BRIG ADELINE, Quarantine Ground Below N. York, July 17th, 1809. My ever dear Nancy. My last letter from Havana will have informed you that I should probably take passage from thence soon. Have this moment anchor'd here, where we must remain four days performing quarantine. Well, my sweet Friend, with sensations of delight I am once more at anchor on my native coast and with a mind much more at rest than I have been for many months, as I had the day before I left Havana the pleasure of meeting our friend, Capt. Mosher, and of being assured that he left you all in good health. As this was my first intelligence from you for more than 6 months I leave you to judge my feelings on the occasion. I shall not attempt to describe them. But my Love, he told me things that made my heart ache, but stop! I shall soon see you. In the mean time, my Nancy, rest assured that if 'tis possible for human nature should be so base, as that those you lov'd and trusted should meanly attempt to wound your feelings, by stabbing the reputation of your absent husband, that husband-strong in conscious integrity, feels as much above such rascally attempts as the authors of them are below contempt. Pray keep this letter to yourself. I wish you had done so by all that I have wrote in my absence. I hope my business will detain me but a few days in N. York, when on the wings of love and impatience I shall fly to meet you. May that gracious Being who has hitherto protected us in our long separation still continue His goodness to us, and enable us to meet in safety. Your affectionate RUSSELL. THE DEATH OF HIS 66 XIV DEAR FRIEND AND PARTNER" On the 25th of May, 1810, the first son was born to Captain and Nancy Russell. Her life was the price the mother paid, and less than four months later “she departed in peace-calm, composed—and entirely resigned to the Will of her Maker-having lived the life of the righteous." The husband and father has left his own record of his loss in the following letters to his father and brother which bring to a close the romance of Captain John Willard Russell, mariner of Bristol, who was to survive his Nancy no more than four years. For sometime there had been an estrangement between the sailor and his father. The why and wherefore of it are buried with their dust, but in these last letters of this series, bereavement bridged all differences and a great sorrow reunited the wandering son with his kindred. The following pages complete the story of an old-fashioned American shipmaster as he wrote it from the heart, a hundred years and more ago: To Nathaniel Russell, Esquire, Winchester, Conn. Will my dear and highly honoured Parents once more condescend to receive a Line from their long lost son who has long thought himself entirely thrown from your Affection and Remembrance. It is utterly impossible for me to tell you what I felt on once more beholding a Brother, and hearing from him that I still had a place in your Hearts. To him I refer you for an explanation of the past—and— if I have conducted myself unseemly towards you—may God and you-my beloved Parents-forgive me. My dear Brother has been with me when I was bowed down with affliction, having been but recently deprived of a beloved Partner of my heart, who, after a Marriage of eight years I every day found more and more reason to love and esteem. I am left with four children—all almost helpless-God grant I may be able to perform my duty to them. If circumstances can render it possible, I shall very soon see you. In the mean time I again refer you to my worthy Brother-whom I can never sufficiently thank for his kindness. I remain your affectionate JOHN W. RUSSELL. To Mr. Giles Russell, Winchester, Conn. BRISTOL, Nov. 2nd, 1810. Your very friendly Letter of the 12th ult. my dear Brother, came safe to hand, and I feel greatly rejoiced that you had the satisfaction of finding your Family well, and especially that our venerable Parent was so much more comfortable than your Fears had anticipated. I participate with you in the Happiness of again meeting our eldest brother, and hope you will have much Enjoyment while together. You found me my beloved brother, in a state of mind from my recent loss—almost dead to all joy and the Avenue to every earthly happiness, as it were, closed up-but if anything in my Widowed state could find its way to my heart-could again lighten up the almost extinguished fires of social feeling-it would be accomplished on again beholding a beloved brother; on again hearing (thanks be to God) that my respected and beloved Parents-and all those once so dear to me, still lived. I feel very grateful, my dear Brother, to you, in particular, for the pains you have taken to restore our long interrupted intercourse. May nothing but Death put an end to it. My dear little children talk much of you, and about your children. Oh! could their lamented Mother, whose Heart was all alive to social bliss, could she have shared this joy with me how happy we should all have been— but-God's Will be done. I have delayed writing you so long that I might inform you of my removal to my new house where we are now settled. It was a trying scene to me-but time-reflection -and above all "those consolations which are neither few nor small" will, I trust, enable me better to sustain my mournful situation. I shall probably sail very soon on some Winter's Voyage, though I have not exactly yet determined where. I shall write you again soon and expect to hear from you often. Good Aunt Becca desires her love. Remember me with warmest love to all and believe me ever your affectionate brother J. W. RUSSELL. To Mr. Giles Russell, Winchester, Conn. MY DEAR BROTHER: I wrote a few lines last week to sister Betsey-and have been particularly anxious since to hear from some of you, on account of the critical situation of my respected Father's health. I have been disappointed-but I flatter myself that, had he been worse you would have wrote me. God grant that my hopes and not my fears may be realized. I had the pleasure of finding my little family all well, and they still continue so. My dear little boy-who never knew a Mother's fondness or a Mother's care is yet a charming Child. The other children are continually talking of yours, and reminded me of the Pleasure I felt in being a short time with them. I have not yet determined on my voyage circumstances made me wish to put it off as long as possible; and the gloomy prospect of Affairs abroad makes me shudder at the thoughts of risking anything. I think it pretty certain that the non-intercourse will again be in force, as respects England. In the mean time there is no prospect of a restoration of any of the Millions taken from us by our loving friend*, nor do I see any shadow of security for better treatment from that quarter in future. The seizure of West Florida, by force at this critical juncture, by our valiant and energetic Administration, will very probably lead to unpleasant consequences. On the whole, notwithstanding the pleasant picture drawn by * France. |