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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
Chase explains why he did not tell his Uncle Dudley about Horace's illness, but promises he has been truthful in every other way. Chase updates Uncle Dudley on the rest of their family's health and tells him to send his father all his good wishes and love.
Date
3-10-1826
City
Randolph, VT
Keywords
Mr. Murphy, Aunt Chase, Horace, influenza, George Barker, Lucia Russell
Recommended Citation
Chase, George, "Letter to Dudley Chase" (1826). Philander Chase Letters. 454.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/454
Rights Statement
Transcript
Randolph March 10th 1826
My Dear Uncle
Today Mr. Murphy desired me to write a long letter from him on particular business, which I engaged to do, provided he would go up to the Post Office and get the papers and letters for me and also if he saw any of our family, I mean your family, to request them to apply to Aunt Chase to send me down anything that she may have received from you. Mr. Murphy accordingly brought me your very kind and good letter of Feb. 28th and also your letter of the same date to Aunt Chase with a short note of Mar. 2nd to her. I have read them again and again and in answer to part of yours to Aunt Chase complaining of the concealment as it regards Horace’s sickness I can exculpate myself in a very few words. Horace was unexpectedly taken sick and we were hoping every day that he would be better—I was about to write and inform you of the state of things when by Aunt Chase’s directions I was told not to do so, because you knew that we had considerable quantities of what to be drawn from Northfield, wood to get etc., and that your fruitful imagination would picture us in great distress and plagued about every thing when such a belief would be foreign from the truth. Against, however, this arrangement I protested, as Aunt Chase will no doubt tell you, assuring her that you had a right to be treated with perfect frankness and sincerity. But her regard for your anxiety which she knew you would feel on our account led her to adopt a different course. Horace is now perfectly well, and the only inconvenience that his sickness has occasioned has been that Geo. Barker has had some trouble and has drawn 3 loads of wheat from Northfield in the place of Horace. I am persuaded that Aunt Chase will excuse me in her letter which she will write, and although I did not approve of the proceeding yet I am sure her only motive was to spare you anxiety.
In all things else the most perfect sincerity and truth has been used in our letters to you so far as I know their contents. Do not, I beg of you, let this circumstance cause you to suspect that any thing is different from what has been related. I assure that from this time henceforth I will tell you all so far as it occurs to my mind.
I wrote to you yesterday. But of late I have written such short and unsatisfactory letters that you can not be much gratified with their perusal.
Mr. Murphy has engaged to carry me up to the M. House this evening in his cutter—the roads are so full of water and snow that it is almost impossible to get there on foot. I expect to find Aunt Chase in a great flutter about the contents of your letter. I suspect that Dr. Smith, Mr. Weston or Gen. Edson has been your informant. I shall leave the remaining part of this letter to be filled at your house.
Evening—At your house
I have the pleasure of informing you that the sick members of your family to wit Dudley and Mary are both convalescent. Dudley has hobbled around a little on the queer looking crutch that I made for him. Mary begins to have some appetite to eat.
My dear Aunt I must say in the same spirit of sincerity that I have always intended to word my letters, is well excepting a little nervous feeling that she has occasionally relative to your health and welfare; and the trouble which the Influenza has given almost every individual of the family, but which we hope is now disappearing for the want of new subjects on which to operate.
In reply to your questions about Aunt Smith, I believe that in my preceding letters I have given you some opinions concerning her. To recapitulate in short—she was quite sick supposed with the dropsy but she is now quite [far] from any complaint that I know of and when I last saw her she seemed to be in remarkable good health and spirits for so old a lady. It is so dark writing at your desk that I can not see to write more and must wait until the girls bring in a light.
The light has come. My wife tells probably with truth that I do not take half so much pains with your letters that I do with my other correspondents. It may be true, but it is no sign that I love you the less, believing that you will overlook such minor matters a [sic] a friend.
To my father if you write soon pray give my most respectful good wishes and love. Notwithstanding that we differ relating to the Hn. Religion, yet I have ever done justice to all his great and estimable qualities. He knows me not—he never knew me—but for him I never could entertain but the highest admiration and regard.
If you write again to Lucia Russell tell her that she is frequently the subject of conversation among all her friends here, and they are not few, and that they hope she enjoys all the comforts which all her misfortunes and virtues entitle her to receive.
I have room for no more—Adieu my Dear Uncle believe that so far as I am concerned I shall never wish to give you pain,
Your affectionate Nephew
Geo Chase