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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 writes a confidential letter to his wife in which he describes his medical condition, which has worsened somewhat. Chase also discusses a prospective professor for the college whom he met in Philadelphia.
Date
1-1-1827
Keywords
Cincinatti, Rev. Mr. Nash, illness, Mr. & Mrs. Allen, Bishop Moore, St. Clairsville, Morristown, Mr. Sparrow, Mr. Fuller
Recommended Citation
Chase, Philander, "Letter to Sophia Chase" (1827). Philander Chase Letters. 663.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/663
Rights Statement
Transcript
Confidential
Phil’a: 1. Jan 1827
My dear Wife
Although it is past 10 o’clock yet I can not go to bed without wishing you the compliments of the season. A blessed happy new year to you my dear Wife!
You will ask why I put on the top of my letter confidential. I will tell you. Although I am not sick but up & about: yet my blood (as ever since I had the fever in Ohio) is in a very bad state; so that I am afflicted much as I was when in Cincinnati; and in some respects much more severely and painfully than then. I can not sit but with great distress – and the eruptions on my skin are deep and more afflicting than I ever experienced. All this would be but trifling had not there appeared indications of a deep tumor on my left hip. This first begun to make me sensible of its existence about a week ago. At first I thought only the swelling of one of the glands as when a boy was once [?] by a sudden cold; but its continuance, inflammation and pain soon convinced me that it was something more serious and yet I was in hopes that it could be dissipated by a few Epsom salts and abstemious living.
Yesterday and to day I have been more uneasy: and Rev Mr Nash (the Green Bay Missionary) now in Phil’a has been preparing a [?] drink of roots for me to take and it is actually on the fire now boiling for tomorrow’s use. The Tumor now is about half as big as a large hens egg – or rather feels like the whole of an egg cut in two, indurated and feverish & painful and yet I know it is not exactly a boil.
I bathe it with [Opodeldoc] & find some relief but this is not in long continuance.
My legs also swell as did my hands last summer; and I am not in the most comfortable [trim] on that acct I’ll assure you. Yet this [panickness] on my part I hope will not be the cause of any anxiety on your part. You know I promised not to keep any thing from your knowledge concerning my health that you might always be free from the evils of a creative fancy which under other circumstances a great degree of tenderness is apt to indulge. Don’t therefore be alarmed – In a few days I trust I shall be well again. I am now about – and tho’ this day I have been almost constantly writing yet tomorrow, I hope to walk some about the City. I eat no meat and drink no strong drink of any kind.
Mr & Mrs Allen are very kind to me & do all that can be done to make me well and happy.
A young Mr [Metyer] a candidate for Holy Orders from the Alexandria School wishes to go to Ohio. I like him much: and hope he may get letters dimissory from Bp Moore to me. If so and the Standing Committee shall have recommended him after one examination for Orders, I shall ordain him here and send him to St. Clairsvillle, Morristown.
You may think strange that I have not before getting thus far on in my letter answered your letter of the 10th [Oct]: – but do not wonder nor be angry at my oddities. I am just as thankful & love you full as well for writing me this good letter as if I had told you so in the beginning of mine. All you have done is just right only you have not told me that you & the Children kneel down and pray for me as I do for you & them, every night and morning besides the [?] prayers. Good night I must go to bed
Your loving Hus. Phi. Chase
P.S. Tell Mr. Sparrow that I have not lost sight for one moment of the great subject of appointing a Professor; & hope soon to accomplish our best wishes. Dr. Milnor of N York and Mr. Meade of Virginia have united to recommend a Mr Fuller now of the Gen’l Theolo. Seminary as to his character for piety and talents – and very satisfactory are their testimonials.
Tho’ I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Fuller at Kingston (where he & his Father and Mother & Brother in law & Sister this all the family & they very decent people will follow him wherever he goes) yet I wanted the testimony of others, Dr. Wilson of the Gen’l. T.S. also speaks well very well of Mr Fullers acquirements. So that I have reason to believe I have the best of testimony of his qualification.