Front: Noah Webster letter to Emily Ellsworth, 1839 December 6

New Haven Decr 6. 1839

Dear Emily.

I have recd your long & good
letter, in which the very first sentence surprises me.
Why really have you just made the discovery that
Tho Jefferson was a very bad man. I am afraid
I have not been faithful in my instructions to my
Children. I have known & published for forty years that
Jefferson's principles have been the primary causes of
all our public evils - not merely commercial evils,
which are bad enough, but the evil of erroneous opinions,
corrupt opinions, which in fact the great body of our
citizens & which render it impossible to rectify disorders
during this generation. I hope Mr Dwights books will
do some good. but the evil is too deep-rooted to be
cured for a long time.

I am constantly engaged in the preparation for the
press & the correction of my great books. About 200
pages are printed, & William & myself have full
works on our hands_ I can not write lectures_ I am
too old & much too hurried. I shall be at Hartford
at the celebration; but not with any thing to please
myself; so if other people are not pleased, I shall not
be disappointed. Rosalie will probably attend. &
some others of our inhabitants.

J. Webster writes me from Waterbury that his mother
has lately died.

Our families are all pretty well. & send love -

Your affectionate father

N Webster ~