Eliza Fenwick, Barbados, to Miss Hays, ‘Favord by Lieunt Johnstone 21st Regiment’, 41 Cross Street, Islington, 31 July 1821.1 Barbadoes July 31st 1821 My dear Friend, Mr Johnstone, an
officer of the 21st Regiment, and one for whom I entertain a very
high esteem, will I hope present you this letter in person. He is a very young man, though a very tall one,
and if I know any thing of our general coincidence in taste & feeling I
think you will like him as I am very certain he will like you. At
any rate if you do not assimilate to the degree that I expect, at least you
will be pleased to look on eyes that have lately looked on us, and to hear from
one who has often conversed with us, answers to all the questions your
affection will dictate. Our boys are particularly attached to Mr
Johnstone his kindness & notice to them has been very great, and he will
tell you what sort of Children they are. We have known him about two years, and
for our own sakes I much I am suffering much from a complaint which the Physician calls Erysipelas. It has settled in my left foot & is very troublesome. Our little Elizabeth has had a low fever & is much emaciated. All the rest are at present well. The present state of distress for money is really terrible. I am put to the greatest inconvenience. Instead of receiving upwards of four hundred pounds due this month, I actually was compelled yesterday to borrow money for the household provisions. I believe we have made up our minds to run away from it – Alas not to England but to America. A most flattering prospect has been held out to us for removing to New-Haven in Connnecticut. The Climate excellent – the Country beautiful & every thing so cheap – Several West India families, some too that we know, have removed thither & are delighted with their new settlement. I saw a letter from a Major Williams, who keeps his Couch & four with suitable appurtenances of living, near New-haven on 2000 dollars per Annum, & we here, without even a single horse, expend upwards of 4000 dollars every year. There happens to be no female school of the higher order at New-haven though several at New York & it is supposed ours would be very attractive, as the principal families are ^now^ compelled to engage Masters at home. But the great temptation of removal is first, the health of our children & secondly the opportunity of giving excellent educations to our boys & bringing them up to habits of industry & utility at a very moderate expence. If we send them to England the expence will be enormous – if we go ourselves the removal will cost a little fortune & we should find so many competitors there that we fear not being able to live in that decent & comfortable order which we think highly salutary to the habits & good taste of our Children. What say you my dear friend to joining us in America? I have made the strictest enquiries – Cold winters ^without fogs^ succeeded by bright summers form the constant climate. Every house in New-haven possesses its own garden abounding with fruit trees & an area in front handsomely planted. It is near the Sea. Splendid Steam boats or well appointed Land carriages proceed to & from New York (the most polished City of America) every day and at a most moderate expence. The finest Cyder costs not more than 5s/6d sterling for a cask of 30 gallons – all the produce of the Country is equally cheap. I pay now £200 per ann for the house we live in, I shall there have a very fine one I am told with an extensive garden for £65 at the very utmost; perhaps if taken for a time far much less. Of course we could board you much cheaper than you can find it in England. We shall draw a very agreable circle round us. We will walk together in summer & join together with pleasant parties of sledging excursions in winter. We are not too old to enjoy a new sphere of observation dear Mary! – What say you? Do consider it seriously – A voyage from London to New-York does not take much time nor consume much money. From New-York to New-haven (I hope my final resting place in this world) demands but a few hours, and one of us would hasten to be your conductor – We do not think of removing till about next April or May, the best season for our voyage as Packets at that period of the year are constantly passing from New Haven to the Island of St Thomas’s to which we should go from hence and where the Gentleman resides who was the first mover of this project, & wishes two of his daughters to accompany us to America. As he is of a most sanguine temper we waited for other information before we decided & before our letters were answered an excellent source opened to us by the unexpected arrival of Mr Edey a Native of Barbadoes who removed with a large family to New haven about 4 years ago. His approbation of the plan is so warm, and his encouragement so decided that we have resolved on making the experiment unless some unforeseen casualty arises to prevent it. As we had not fixed our resolves, the last day Mr Johnstone dined with us, & his ½ hour of leave taking yesterday was so necessarily occupied by kind wishes on both parts & obliging repetitions on his, of desire of being serviceable to us in England that no mention was made of thoughts of removal. He has often regretted our not going to England as he wished to give a little sister to whom he is a guardian to our care. With his soldier like prejudices I dare say he would blame us for becoming Americans. Mrs R— feels some reluctance & regret that her boys should not become right loyal subjects of Great Britain – I say let them be good Citizens of a good state it matters little where. As I cannot help
fancying that Mr Johnstone will be attracted to visit you more than
once, <–> a thought has struck me Farewell dear Mary I have written more than I at first expected[.] Let you[r] reply be speedy And believe me ever truly yours E. Fenwick Eliza sends kind rememberances Address: To | Miss M. Hays | 41 Cross Street | Islington Postmark: None 1 Fenwick Family Papers, Correspondence, 1798-1855, New York Historical Library; Wedd, Fate of the Fenwicks 209-213; Brooks, Correspondence 352-53. |
MARY HAYS: LIFE, WRITINGS, AND CORRESPONDENCE > MARY HAYS CORRESPONDENCE > 1820-1829 > 1821 >