been present at a Cl[?]. The Principal item in the [f]ile of indictment against the School in this was that it would degrade the Christian ministry by [br]eeding the candidates to the mechanical and agricultural arts. — “This”, [?] mr. Symons “was the only argument tha[t] [?]ed to have the lead weight, and as I was not prepared with an [answer] I would thank you Sir” ado[?]ing him fell to me “to give in me.”
I told him. “All that had been said or done on this head was, that the young man, when entering the school, which will be located, for health beauty and comfort on a farm in the country, should covenant to spend an hour and a half in the morning and the same in the evening in horticulture or at some [?] connected with the printing of useful and religious books. If this would make farmers and mechanicks of the Ohio Clergy, be it so: and should Mr. Norris marry other [?] think this degrading to them; it would be difficult to show why St. PAUL should not come in for a sha[r]e in this [?]ied degradation. The Jews had a law by which their Rabbis were obliged to learn some trade to which. In case of great need, they might report for a livelihood: and according to this law the Holy Apostle, above alluded to, was taught the trade of a [?] maker: and a most useful expedient he found it. Though God had endowed him with great honour, even that of working miracles in his name, yet did he think himself compelled to work with his own hands that he might not be changeable to others. In Canada & [?] the [?] of Mr. Norris this would not it seems have done. It would, no doubt, have been dishonourable; but it answered very well in the infancy of (and with [?]men as St. Paul) of the Church: [?] as that happened to be the care with that branch of the Catholic Kingdom of Christ now as in the Catholics cler[gy] struggling for existence in the west of America, I did not see the inexpediency much [h]elp the disgraceful nature of the measure.
But the plan of having the young men work three hours in the day was adopted not so much for the purpose of giving them means of [?]; =ence in the times of [neglity] as for the dem[?]tion of their expenses and above all for their health & for giving a right & innocent turn to their thoughts and moments of recreation. The body must receive exercise. If [Terine’nal] to make this [?] a great & permanent means of [?]ility?
Much ha[d] been said by Bishop Hobart and his friends about degrading the clerical character[s] It was degrading for a Bishop to come from America to England and exhibit the [?]hal Character in the humiliating attitude of a supplicant —
“Dignity [?] me to [?] my letter to Bish[op] white.& it is trumpeted now as the [?] of degradation for a minister [?] to think of making his hours of amusement those [?]urefu; [Cabow]
Really [w]e would think these [s]ermons to be very [?]right, honorable & dignified in their own department. If in such things, where an ordinary [?] never before discerned any degrading and disgraceful feature, they have seen so much that offendeth, one would expect in Themselves, to me the greatest [?]ible propriety of conduct. The [are] = knowledged vices and foibles of our depraved nature would surely never stain the [?][?] of their characters Justice, Truth, [?], meek[?] mercy and charity [?]would shine [?] in all their actions; and as these only dignify & ennoble the christian character, so the contrary qualities would be regarded as the things which degrade[?]”
Pardon me my dearest friend, for this long speech the’ substance of which I made to Mr. Symons, & with which he seemed to be fully satisfied. I visited several of the Public Buildings and Libraries and was not a little delighted. That which was founded by Radcliffe I think in internal beauty & magnificence scarcely to be exceeded. We went to the TOP from which we a most delightful view of the adjacent country & the Colleges —