University of Virginia Library

LETTER XLVIII.

Your letter of the 24th arrived last night by the
post. I could have wished that it had been a little fuller;
but, in your hurried situation, perhaps I ought not to have
expected more than a few lines. When you reach Philadelphia,
I hope to hear from you often; regularly and fully. I
am entittled to your confidence, my son, and let me flatter
myself that I shall receive it. If, however, you cannot give
it, there is no more to be said; it cannot be forced: like
mercy, "its quality is not strained;" like mercy, too, "it is
doubly blessed;" but, to be itself, it must flow—freely, voluntarily:
if it do not, it is not confidence—but a base
counterfeit; it is sheer hypocrisy. It is somewhat unfortunate
for us both, my dear Theodore, that you should have
passed so much of your time in a situation where you were
exposed to the perils of a "divided duty;" at least, according
to your estimate of things. I assure you that nothing,
from the commencement of the connexion between us, has
given me so much pain, (growing out of it,) as that you
should have offered the request, or even importunity, of
any person in the world, as a reason for departing from the
pointed injunctions of him, who flattered himself he had
more weight with you than the whole world besides. I
know nothing that I am so anxious you should acquire,
as the faculty of saying no. You must calculate on unreasonable
requests being preferred to you every day of your
life, and must endeavour to deny with as much facility as
you acquiesce. Thus, when that worthless fellow, Farmer,
brought Hyperion to Bizarre, and asked you to give a receipt
for him, you ought to have said—"I did not deliver
the horse to you, sir, and therefore cannot receive him back.
You had better carry him to the place and person where and

from whom you got him. At any rate, it is no part of my
duty to give you a receipt for him, and I cannot put my
name to an important paper merely because you ask it."
Rely upon it, my dear fellow, there will never be wanting
persons to ask your signature, provided it can be had for asking.
It is a dangerous thing to put one's name to paper;
even to witness an instrument of writing may compel you
to go, or subject you to be dragged from Machias to St.
Mary's. If you had refused Farmer a receipt, he must have
brought the horse here, at his own risk and charge, and it
would have appeared that he was diseased; and I have no
doubt became so in consequence of abuse.

By this time I flatter myself you are safely lodged in one
of the straight flat streets of our American Birmingham. I
am glad to hear that your financial arrangements are all settled
to your satisfaction; although I do not see how you
could have been liable to any disappointment in them. Let
me caution you to direct the post-master not to deliver your
letters to the penny post; but let them lie in the office until
called for by yourself, in person. You did not mention whether
you had met with Tom Murray, or not. Give my best
respects to him, and to any other young Virginian of merit,
whom I may know, at the medical school. I hope you will
be established at a Pension Française, and that you will
take lessons in fencing and dancing. I am in no fear of
your taking the French disease in politics or morals, and
wish you to acquire a facility in the language.

On Wednesday I shot with Mr. Bouldin, and I never saw
any pointer behave better than Dido, fetching the birds excepted.
I had given her some lessons in the dining-room,
and one day's previous practice, by herself. She found the
birds in the highest style—stood as stanchly as old Carlo—
never flushed one, and hunted with the most invincible resolution.
She followed the worm of the fence through thick
briers, and put up, successively, in each corner, fifteen to
twenty birds. I was next the river; and, although I could
see her, they flew next the field, except two that I killed.

She was delighted to see them fall, and entered into the spirit
of the sport, fully. She stood at a woodcock, which I
killed, (the same, I believe, that escaped us on Friday or Saturday,)
and stood at it after it was killed, as she does at the
dead partridges. I have unbreeched my double-barrelled
gun, and made a discovery. The antechambers contain only
about half the pipe of the flash belonging to it, when reduced
to its smallest size; and with that quantity (little more
than a priming) she shoots much better at a mark, from thirty
to forty steps, than with the extended pipe full—about
three times the quantity—which I shot when we were together.
You know, at Flat Lick, three years ago, Mr. Woodson
said that I had not powder enough, when, in fact, I had
twice as much as I ought to have used. Our day's sport consisted
of six brace of partridges, and a woodcock, killed by
J. R., and one brace and a hare, by Mr. Bouldin; besides
two squirrels, shot flying, by J. R.

On Saturday a heavy horse, newly shod, with Colonel
Clarke on his back, set his foot on mine. The three middle
toes of the right foot, and the penultimate, are crushed
almost to a jelly. That night, spasm ensued; but, from
the free use of camphor and opium, I found relief. This
morning, in hobbling from the bed to the fire, I hurt it again,
and there was a recurrence of cramp, or spasm. It is now
easier, and, I hope, will be well by Christmas. I will compound
for that time.

I heard from Bizarre to-day. All there are well. I shall
not be disappointed if a lady of our acquaintance should
give her hand to some Calvinistic parson.

Beverley and Polly desire their best regards to you: so do
Carlo, Echo, and Dido; and, also, little Dash, who arrived
last night in the wagon. Adieu! dear Theodore.