Maria Templeton to Margaret Bayard Smith, 1 August 1800

New York August 1 1800

I was sorry to hear your brother say he intended to defer his journey to Maryland till autumn as I well knew how anxious you were to pass part of the summer there, but my dear Margaret it was not very unexpected to me. When in returning to New York you spoke to your brother about his Maryland plans, you seemed [] he said he would go during the summer. you expressed your wishes to accompany him but at the same time said you wished Sister Jane could go and that if she could you would willingly relinquish your seat to her.

"You think it would be of service to her health?" -- said your brother. "Not particularly on that account, but it would gratify her so much, she is so desirous of going thither" -- "And so is Patty, and she has never been there." -- From the manner in which this was spoken it occurred to me immediately that his mind would dwell on the pleasure this [excursion] would afford her, and that he would delay going till she could be his companion.

I thought, my dear Margaret, there was a little imprudence on your part, in showing your brother that you were more desirous Sister Jane should go, than his wife. His manner of answering made me imagine he did not quite like your apparent preference, and I thought at the time, that this might make the balance incline in favor of Mrs B---, --

Perhaps it is not worth while to say so much upon this subject, but it occurred as an instance of that little impropriety of manner which I have often mentioned to you without being able to explain. A freedom in declaring our own opinions and wishes, which though perfectly correct in themselves, may in a slight degree much wound the feelings of others.

I am very sorry this plan of pleasure and improvement has failed. You expected so much from it that you must feel your disappointment keenly. But support yourself through all your difficulties, my dear Margaret, they will strengthen your fortitude if they are not created by your own imagination. I do not think you ought to suffer the want of property to give you disquietude, you say you have enough for personal expenses, and we ought not to make ourselves unhappy because the Diety has not judged it proper to make us the medium through which he confers his bounties on the poor. We should be contented that he has been so good as to give us enough for ourselves. I love your benevolent disposition, my dearest Margaret, but in your situation, perhaps it were better to put it under a little restraint.

I spoke to Mr I in regard to the French translating. He did not think it would be very lucrative and the English translated all works of merit so speedily that is was difficult to find any that could be likely to attract public notice. However, he would make every exertion and would soon tell me the result. If you understand German, he said, it would answer better. He then mentioned work that have been lately written here in French by a Mr []. It was on Medicine and Philosophy as connected. I think [] he did not know whether it would be popular, or whether you would think yourself equal to the undertaking of translating it.

Original works sold better than translations, a political pamphlet would just suit the public taste. I had heard you say sometime ago that you intended collecting from Madame Jenkins works all that appeared to you truly valuable, in order to form a system of education, and to add to them whatever you approved in [] []. I mentioned this. He thought a work of this kind would do much better than a translation. I believe he mentioned first

that he thought some elementary book on Education, or some book for children would be both useful and popular. I admire the strength and independence of mind which leads you to this determination of self exertion. "Margaret has got this idea from Mary Wollstonecraft." "Yes, so I thought, but she must not carry this too far. She must be contented with being as other people are. She must not aim at too much excellence. I think she had better not read Mary Wollstonecraft so much"

I joined him in that opinion. Be satisfied with what it is in your power to do with my dear Margaret, you talent has not been suffered to lie idle, be contented with having doubled it. Do not let what I have said prevent you from acquainting me in future with all your schemes, whatever they may be. I do not censure you, but I feel such an interest in every thing that relates to you, that I wish it to be in every respect exactly just and proper. There are many themes which appear very plausible to ourselves, but as soon as we attempt to explain them to another, then we discover their falacy and had we admitted no confident but attempted to put them in execution ourselves, how grievous would have been our disappointment.

Your character gradually progresses in my esteem, but my partiality does not prevent my discussing some little blemishes which diminish its lustre. And by you, I think the admonition of affection will never be received with displeasure. But enough of this, only let me add that you must not be unhappy, because you cannot banish misery from the world.

I should like very much to know the incident which induced you to part with the money you spoke of. Will you tell me dear Margaret and tell me how you applied it, and the consequences. I want to know you thoroughly, for the more I know you the better I love you. And love Margaret is the vital principle of my existence. I could not love, if there was no one on whom I could place my affections.

I wish, my dear Margaret, you would fix on some system of study. I think your mind requires it, situated as you are, you might have one hour a day at command, and were you to fix on a certain series of work to read, and devote that time to it, you would soon be sensible of the benefits of such a plan. If you have not any other time, rise one hour earlier in the morning. You have rich materials, but they want arrangement. A more strict attention to system, would be the means of strengthening and correcting your

judgement and of enabling you more easily to control your imagination. Little as I have pondered it, still I find I owe a great deal to system. I think you do right in concealing all schemes of the kind you have mentioned from your friend, at least til you know their []. And I approve perfectly of the one to whom you have applied. The other would be more willing or better qualified to exert himself in such a cause.

I have written to SHS - just as I sealed my letter to you the inclination seized me most powerfully, and I obeyed it.

Mr Martins has promised to convey this to you and it is time to end it. I will send the book by the boat next week.

Heaven bless you Maria Templeton