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Title: Bryan, Samuel to Bryan, George, 1752
ID6665
CollectionIrish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan. Letters and memoirs from colonial and revolutionary America (1675-1815) [K.A. Miller et al.]
Filecaanan/78
Year1752
SenderBryan, Samuel
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationmerchant
Sender Religionunknown
OriginDublin, Ireland
DestinationPhiladelphia, USA
RecipientBryan, George
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipfather-son
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count820
Genreadvice
Note
TranscriptSamuel Bryan, Dublin, to George Bryan, Philadelphia, 23 September 1752
Dublin Septr 23d 1752
Dear George
I received yours of August last but so short a one does not please me. I am sure you knew of the Crawford’s sailing some days before she came out, and you by that had no right to plead your being in a hurry, these are idle excuses & Letters writ in a hurry are never well done, I expected a list of occurrences since yours by the Jenny & how the present Crops have proved both in Corn & flaxseed, very proper to be taken notice of at the time of your writing I am informed y r . Evenings are taken up in boating on the River & down to Mr. Bleakly, this can in no way improve you as a man coming into Life. I recommended to you the best of company to keep, Men in Business, Men of Conversation & good manners— that when I meet you again I may not meet with the Rustic or Tar, but the genteel pretty agreeable fellow as well as the compleat sensible Mercht, & this will never be the case if you proceed in your present Course, for you take the readiest method to lock yourself from what I have been recommending you to do. Mr. Bleakly is an honest man but he is not a man of all men I should choose for my companion, he never saw anything in his young days that could polish his person & manners & I am afraid he has not improved either by going to Philadelphia. I gave you long letters before recommending your going into all companies where men of manners, Sense & c were to be found, the Expence I valued not, & those as good or better than yourself. Low mean company are a Scandal & a disgrace & nothing can so effectually lessen you in the opinion of Mankind the amusements of Dancing, fencing, the use of the Small Sword taking a glass of wine or Punch with a few of Such <as> I am recommending at particular evenings, this wd. after business is over be shewing yourself to Mankind to be known & regarded. Away with boating & Let me never hear more of such a thing unless on business or on a party of pleasure with good company.
Let not the carelessness of the world about you with respect to God & religion have any effect on you for if once you can lose sight of this you will be an easy prey to every vice which offers. I conjure to take my advice and directions if you <you> value & regard me as your tender affectionate father watchful of your happiness, willing & wishing you to be good & happy, could you but conceive my Joy in your attaining these happy ends you wd. not stop in yr pursuit ‘till they were made yr own. I am doing everything in my power to advance you in the world and establish you as my son. Do not defeat it in any one Instance but resolve & I am sure you have resolution enough to surmount everything I can find fault with. For news little is going, nothing new in my family or among your friends who are well. Your uncles & Aunt & Cousins Jenny & Matty are all well & join in love to you. Your Mother joins me in hearty prayers to God for your health & prosperity here & your happiness to all Eternity. I am your tender, affectionate & watchful Father,
Saml Bryan
P.S. Do not omit to send your mother 2 or 3 kegs of cranberries & some pickles both peaches & cucumbers, as well as other pickles that are green & pretty. Send no more Sturgeon, it is very bad, what you sent already is so full of salt & Spice, that it is not worth a penny It is not saved in the Danzick way. Send us some hickory sticks to make yards, & if next Summer any Ship of yours or ours was coming here I wish you would send us one of yr best Pads, one that is surefooted, goes well, fast & not rough & not old, perhaps such may be picked up some time before that it might please for a thing of that kind could not be got to Satisfaction if bought when the Ship is going, but take<s> time & Opportunity, we wrote about wax or Sperma cetti candles, the wetness of our season has spoiled all our bees, & wax next winter must be very dear so do not omit our order & let some candles be 2, 3, 4 or 5 to the pound some 6 & a few 8 but very few.
Inclosed is Your Uncle, I. Dennis’s acct Currt for the balance of which press him immediately.