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Description
Margaret reminisces on Chase's visit with her family and discusses the development of her "Ohio garden."
Date
7-15-1825
Keywords
Mr. Wiggin, Doctor Gaskin, Mr. Marriott, The Orbit, Mr. Ward
Recommended Citation
Kenyon, Margaret, "Letter to Philander Chase" (1825). Philander Chase Letters. 533.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/533
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Transcript
Hoy Lake
July 15, 1825
My ever revered & dear Sir,
At the risk of appearing intrusive on your valuable time, I cannot forbear writing you a few lines on this anniversary of one of the most gratifying days of my life, viz; that on which we had the privilege of being introduced to you at 21 Clayton Square, Liverpool, previous to your departure for America. To say what I felt at that interview, & what I feel as at this moment I recall it to mind, is impossible & tears almost fill my eyes when I recollect the solemn & affecting manner in which you committed me to divine protection with those most dear to me. Often do I repeat the well-remembered words of it with delight & comfort, & grateful recollection of him who so tenderly & proudly bestowed it. We have been this afternoon in a steam [?] to Liverpool, by way of retracing our steps this day to [?] and tho’ land & sea both now intervene between us & the revered individual whom we then beheld for the first & last time yet I am sure the remembrance of you is as strongly retained as it was in the first moments after our interview, & I believe I could repeat almost every word that there fell from your lips.
July 17. This is now the anniversary of the day when we [established] the Orbit slowly moving on its cause, & [carrying] you to far distant lands – which would have been even a more melancholy sight than it was, but for the hope of meeting you again, if not on earth, at least in “a better country, that is an heavenly.” But I cannot relinquish the thought, however apparently improbable, that England is again to be [blest] with your presence.
My Ohio house, as Papa has told you, is finished, & when I have furnished it with your print, & some Ohio papers &e, I shall often be in it, to think of you. I will endeavour to send you a representation of it when Papa writes next, it is made after a model Mr. Wiggin was so good as to give us, & I have had American plants set about it – they would be more interesting if they came from Ohio, from whence I hope I may receive some.
But I must not forget to say how delighted we have been at the reports of the glorious progress you are making in the work of God in the wilderness. What a spring this has been for the wilds of Ohio, such as they never knew before! What is the renovation of the fields [?] to that noble sight where almost literally all “the trees of the wood rejoined before the Lord” where the forest fell prostrate, happy to be instrumental to the [salvation] of millions yet unborn, who will bless the hour you set sail, & still more that of your happy return from England!
I had hoped before this time to have heard of the safe arrival of my little paper case in Ohio, which left England the beginning of February – I hope you have received it safe, as well as the prints of Oxford which I sent in April last.
There has been a vessel towed out of Liverpool today, as the Orbit was this day [?]. I am sure it is a New York packet, & shall be anxious to discover if it is the Orbit – If ever I go to America it shall be in no other ship, for in no other should I feel so safe as that which brought you to, & conveyed you from, our shores.
We half hope to see good Doctor Gaskin after we return home, he will almost fill my Ohio cottage. I have had it put near the bottom of a steep bank, by way of representing, in a humble manner, the Allegheny mountains! I shall be very busy arranging my Ohio papers when I return home, as I have got two large plant books for the purpose of holding them, & good Mr. Marriott supplied me with many valuable additions when we were in London. I am sorry to say we did not succeed in our wishes to see the Ohio Wards, as they did not visit London during our stay there.
I hope Mrs. Chase & all your family are well – especially my little Philander, as you say I lay claim to him. We were sorry to find you have been [?] yourself, my dear Bishop, by a letter Mr. Wiggin had received. Your health is so every way valuable, that I trust it will please God to preserve it for the benefit of all your children. I hope before winter you will be able to have some more [assistants] in your arduous ministry.
My dear Aunt, & my sisters & brother unite with me in affectionate & respectful regards & remembrances. I must now bid you farewell my ever revered & beloved Bishop Chase – & with every fervent prayer for your welfare, & that of your little Zion in the West, allow me to remain your ever grateful & affectionate humble servant,
Margaret Kenyon