Memoirs Of Aaron Burr, Volume 1, Matthew L. Davis [book club suggestions .txt] 📗

Chapter XIII Pg 209

From Mrs. Theodosia Prevost.

 

 

Sharon, September 11Th, 1781.

 

 

My Friend And Neighbour, Mr. Livingston, Will Have The Pleasure Of

Presenting You This. You Will Find Him Quite The Gentleman, And Worthy

Your Attention. Enclosed Is A Letter To My Sister, Which Must Be

Delivered By Yourself. You Know My Reasons Too Well To Infer From My

Caution That I Entertain The Least Doubt Of Mr. Livingston'S

Punctuality.

 

 

Monsieur Tetard Is Gone To The Manor, Summoned By Mrs. Montgomery, On

Pretence Of His Being The Only Surviving Witness To The General'S

Will. The Business That Was To Have Detained Him But A Few Days Has

Kept Him These Six Weeks. I Cannot Account For His Delay, Unless His

Extravagant Encomiums On The Progress Of A Friend Of Yours Has Proved

A Stimulation To Those Of Superior Talents. He Exaggerates Exceedingly

In Extolling His Pupils. Those Whose Expectations Are Raised From His

Description Must Prepare Themselves For Disappointment.

 

 

Mr. And Mrs. Reeve Were Well A Few Days Ago. She Rides Every Morning

To Visit The Boy, And Returns Before Breakfast. I Fear They Will

Disappoint Me In The Promised Visit.

 

 

We Were Obliged To Dr. Cutting For The Most Pleasing Account Of Your

Health And Spirits. Also, Of Your Great Progress In Law. Judge Hobart

Expects Colonels Burr And Troup Will Make His Suite To The October

Court, Where He Hopes To Usher Them, With All The Eclat Due To Their

Merit. He Counts The Weeks, Which He Has Now Reduced To Five. While

The Warmth Of Friendship Animates His Countenance, His Heart Swells

With Pride At The Honour Of Patronising Two Such Characters. He Must

Not Be Disappointed; This Must Be The Route, Or He Will Believe

Himself Slighted. I Am Obliged To His Zeal, As It Will Procure Us The

Pleasure Of Seeing You. The Sight Of An Old Acquaintance Is Quite A

Phenomenon. I Am Not Surprised That Genuine Hospitality Is Fled To

Cottages. You Will Find It A La Rustique Chez Votre Amie.

 

 

Theodosia Prevost.

Chapter XIII Pg 210

From Major R. Alden.

 

 

Fairfield, 26Th February, 1781.

 

 

Dear Burr,

 

 

Your Letter Of The 15Th Inst. Pleases Me. You Have A Heart That Feels:

A Heart Susceptible Of Tender Friendship. Life Has Not A Single Charm

To Compare With Such Sensations. You Know Too Well How To Excite Such

Emotions. Happy For Us. These Expel The Keenest Pangs. There Is No

Such Thing As Real Happiness. At Best, It Is But A Delusion. We Make

Our Own Pleasures As We Do Our Troubles. Friendship Will Heighten The

One And Moderate The Other.

 

 

I Have Been Tortured With The Anxiety Of Suspense. It Has Given Me The

Most Poignant Distress. It Disordered My Mind; At Times, Almost Drove

Me To Despair. Some Of My Friends Saw The Effect, But Could Not

Conjecture The Cause. You Alone Could Penetrate The Feelings Of My

Heart; You Alone Are In Possession Of That Evidence Which Will Convict

Me Of My Weakness; My Want Of Fortitude. I Dare Intrust You. I Feel

The Influence Of Your Friendship. To A Heart Like Yours, This Will

Prove The Sincerity And Affection Of Mine. I Bid Adieu To Camp, Having

Completed My Business, With My Thanks To Our Worthy Commander-In-Chief

For His Attention To My Character. The Discharge He Gave Me Equalled

My Wishes And Exceeded My Expectations. I Have Enjoyed The Most

Rational Satisfaction For Three Days Past. I Have Commenced Student.

Dr. Johnson Has Given Me My Plan Of Studies, And Free Access To His

Library. My Ambition Is Not Great, Nor My Views Unbounded. I Shall

Proportion The Means To The Object. If I Persevere With Attention, I

Have Something More Than Wishes To Build Upon. Nothing Within The

Compass Of My Abilities, That Is Justifiable, Will Be Left Untried, To

Gratify My Reasonable Desires.

 

 

I Know That Your Request Proceeded Entirely From Your Friendship For

Me, And That You Felt Happy That It Was In Your Power To Oblige Me. I

Feel The Force Of Your Kindness, But Must Deny Myself The Pleasure Of

Spending Some Months With My Friend. My Time Is Short; Age Presses

Upon Me. Four Years Have Been Devoted To My Country, For Which I Have

Received No Compensation.

 

 

It Gives Me Pleasure To Hear That Your Health Is Such That You Can Be

Thankful For The Blessing, And Are In A Situation To Enjoy Yourself In

The Pursuit Of Your Studies. My Heart Is Sincerely Interested In Your

Happiness. Let Me Know Your Feelings, That I May Know How To Refine

Mine. Your Friendship And Letters Add A Continual Charm To My Life,

And Will Always Please The Heart And Secure The Affection Of, Yours,

 

 

With Sincerity,

 

 

R. Alden.

Chapter XIII Pg 211

To Mrs. Prevost.

 

 

Albany, 5Th June, 1781.

 

 

I Was Absent When Yours Of The 10Th Ultimo Came, And Therefore Did Not

Receive It Till The First Inst. You May Be Assured Will One Day Repent

His Insolence. Uniformity Of Conduct And Great Appearance Of

Moderation Are All That Can Be Put In Practice Immediately. The Maxim

Of A Man Whom Neither Of Us Esteem Very Highly Is Excellent On This

Occasion--"_Suaviter In Modo, Fortiter In Re_." See, My Dear

Theodosia, What You Bring Upon Yourself By Having Once Piddled At

Latin. The Maxim, However, Would Bear Sheets Of Comment And Days Of

Reflection. I Second The Just Pride Of ----, In Being Averse To Crouch

To A Villain. Your Letter To E. Would Have Every Influence That Mine

Possibly Could.

 

 

These Crosses Are Of That Class Which, Though They May Perplex For A

Moment (A Moment Is Too Much), Yet Cannot Affect Our Real Happiness.

That Mind Is Truly Great Which Can Bear With Equanimity The Trifling

And Unavoidable Vexations Of Life, And Be Affected Only By Those

Events Which Determine Our Substantial Bliss. Every Period, And Every

Situation, Has A Portion Of These Trifling Crosses; And Those Who

Expect To Avoid Them All, Or Conquer Them All, Must Be Wretched

Without Respite. Witness -----. I Am Half Vexed At The Manner In Which

You Speak Of What You Term "The Sorrows Of -----." They Are Just Of

This Trifling Kind. Say And Think No More Of Them. Their Impression

Was Momentary, And Is Long Past.

 

 

G.'S Uniformity Of Conduct For Some Time Has Established His

Character, And Crushed The Malice Of His Enemies. He Has, However,

Mingled Some Address In His Deportment--Has Made Visits, And Some Acts

Of Civility, To His Avowed Enemies, By Which Means He Has Gained Some

And Silenced Others. His Whole Conduct, His Language, And Even His

Thoughts, Seem To Have In View The Happiness Of. I Believe This Idea

Is Impressed On Him Every Hour Of His Life.

 

 

Yours,

 

 

A. Burr.

Chapter XIII Pg 212

To Chief-Justice Morris.

 

 

Albany, 21St October, 1781.

 

 

Sir,

 

 

I Do Myself The Honour To Enclose You Several Letters, Which Were

Intended, I Believe, To Introduce Me To Your Acquaintance, Perhaps To

Your Friendship. I Am Particularly Unfortunate To See Neither Mr.

Hobart Nor Yourself On The Present Occasion; The More So, As I Find A

Rule Of Unexpected Rigour, Which, If Strictly Adhered To, Must

Effectually Exclude Me From This Bar. Mr. Judge Yates Gives Me Reason

To Hope This Rule May Be Enlarged. If It Should Be Deemed Unadvisable

To Make One Of Such Latitude As May Include Me Within A General

Description, Perhaps My Particular Situation May Be Thought To Claim

Particular Indulgence. Before The Revolution, And Long Before The

Existence Of The Present Rule, I Had Served Some Time With An Attorney

Of Another State. At That Period I Could Have Availed My Self Of This

Service; And, Surely, No Rule Could Be Intended To Have Such

Retrospect As To Injure _One Whose Only Misfortune Is Having

Sacrificed His Time, His Constitution, And His Fortune, To His

Country_.

 

 

It Would Give Me Sensible Regret Were My Admission To Establish A

Precedent Which Might Give Umbrage To The Bar; But, Should Your

Opinion Accord With My Wishes, With Respect To The Indulgence Due To

My Particular Case, The Expression Of It, To Any Gentleman Of The

Profession, Would Doubtless Remove The Possibility Of Discontent.

Perhaps I Assume A Freedom Which Personal Acquaintance Only Could

Warrant. I Beg, Sir, You Will Ascribe It To The Reliance I Am Taught

To Place On Your Goodness, And The Confidence With Which Your

Character Inspires Even Those Who Have No Other Title To Your Notice.

 

 

Whatever May Be The Success Of My Present Designs, I Shall Do Myself

The Honour Of Waiting On You, And Assuring You, In Person, Of The

Respect And Esteem With Which I Am Your Obedient Servant,

 

 

A. Burr.

Chapter XIII Pg 213

Colonel Burr Frequently Impressed Upon Those With Whom He Was In The

Habit Of A Regular Correspondence, The Advantage Of Committing To

Paper Daily, In The Form Of A Journal, Such Thoughts Or Ideas As

Occurred And Were Deemed Desirable To Repeat. He Adopted This Form In

His Communications With Mrs. Prevost. The Following Is A Specimen:--

 

 

Albany, Thursday, December 3D, 1781.

 

 

I Am At Length Arrived At My Destined Haven, And, What Is Very Unusual

For Me, Have Been Successful In Several Trivial Circumstances, Such As

Getting Over The Ferry (Which Is Difficult At This Season), Finding

Temporary Quarters For My Chevaux Without Difficulty Or Delay. I

Cannot Help Regarding These As Harbingers Of Good Luck.