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Description
Hannah More expresses her gratitude for Rev. Pearson's letter and his kindness towards her. She provides updates on her busy life, including the publication of a book.
Date
Spring 5-9-1821
Keywords
Mr. and Mrs. Thayers, Brighton, Buchanan, Wilberton, moral sketches, 8th edition, Mr. Blomberg, royal chaplain, D. Howard, Canada, Quebec, Montreal, American Province, Episcopal Church, Bishop of Maryland, M. Welber, Bible Rhymes, Cadell, D. Wilson, Mrs. Pearson
Recommended Citation
More, Hannah, "Letter to Rev. D. Pearson" (1821). Philander Chase Letters. 499.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/499
Rights Statement
Transcript
Barleywood
9 May
My Dear Sir
Be not charmed at the promptitude of my reply. [?] in answering the letters each of my best friends is not a habit to which I am much addicted. The truth is I am so overwhelmed with letters foreign and domestic, [applies] to Mr. and Mrs. [Thayers] or person[s] in whom I have [no] particular interest and which are yet of some importance to them or others, that I am obliged [frequently] to renounce pleasure for duty. But your late most kind communication is, independent of my high regard for the writer, so exhilarating, that I cannot confine my joy and gratitude within my own bosom. You have afforded a refreshment to my spirit which I cannot describe. I hope my gratitude will be as [?] as my prayers have been constant, for this most important blessing. Ever since your honorable appointment I have began to believe and to hope; that the [prayer] has exceeded all that I dared allow myself to look for. The illustrious [?] has at times exhibited [pleasing] traits. I was early acquainted with his [preceptors] who told me he [had] test and learning; which in spite of what some good folks say are in my opinion the next best things to religion, tho with a long [interval]. I have also heard him [represented] in having strong [natural] feelings.To none of these things is the atmosphere of a court favorable, much left is it congenial to the [finer] elements of piety. O may he be all we wish, and hope and pray for!
Your [situation] my dear Sir, as it is a most honourable, so it is a most difficult, delicate, and trying one. This warmth of heart, and present kindness [forwards] you, have however plucked out the thorns and briers which lay in your way and will I trust make your path far more smooth, than with your strict principles, and unbending [piety] there was any [great] [reason] to expect. I doubt not that [He] who seems to have [reind] you [up] as an [instrument] for this [great] work, will by his Holy Spirit [assist] you in carrying it on; and that, in a scene of no small temptation, your faith and restitude will not only remain [?], but go on [?] to the perfect day. As far as [?] prayer is available, and that is available, who that believes the Bible can doubt you are [assured] of the pious prayer of thousands.
My mind is so full of [Brighton] [?] [?]. I have already taken down my nicely [bound] [Life] of [Buchanan] for a fresh readings, that I may assimilate myself more with you and your [presents]. The praise given to that book, as well as to your sermon are to me quite a test. There is no [humor] [?] for flattery for you may say with [Hamlet].
Why what preferment can he hope for me? You may depend on my honour and my discretion as to the portions of your letter which [cannot] be [kept] too sacredly secret, and I am flattered by the confidence you so kindly [repose] in me. [M. Wilberton] left me the day before your letter arrived, of course [Brighton] was one of our most interesting topics.
If “moral sketches” should find its way where you mention, it should be the 8th Edition. - I cannot make out which of the four Chaplains is [removed]. Mr. [Blomburg] was for some years my [?] [?] and a more hopeless [?] for a Royal Chaplain or a Parish Minister could not easily be found. It requires much grace and some time [for the king] to [wear] out the impressions of such deplorable society. It was a [peculiar] mark of [regard] to invite you to a [dinner] composed of so few persons. For a [word] people [pass] [?] and the distinction is much [less]. I hope you will [receive] his acquaintance with literature, especially [now] he is become its [?] [?].
I was much gratified - yesterday with a a [visit] [from] my old friend the [Honorable] and [Rev] D. [Howard] from Canada. It is pleasing to hear a man of his high [birth], mention it [is] a matter of [advancement] that he is now appointed travelling missionary instead of a local one, in a transatlantic [province]. It takes in a layer and laborious [?]; he has been the [honoured] [instrument] of [assisting] in the building of 24 Churches, in that remote Catholic district. He says however that from Montreal to Quebec there are 20,000 Protestants.
I have much [?] with most of the American Province[s], [too] much for my time and strength, but Mr. [Welber] [exhorts] me to keep it up, as a [great] duty. They seem to [advance] [?] by [both] [in] [morta]l [?] and in religion. The Episcopal Church flourishes. They have [now] [nine] [Bishops]. I have lately [sent] a [present] of Books to the Bishop of Maryland; they have sent me a [?] [?] [of] [my] [writings].
Your saying you had just seen “Bible Rhymes” [advertised], makes me fear that [Cadell] has added, to one or two other [omissions], that of not sending [you] the copy I [?] before publication. For this [fear] I have [?] [?] to supply the [neglect]. --- I was [persuaded] on [against] my own judgement to [send] it to the press in a sadly unfinished state. As soon as I saw it in print I felt [all] its [?]. And set myself [?] to [enlarge] if not to improve it. Imprudently I printed a large Edition, so that my additions are kept [back]; they will make it more of a whole, even if they add to its imperfections. Our friend [D.] Wilson, is like you, indignant at the title, which he is pleased to [call] “very [disparaging].” but I thought I would [not give] too [honorable] a name to a thing of so little [value]. I had a [mind] to call it [Anilities], but I thought the word might not be intelligible to some of my young readers.
I must [repeat] my cordial thanks for the [?] pleasure you have given me. I may say there is [scarcely] any [subject] so near my heart, because I [?] it to be of the [widest] [extent] and highest importance. May God of his infinite mercy to a large [portion] of the [?] would [grant] that the [?] may be [?] [?] gradual! We must [not] [?] too much or too soon. Great allowances must be made for great great temptation and [?] habits, but to Him whose power is infinite like his mercy all things are possible. I beg my very affectionate regards to Mrs. Pearson. You did not tell me if your own health was improved. I thought you poorly when I had the great pleasure of seeing you last.
What a [grief] that you could not [assist] at the [?] [?]! I hear from all [hands] there [however] been a finer display of talent, or piety.
Yours ever my dear sir with true esteem and friendship
H More