Post, Mary Robbins. Letter to Isaac Post.

Title

Post, Mary Robbins. Letter to Isaac Post.

Creator

Post, Mary Robbins

Contributor

Post, Isaac, 1798-1872

Date

[1848?]

Description

Handwritten letter from Mary Robbins Post to Isaac Post, [1848?].

Is Part Of

Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Rights

The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Identifier

699

Location

Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Transcription

(Page 1)

Our dear Relatives          It is First-day Joseph and the girls are at
meeting I remained at home to enjoy in solitude the quiet and rest
which I feel would be more in accordance with my feelings, and
altho [sic] I am an antisabbath in views yet I do love this pause in the
workings of the world the weary horse’s and oxen who love toiled at
man’s bidding now be in the shade and seem imbued with their
luxurious enjoyment of rest man too rests from the excessive toil of
the season for it is day time and harvest it has been a severe drought
or I might more properly say is for we have had no rain yet to do much
good a small shower yesterday and now altho the sun is shining
it begins to sprinkle it is sultry and oppressive and I imagine
it affects my spirits for I feel depressed and sad – we received [both?]
truly welcome [sic] token last evening and expected to find through out [sic] the
announcement of the time when we might expect to welcom [sic] him to our
hearts and home he may rest-assured a most affectionate greeting is
in resume for him come when he may but I hope it will not be
delayed very long second day I laid my pen down yesterday with the int
ention of taking it up again immediately but before I could company
came and so of course I was disappointed and now it is only for a
few minutes having put on my bonnet to fulfil an agreement when
a small cloud appeared this somewhat larger than a man’s land and
we are now in the midst of one of the sweetest little showers imag
inable there it is nearly over and I will go near 10 evening the
stillness of night is around me interrupted only by the innumera ^ble^
voices which come from a variety of frogs and toads and many
nameless insects but all combine in a grand concert and the
music is s^o^othing to all the discordant feelings which jar the
harmony of my being and of that we might keep our spirits ^open^ to all

(Page 2)

pure and beautiful influences that the divine beauty of our immort^al^
nature may shine forth with undimmed [illegible] how few of us ralise[sic]
our high and exalted destiny it is sad and humiliating to contem
plate the world as it is filled with violence and wrong and as
it was 18 centurys [sic] ago those who are enlightening and blessing the
[illegible] are persecuted and stoned from vilage [sic] to vilage [sic] and as
them they almost think they are doing God service thereby they do
not recognize the Mesiah for which they wait in any reformatory
movement of this day but I have digressed I intended to say
we are very much disappointed and sorry too that Sarah has
decided on leaving our Island we have seen very little of
her since Amy left was expecting there was a nice visit
in reserve for us saw Elizabeth going home last night and hoped
Sarah was with her when she told us of Sarah’s sudden conclusion
and tonight they have called at our door a few minutes
but I should have failed to see her then had I not ran un
usually fast all the way from Joshua’s with the expecta
tion if it was Sarah in the carriage they would call
thanks to my perseverance. I hope to go to [Jericho?] before
she leaves but the horses are busy too and as she will
take letters will scribble on altho [sic] she will be the most
welcom [sic] of all and almost supercede [sic] the necessity of
such as this but now good night 3^rd day night it is just about
the same time it was last night when I took up my pen have been
busily engaged in my domestic affairs all day and am now real
-ly tired but the time is drawing so near I fear I shall have but
a poor scrawl to send Don’t you think Elias Doly erred in open
-ing the meeting house forcibly it seems to me I should much rather
asked for the Orthodox house or held it in a private house than
do so it seems better to me to suffer wrong than to do wrong

(Page 3)

and his having withdrawn from them and left them in full poss
-ession of the house that I could not but regrett [sic] the course but
perhaps I do not understand fully all the palliation which here
for his course we would have been very glad could we have seen
Joseph and Ruth did Lucretia visit you suppose her opposers [sic] will
give another black mark for attending the meeting I was somewhat
supprised [sic] that none of you went when such gifted friends as Joseph
Lucretia and Oliver were to be in attendance but I am tired and
will retire Fourth day It is warm and sultry have been to meeting whi
-ch is the first preparative meeting I have attended in some months
had a new clerk Hannah Hicks except which things went on in the old
stile [sic] I had expected to go to Jericho this afternoon but as it is not convenient
must stay at home Joseph has hay to get in and James Mott wishes help to
bring [Jerushia’s?] things from the Rail Road – what changes a day or an
hour effect it is to those concerned a most affecting bereavement I feel
much sympathy for his brother who seemed to feel very keenly the pain[obliterated]
severance of the ties which bound him to an only and dear brother – [obliterated]
we all have to meet such reverses and few but what have drank deeply of
the cup of suffering and sorrow – Jonny Perer’s wife died very suddenly
too probably a fit tho at first some thought it the Cholera we have not
seen Robert Post and wife they got home a little more than a week ago
    Isaac writes of many things transpiring which he cannot remember I
was thinking whether he had not better learn phonagraphy [sic] he could then
easily write letters by copying from his peace book we should be much
gratified and many valuable ideas saved from oblivion we have
not seen any of your letters to Sarah so of course we are on the back
ground relative to matters and things of interest among you
We should dearly love to visit you the ensuing fall (but see no way)
answer whether it would be possible for us to be convinced in rela
-tion to spiritual manifestations but probably they would not converse
(Page 4)

freely with such skeptics as we and if they should design to do so I cannot
see that we should receive much aid and comfort thereby as it is necessary
to have certain persons present also the spirits are not heard or are not
inteligible [sic] and as there is no certainty of their veracity I cannot for the
life of me see much cause to depend upon them the spirits of truth
of justice of love of mercy and benevolence we have ever present and which
if followed will not deceive and are inteligible [sic] without applying to
any one true many things are very remarkable and unaccountable yet
it seems so partial in its operations that I think reason would lead us to receive
it with much caution as a director or guide however if I were there I would
be willing to see and hear some of its wonderful revelations – what has become
of Elias and Rhoda we have been looking for them sometime and it will suit
us very well if they do not come quite yet for all both men and women too are
as busy as work can make them still they are farmers and can make all due
allowance if they should come in the midst of it

[Text in center of page, written downward]

Isaac Post
          Rochester
                      New York

[Text written at bottom of page, normal]

I hope Amy will give us “the womens business” refered [sic] to in due season has Bay Fish
gone and do you keep up your meetings now so many of your number are away
I am glad to see that Frederic has the paper wholely [sic] himself and still sorry
that the difficulty remains as to its permanency don’t you think E Quincy s
articles good in my opinion they far exceed Lowell’s since the commencement
of the new arrangement Stephen and Abby have raised the siege whether
they will return with additional force to besiege it again I don’t know
but I am ready to conclude they will feel it is scarcely worth spending
much to gain we feel a somewhat different course might have done more
good, this going about and proclaiming the fact that abolitionists are abused [illegible]

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Post, Mary Robbins, “Post, Mary Robbins. Letter to Isaac Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2991.

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