Noah Webster letter to Emily Ellsworth, 1838 April 3

New Haven April 3. 1838

Dear Emily

I am sorry to be informed that your lameness continues; it is & will be a serious drawback from earthly comforts. But I trust you will submit patiently to this & other evils, which are inflicted on mortals to withdraw their affections from earthly objects. You have many things to console you; & not the least of these, the circumstance that your children are embracing the offer of salvation. If there is one thing on earth that prominently adds to parents happiness, it is to have their children embracing the gospel. I have a great deal of this happiness in the course of my children & grandchildren. Give my kindest love to your children, & assure them I rejoice at thier determination to lead a life of christian integrity. They will find religion thier best support in the multiplied trials & adversities which must necessarily be encountered in this changeable world.

Your mother has been pretty severely affected with influenza, but is better. Lucy is so much affected that she cannot speak loud.

Julia left home this morning for Washington, in pretty good spirits.

William writes to me to send him Wild Flowers. If you can send me a copy, I can probably send it by Mr Curtis of La Fayette, partner of Mr Ellsworth, who is now on a visit to his native place, Springfield. He is to accompany Rosalie to La Fayette, & I suppose he will come this way.

The

election are said to be remarkably favorable to federalists: So that you husband is to be governer. New when you come to see us, we shall treat you just as we used to do, & we shall often mistake & call your husband Mr Ellsworth. He must prepare a good message, containing sound principles of the true federalist school, such as Washington & his father would approve, if living. It is some consolation that the public are once in a while, right. I have lived to see several changes of parties, but whether the policy of the general govt is to be changed, I do not know.

Accept the love of your father

N Webster

74109

Mrs William W Ellsworth

Hartford

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