Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

BECOMING AMERICA
REVOLUTIONARY AND EARLY NATIONAL PERIOD LITERATURE
Letter XIII
TO MISS ELIZA WHARTON.
HARTFORD.
And so you wish to have my opinion before you know the result of your own.
This is playing a little too much with my patience; but, however, I will gratify
you this once, in hopes that my epistle may have a good eect. You will ask, perhaps,
whether I would inuence your judgment. I answer, No, provided you will exercise
it yourself; but I am a little apprehensive that your fancy will mislead you. Methinks
I can gather from your letters a predilection for this Major Sanford. But he is a rake,
my dear friend; and can a lady of your delicacy and renement think of forming a
connection with a man of that character? I hope not; nay, I am condent you do
not. You mean only to exhibit a few more girlish airs before you turn matron; but
I am persuaded, if you wish to lead down the dance of life with regularity, you will
not nd a more excellent partner than Mr. Boyer. Whatever you can reasonably
expect in a lover, husband, or friend, you may perceive to be united in this worthy
man. His taste is undebauched, his manners not vitiated, his morals uncorrupted.
His situation in life is, perhaps, as elevated as you have a right to claim. Forgive my
plainness, Eliza. It is the task of friendship, sometimes, to tell disagreeable truths.
I know your ambition is to make a distinguished gure in the rst class of polished
society, to shine in the gay circle of fashionable amusements, and to bear o the
palm amidst the votaries of pleasure. But these are fading honors, unsatisfactory
enjoyments, incapable of gratifying those immortal principles of reason and
religion which have been implanted in your mind by Nature, assiduously cultivated
by the best of parents, and exerted, I trust, by yourself. Let me advise you, then, in
conducting this aair,—an aair big, perhaps, with your future fate,—to lay aside
those coquettish airs which you sometimes put on; and remember that you are not
dealing with a fop, who will take advantage of every concession, but with a man of
sense and honor, who will properly estimate your condescension and frankness.
Act, then, with that modest freedom, that dignied unreserve, which bespeak
conscious rectitude and sincerity of heart.
I shall be extremely anxious to hear the process and progress of this business.
Relieve my impatience as soon as possible; and believe me yours with undissembled
aection.
LUCY FREEMAN.
Letter XIV
TO MISS LUCY FREEMAN.
NEW HAVEN.
I have received, and read again and again, your friendly epistle. My reason and
judgment entirely coincide with your opinion; but my fancy claims some share in
the decision; and I cannot yet tell which will preponderate. This was the day xed
for deciding Mr. Boyer’s cause. My friends here gave me a long dissertation on his
Page | 657