| Title: | Susan Warner, N York to Catherine Kirkpatrick,Ireland |
|---|---|
| ID | 3179 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Warner, Susan/8 |
| Year | 1861 |
| Sender | Warner, Susan |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Protestant |
| Origin | NYC, USA |
| Destination | Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Kirkpatrick, Catherine |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | D1604/172: Presented by Rev. Robert Kirkpatrick, Breezemount, The Roddens, Larne, Co Antrim. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9401018 |
| Date | 11/03/1861 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 22:02:1994. |
| Word Count | 664 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | New York March 11 1861 My dear madam have you charity enough to receive & welcome a letter written just about ten months after it was due? I am going to try that question. I dont deserve a welcome - that is certain; but your letter was so kind perhaps you will believe that I have meant no unkindness tho [though?] I have been so very rude. Excuses I shall not attempt to make - I dont like them - & besides, nothing can excuse me. The simple fact is that at the time of your letters arrival the answering of that & of sundry others was crowded out of my mind or inclination by preference of various occupations & preoccupations & then left unperformed by a poor sort of procrastionation, to which after the proper time of doing a thing is gone & [?] I am much prone, will you forgive me That neglected letter, perhaps you will hardly believe, gave my sister and me real pleasure at the time of its coming. I have just been reading it over again. It was truly kind of you to send it - or if kindness was not your motive, it had the effect of kindness. Writers of books want such testimonials from their readers - if they can have them. For their is a great great deal of long - drawn - out - labour in all the work of writing & copying & revising for the briefs, two large volumes - or one - & tired , & with the first flow of one's own feeling gone off, it is most grateful to have it certified that it has not gone off into thin air, before transmitting somewhat - of its colour & its life to other minds. One needs to have the encouragement of knowing that. So my sister & I thank you very much. I say my sister & I, - for it is a joint concern of ours. I am afraid the English edition hardly makes that plain - I believe Mr Bently has suppressed or curtailed our little bit of preface which set the fact forth. Strange! that man should be so afraid of speaking the truth in this world. Truth, which never does harm, in the long run. You ask for the meaning of the title - "Say & Seal". [?] It is somewhat - twofold. The scene is laid in a portion of the country which was settled under Lord Say & Sele's [?] patent there was in our minds an allusion to that. And futhermore, it may be taken as alluding to the sterling, root & branch character of real religion wherever it exists. As to writing a continuation of those two long volumes - I am afraid it would be a hazardous undertaking. Besides, no one can tell now, in this country, when any publishing of stories will be profitable again. Our mad brethern & sisters at the South - I use the term advisedly; I think then almost the craziest people one reads of in history add to which that the very gist of the matter is that they are mad with papism [?] & pride - they have succeeded in raising such a confusion that it is impossible guess when things will be quiet again. Never mind; if only God will grant right & truth to triumph - I am content to take my share of suffering along with others if only that stain to our name & that bitter wrong to humanity may be done away, or at least kept from extending its bounds. If I could come to Ireland - can I tell you, dear madam, with how much gladness I should need to your rememberence your kind invitation, perhaps some day I may! though I do not expect such a thing meanwhile, let me thank you again for the pleasure you have given us. I beg you to believe me gratefully & very sincerely yours Susan Warner. Written on the envelope. To Mrs Kirkpatrick Hazelbank Ballymena North of Ireland on the reverse of the envelope Miss Warner Authoress of " Say & Seal" 11 March 1861 |
