| Title: | Henderson Wightman, Lisburn to William Wightman, America. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3324 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Wightman, Henderson/156 |
| Year | 1819 |
| Sender | Wightman, Henderson |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | student |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Lisburn, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Destination | USA |
| Recipient | Wightman, William |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | T 1475/1 p17: Copied by Permission of Miss A. McKisack, 9 Mount Pleasant, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9404164 |
| Date | 19/03/1819 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 20:04:1994. |
| Word Count | 1820 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Lisburn. 19th March 1819. My Dear William, With the mournful intelligence you will most probably ere this reaches you, have been but too well acquainted. It is a most afflicting dispensation of Providence, to which we are called to submit. We feel the utter nothingness of all terrestrial pleasures, - that the delights of our youth vanish fast from us, and that we must fix our eyes on a heavenly dwelling place, on an Eternal home. For what was home to our early days, and what rendered that home most enchanting, have gone as a vision - as a sweet dream, which we would wish to have lingered for ever! May it be our fond hope, that it will be realized in eternity, and that these forms and images of bliss were not intended to mock our sight, but that the Gracious Being, who bade them rise around us, can restore them in more beautiful and unfading colours. This is indeed a most dreadful trial and requires us to summon all our fortitude. Religion can be our only comforter in such an hour, and happy are those, who have such a surviving friend to solace their affliction. Our dear Nancy's letter will have informed you of the melancholy particulars. Poor girl, the communication of them must have been to her a most painful task. On the excellence of such an affectionate Mother it would be too affecting at the present time to dwell, whilst the wound of our loss bleeds so fresh had we even words adequate to express her virtues. We have both experienced them from our earliest years, and have felt them too well to require the aid of telling them to each other. They are engraved in our hearts and we have only to look there to behold them. We require no other memorial. The memory of her virtues is indeed a most inestimable legacy. I trust they are now amply rewarded in the realms of eternal bliss. It is an indescribable consolation to us, that she led such a blameless life, and was so well prepared for the awful and inevitable change. It is also a most pleasing reflection, that our dear Mother had such a peaceful exit from this vale of tears, that her last moments were not disturbed by thoughts of parting with her children. Had she been sensible, her fears for her dear Nancy might have been very agonizing. Our absence at the time might have been a source of acute bitterness. All this agony it pleased God in his mercy to spare her. Everything with regard to human means was done, On this you may rest satisfied, but our family have too often experienced the inefficiency of Medical aid. You will feel less, my dear Brother, for being absent at such a time, when you know that even I who was so greatly nearer was yet denied the consolation of being with my beloved Mother in her last illness, or even of following her remains to the grave. I was in Glasgow at the time, and only received the letter acquainting me of her illness, the very day after her funeral had taken place. I was on the point of seting off the next day when I got the fatal intelligence from Mr. Craig of her death. The reflection of my being absent at such a time was intensely agonizing. Our dear Sister has now the soothing recollection of having watched over so good a Parent in her last sickness, and indeed her filial attentions have been beyond all praise. I came over to see her, and thank God that He has sustained her under this calamity. He alone could have given her such fortitude, for she has borne up wonderfully well, and I am delighted with the resignation wherewith she supports the loss of one, who had been her Companion for so many years, to whom she was attached with such a warmth of affection. Herein she best imitates the example which was set her by the object of her regret, and I trust through the Divine Blessing she will ere long be restored to a cheerful serenity of mind. This event has at the last broken on us most unexpectedly, for although our Mother was advanced in years, we could hardly, as at least we did not, anticipate such a speedy bereaval. Her appearance was altogether so healthy and Stout, that it gave room for the indulgence of hopes which have proved but too fallacious. Vain indeed are all those we build on earth. To you, my dear William, it must be a most soothing reflection, that you were enabled for so many years to contribute to the happiness of so good a parent, and that she cherished your attention so gratefully. I am sure she must have felt great delight in your domestic habits, and in having had so much of your society. She always spoke of you with the greatest regard, and had the deepest sense of your value. I have few such reflections to comfort me - very few. Little have I done to requite the more than maternal tenderness, which my beloved Mother always evinced for me. When I think of that love, which to me was unspeakably great when I was at home, of the too many anxious hours which she passed in fears for my safety when I was abroad for so many years; Alas what a poor return have I made her, what a debt of gratitude has her departure left unpaid, and me to weep in vain over what I might have been. My performance of duties, compared with yours had been little. It was her own excessive fondness, and sweetness of disposition which made her value that little. [?] much had I trusted to futurity, and flattered myself with hopes, that I might then be to her partly what she had been to me - but Oh! this delicious hope has been snatched away, and I am now left to the unavailing comparison of her exceeding worth, and my own demerits. Nothing remains for me but to pray to God, that he may dispose me to imitate the virtues of my departed Mother, and assist me in my feeble endeavours to reach those happy regions, where I trust she is expatiating in everlasting bliss. You must not allow yourself my dear Brother, to reflect on the circumstances of your departure from this country, as any way conducing to such consequence as these we deplore. Had this happened soon after you might have done so, but our Mother sustained the separation with great strength of mind - with most uncommon fortitude. It made me most happy to observe it. She was since greatly cheered by your letters and the hopes of a prosperous issue to your plans. The last letter we got I received and read to her, the very evening before I set off for Glasgow. It was a source of great satisfaction to me that I was enabled to spend the last summer with her, with very few intervals of absence. I am persuaded she must have felt pleased at my prospect of entering our Church, and of being always with her, for at her time of life you must feel convinced that she could never have undertaken the great journey which would have been required for joining you in your present place of residence. We are often apt to blame ourselves unnecessarily and without reason. I trust you will not do so in the present instance, and that the consolatory reflections will greatly overbalance those of a contrary nature. Our dear Mother's remains were placed in the same spot where our lamented Father was laid. I trust her Spirit is for ever united to that of her beloved partner, whose memory she so long bewailed and cherished. It is delightful to think that she at least rests from the repeated storms of affliction, many of them most severe and heartrending, with which it pleased the Almighty to visit and try her in her Christian pilgrimage. "Blessed is the memory of the just". May we strive for the remainder of our days to imitate the excellence of such Parents as we have been blessed with. I pray, my Dear Brother, that the consolations and blessing of God may be with you, and comfort you in this visitation. (signed) H. [Henderson?] Wightman P.S. Remember me affectionately to Madelina. Nancy sends her love to you both. I have been staying with her since the 8th inst., but must set off in a few days for the College, where the Session will not end till near May. She is to go at the same time to Turf Lodge to spend some time. I am sure the beautiful scenery and good air there will be of great service to her. In this house there are too many sad remembrances everywhere surrounding her, but she had much to settle and could not well leave it sooner. I feel myself the greatest regret at the thought of quitting rooms which have now become so endeared to me. I feel more than I can express for the attention which my dear Nancy paid her dear Mother, and will consider myself most fortunate, if I can show my gratitude to her for it in any shape. I will make every effort to procure a Tutorship of some sort on my season at College being finished, though it may be difficult to succeed, for I want friends to aid me in obtaining one. Our separation at this time will be very painful The portraits which we have of our dear Mother, are now of [inestimable?] value. Let us know what you wish done regarding yours - whether you would wish a frame to be procured for it. But you need not be [uneasy?] respecting it at present, for it is in safe hands. It is not yet known, when the house will be sold. Poor Margaret Wightman is dangerously ill - her disorder is very complicated. No letters have been received from James yet, but I suppose he has reached America by this time. We are looking most anxiously for a letter from you, for except that got by J. Ward in Decr none has been received since I went to Glasgow. You can direct your letters to Lisburn and they will be forwarded to us wherever we may chance to be. May we be ever united my dear William, in cherishing the memory of so amiable and affectionate a Mother. I fear I can hardly write intelligibly. Heaven knows I feel for you. I have placed her portrait between yours and mine. It is pleasing to see it there. May our affection for each other be ever the same as hers was for us. Adieu, your most affectionate Brother. H.W. [Henderson Wightman?] |
