Complete Works. Hamilton Alexander

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СКАЧАТЬ pilgrimages and the dirty and crowded little vessels, which were often obliged to lie to under the lee of the Highlands to await changes in the weather and tide.

      The next autumn General Schuyler again wrote to Mrs. Hamilton, urging her to leave Philadelphia.

      Philip Schuyler to Elizabeth Hamilton

      N. York, Monday, Sept, 39, 1794.

      My dearly beloved Child: Reports confirm the former accounts that the Yellow fever prevails in Philadelphia. I must therefore and most earnestly repeat my request that You leave the city immediately, and as you may be exposed to inconveniences on your journey I wish you to go to some decent tavern on the road towards New York. At the Mac-leroys at Bristol if possible and as soon as you receive this to write me, and if You are determined to come away I will set out on Friday with a Stage Wagon which I shall especially engage to bring You, the Children and Servants over. If you have not two horses, to bring your Carriage, bring at least Your Chair as you will travel with more ease in that than in the Waggon.—Pray fail not to write immediately on receipt of this, and if the post should be already come away, send Your letter by some person coming in the Stage, and a copy of It by post—God bless You my Amiable and beloved Child. Embrace the Children for me.

      Yours affectionately,

      Ph. Schuyler.

      Mrs. Hamilton.

      As we know, the fever made its appearance in New York as well in 1795, and Mrs. Hamilton's sister Angelica wrote to her:

      November the 24, 95.

      I implore you my dear Eliza to write to me, there are letters in town so late as the IO" October from New York. I have not a line, and a dreadful fever rages there, and you and yours are there, if you knew what I suffer you would write to relieve a thousand apprehensions—Adieu my Dear Sister.

      I embrace you with tendrest

      affection. Yours A. Church.

      Hamilton, whose many-sided genius found expression in various ways, suggested the cold-water treatment, which, in later years, has been again adopted not only for this disease, but for all toxemic conditions with high temperature. He thus wrote to his wife upon this subject:

      Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton

      Rye 30 Miles from New York, Tuesday Even.

      I am arrived here my Dear Eliza in good health, but very anxious about my Dear Child. I pray heaven to restore him and in every event to support you.—If his fever should appear likely to prove obstinate, urge the Physician to consider well the propriety of trying the cold bath—I expect it will, if it continues, assume a nervous type, and in this case I believe the cold bath will be the most efficacious remedy—but still do not attempt it without the approbation of the Physician. Alas my Betsy how much do I regret to be separated from you at such a juncture. When will the time come that I shall be exempt from the necessity of leaving my dear family. God bless my beloved and all my dear Children. A. H.

      Mrs. Hamilton.

      The Churches went twice to England, where their life was evidently most delightful, surrounded, as they seem to have been, by all the distinguished people of the day; but although John Church took an active part in public affairs, and became a member of Parliament, his wife was always most intensely patriotic, and yearned for America and her family. At a time when a return to America seemed impossible she wrote from Yarmouth, England, to Mrs. Hamilton: "You and my dear Hamilton will never cross the Atlantic, I shall never leave this Island and as to meeting in heaven—there will be no pleasure in that."

      When in this country she wrote to Elizabeth Hamilton from Philadelphia at the time Congress was sitting, and when Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury:

      Philadelphia, Tuesday Morning

      [about 1793]

      You will hear with pleasure, my dear Eliza that our Kitty is much better, she is going to a ball this evening, her dancing has been so much praised that I fear she will give more disappointment than pleasure. My brother seemed very sad yesterday, and when I questioned him, I was sorry to find little William's health to be the cause of his dejection, his sensibility suffers from the least anxiety to you or your babes, is Miss Pretty less firm in her manner and does Angelica see her Cousin often?

      During her absence in Europe in 1787 several of her girl friends were married, and in writing to her sister she said: "Amongst all the distresses that distract my poor country I am happy to hear that celibacy is not one of the number." Several years later her own daughter, Kitty, then a charming young woman who afterward became Mrs. Cruger, had a romance of her own, and met and evidently fascinated the Chevalier de Colbert, who had inherited the great Georgia lands from Comte d'Estaing, who was one of Hamilton's early friends, and in pressing his suit he wrote Hamilton the following interesting letter, in which he asked the latter to intercede for him:

      The Chevalier de Colbert to Alexander Hamilton

      London, this 7th May, 1800.

      It is with great pleasure, Monsieur, that I learn from a letter from die Vicomte D'Orléans, that, confirming the choice already made by the public, the President has appointed you to fill the position of Commander-in-chief of the army, left vacant by the death of General Washington, so that what I told you a month ago is already partly realized, time will bring the rest, and I am very sure that in whatever post Fortune places you, you will justify the discrimination that put you there. The trumpet of war has once more sounded, the Austrians are boasting of great successes in Italy, and they certainly must have had some as they have taken Bocheta, which must entail the capture of Genoa, but the French declare they have had brilliant victories on the Rhine.

      We must expect exaggeration on both sides; in one or two months at the earliest shall we be able to foretell upon which side Fortune will declare itself.

      Condé's army, paid by England, is marching upon Italy, where it is to don the White Cockade and the old French uniforms; they have orders to make as many recruits as they can.

      From what Monsieur le Comte d'Artois told me yesterday, Monseigneur le Due D'Angouleme has left Mittau for Italy to join Monseigneur le Prince de Condé.

      General Abercromby leaves here for the Mediterranean with 4,000 men; it seems that England intends to raise an army in order to attack the South of France, where malcontents are numerous; it is said that the Russians who are in Italy will join them, they also talk of a descent upon Normandy to cause a diversion; all that will I think, depend upon the successes that the Austrians or the French will have on the Rhine and in Italy. In the meantime all the emigres are returning to France, I am expecting letters that will decide my course; I know that the sale of my property in Normandy has been forbidden; three months hence I shall know how I stand. You know why I long for wealth. Ah! my dear General, do not be so much my enemy and hers as to allow them—by taking advantage of her submission and respect for her father—to force her into contracting any bonds, that, if her heart be not entirely changed, will make her wretched, and drive me to despair, if, as I hope, I can soon offer her the competence that would satisfy hers and my desires. I know too that Mr. Ch. and you think I am too old. I see very well that you do not know die French. The warmth of their blood prolongs their youth. Away from her I love her as much as all your Americans put together; near her I love her J and shall love her as at twenty, and I could love well.

      Moreover you are experienced enough, and she is reasonable enough to know that all the transports of love СКАЧАТЬ