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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
Mrs. Marriott tells Chase that her husband has been ill but seems to be getting better. She also discusses her family's support for Chase and asks where she might send a portrait of him intended for the Seminary.
Date
9-13-1825
Keywords
G.W. Marriott, Lord Kenyon, Lord Bexley, Mrs. Reed, Alum Creek, Mr. Charles Crawley
Recommended Citation
Marriott, Mrs. G.W., "Letter to Philander Chase" (1825). Philander Chase Letters. 538.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/538
Rights Statement
Transcript
Cheltenham
13th Septr. 1825
Right Rev’d. & very dear Sir,
I have long wished to write to you, but have always been deterred by thinking that I ought not to trouble you with a letter, when you could hear from my dear Husband & other Correspondents, whose letters must be more baleful than mine. I now, however, do not scruple to indulge myself, for it is right he should spare himself any letter writing that he can, for he is but just recovering from a most dangerous illness, with which he was attacked while at Leicester on the circuit, & and which left us for some days with very slight hopes of his recovery. At the expiration of that time, it pleased God that violent bilious symptoms should show themselves, & from that period he began to mend, & his recovery has been quite progressive ever since. The [Waters] of this place are particularly efficacious in bilious disorders, & dear George having derived great benefit from them 3 years & half ago, after an illness of somewhat the same kind, though differing widely in degree, his medical advisees wished him to [try] there again. We have been settled here about a fortnight, & as far as our present experience goes, have reason to be thankful we were so advised. We are likely to remain sometime, as I am expecting to be confined in about a fortnight, so that we cannot under the most favourable circumstances hope to reach home till November. We are no longer tied to a day by Law Terms as formerly, for all the Medical Men who have attended my dear Husband concur in the decided opinion, that his Constitution is unequal to the labour of going [Circuits] & regularly attending the Courts in town. They do not at all object to more limited legal labour & this I have good hopes he will, by God’s blessing on the exertions of many kind friends in his behalf, be enabled to secure to himself, in some situation connected with, though out of the direct line of, that Profession he has so assiduously followed for 25 years, & which would be so desirable [an] account of our large & increasing family. No one will more cordially join in thanksgivings to that gracious God, who has so mercifully spared my beloved Husband to me & my Children than you, our most truly kind & beloved friend. Endless indeed have been the mercies bestowed on me, even when my trial was most severe, and [humanly] speaking my prospect [most] [cheerless], for there I had the heartfelt comfort of witnessing in him a most heavenly happy state of mind, & of experiencing a degree of support & consolation myself which I hardly should have dared to hope for. Could you have known of our situation, I well [know] we should have had your earnest Prayers. Let me now beg you to offer them up in our behalf, that we may have Grace to be more & more thankful to our Heavenly Father, & more devoted to His service.
Our children are now all well. [?] on his part that opposition could no longer be continued with effect, or was actually promoting (as the truth was) the Ohio Cause.
We have read with great delight your letter to Lord Kenyon & Lord Bexley respecting Mrs. Reed’s gift of land near Allum Creek, & especially of the co-operation you met with from the labouring classes, and their spontaneously erecting a temporary Chapel, in which you might compensate them by spiritual ministrations. We have no objection to this, but from considering your health, and shall delight indeed to hear that you have been able, besides all other duties, occasionally to officiate in their most interesting place.
You will be glad to hear that Mr. Charles Crawley the eldest of the two Brothers is very happily married to an old acquaintance of our’s & a near neighbour of Robert’s & Miss [?]. Since George’s illness we have spent a fortnight at Cotesbach & left all well there. Robert often talks of you, & but for a general indisposition to all letter writing, which I am sorry to say grows with his years, would undoubtedly have written to you before this time. I have not yet told you that a copy of the Portrait intended for the Seminary, given to us by Lord Kenyon, is the central object of our dining room wall. When & how shall the Seminary Portrait be sent?
We shall hope soon to hear that you have quite recovered from the illness you mentioned in your late letters, & that all your dear family are well.
My Husband desires his affectionate love to you.
Believe me to remain, my dear Bishop Chase, your affectionate & very grateful friend,
J.A. Marriott