Front: Noah Webster letter to Emily Ellsworth, 1837 October 23

New Haven Oct. 23. 1837

Dear Emily

I received your letter by Mr Goodwin, &
am glad to hear that your family is in health, & that Harriets
complaint is abating. Your friends here are also in health,
but the Goodrich family is deeply afflicted by the
death of Edward Ellsworth. William attended him
in his last hours, & has given an account of his
sickness which was a bilious fever, that assumed
a typhus form. This is a great loss to William, as well as
to the family friends. I feel anxious for William, as all
the new settlements, especially along the rivers, are much
affected with autumnal diseases.

My children all regret the dispersion of my library.
But why it should remain unbroken, I do not see.
Most of my books have not been opened in twenty or
thirty years, & I should never open them, if they should
stand on my shelves. I reserve however my most
valuable books or such as I may want - so that the
distribution will not be complete till I have done
with earthly things.

In dividing my books, I could not tell which would
be most wanted by particular families. But if any
of my children have two sets, they may dispose of one
either by gift or sale; or by exchanges with each other.

I intended to give Mr Holland a copy of my Bible,
but I have understood that he has left Hartford.

Mr Goodwin's poor success was not unexpected by
me - Money is very scarce & becoming scarcer. When
we shall have a revival of business, we cannot foresee.
We must yield to the storm, as well as we are able, till
better days.

Mr