Harry ALEXANDER Letter 1 to Alexander LEITH

The two letters profiled on this page were written by Harry ALEXANDER to his cousin Alexander LEITH, in Scotland in the years 1752 and 1753. The two letters total ten pages, and provide a great amount of family information.

TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LETTER(S)

The transcription below is not 100% complete. There are some words that were not deciphered, and some which could only be guessed. Some areas of special interest are highlighted.

Dear Sir/Original to Capt. PAINE/Antigua June 15th 1752

I received your kind favours of the 2nd of January last, than which I assure you nothing could have given me more real Joy; the lively idea of the many happy days that I have spent with you dwells steadfully on my mind, tho in fact that is rather in some sense, a misfortune as it leaves my confinement in this little Island under a torrid toneless relish than otherwise it might have had, which believe could both afford but little comfort unless to the Natives who never know any other or those who make the thoughts of heaping up __ishy the ultimate of their wish and indeed the time of amassing any thing very considerable, in a short shave, I am affraid is over; And at that note, you’l surely say, it is poorly accumulated, when I give you some short Account of our manners of living in general, as well as our immediate situation, which is such tho I believe we are rekoned a profligate People were we not believers in and dependent on a wife and unerring providence, as would make Life unsupportable; One continued scene of a hurry in business Sundays not even Excepted, which never fails to carry its attendants, many anxious thoughts, that we here, meet with no Solace or Relax by bowing, Recourse to some Shady Grove or some purling Brook, where Nature sits on her throne of Sweetness and Innocence inviting not only all the any Charishers of the Fish, but even Seems to soften & Enchant the rough untractable Bears of the Forest, the _____thers to proclaim alone with the Softness of their Articulate Notes the Bounty of their Maker, as does the wild Savage Boar in the louder accents of his unintelligible Sounds! Such like comforts are, not here to be met with; On the contrary we are Exposed to the constant Intense heat of the Sun, and at this Juncture so far Destitute of Water for Drink that, that which is tolerable leave no less apiece than One Shilling A Gallon! Alas there's no rivulets nor even Mineral Springs here.

I sincerely wish my Country-man have the same Sense that I have of that happiness which they either do, or might so, Enjoy in their own Native Country would they but Rouse themselves and Banish Idleness, Luxury and Lasciviousness; And on the other hand promote Industry, Frugality & Temperance. Nature to Calladonia has been lavish in her gifts; A Healthful Clime and Fertile Soil adorned with every useful and pleasant Embellishment, which ever was properly to improve would reap many of us at home, where we might Enjoy a Healthfull plenty and in time would consequently become a Rich and powerfull People, as I hath that, and it certainly is, a Vulgar Error that a Numerous People make D__th and Scarcely. Oh! what would I give for a sight of Knight(?) side.

Friendly so I take the Account you were pleased to give me of your manner of Life; Blessed with the best of Wives, a promising growing family and a Noble independent Fidh (?) to exercise the humane faculties in its improvement; Sure none can be more happy than You! And no less certain I am that you can have the most refined Sense of, and thankfulness for, the two former, which, in truth, far Excell all other, and are Inestimable Blessings; And of the latter your worthy Father Set You an Example, well Deserving of imitation, who from his conduct plainly discovered his Opinion to be, that the due happiness of affluence is the Power of doing good with it, your Natural propensity to follow which I clearly saw in the Dawn of your Life, the being then in mine hand not my Memory, which in a grateful C___ is S__ng, given Time to my Indgeiment (?) to Ripen I might have been in an Senseless Stupidity without knowing my Benefactors. The appearance of the continuance of your regard for me rejoiceth me much and I will try to be deserving.

In the first Paragraph of your Letter, me thinks, You are a little Jocular in your hope to be tempted to sell me my Paternal Estate with the offer of a great deal over West India ____; With the same humour, in answer to that, I presume You and I Thank You for it, that I shall be so successfull as to asquire more than I know what to do with; I would be glad to gather it and would run the risque of Folly in the Disposal of it: It really is my Opinion the man who Earns a ___ (sum or sin ?) Failure (?) in the West Indies from Indefatigable Industry and Resolves with it to retire and lay it out in ____ part of Envo_ will be Cautious not to be indiscrete (?) __th in the laying of it out as in the spending of it, heap (?) ____ ____, if any he has, shout after him, on Account of Poverty be transported hither; for more properly spending be for to travel and Encounter with _____ress Difficulty a thought, I am sure, which if the Parents heard be not too much of the La__ kind is extremely moving; however hope ____ Serious, tho I never would propose to Settle on it, is You, as it lies Remote from your other concerns, wont (?) part with to on my favor (?), upon a fair account stated, for tho some money You either gave, or is to give, I will lay it down for you in Six months after Notice, as it would be some little provision for my Sons Education in Case of my Death. And the matter of stating this Acct. I must confess may probably seem too much in favour of Myself, however if it does and nevertheless meet with your Assent the more favour will ____ed to you for your Disinterested friendship & I hope I shall have an Adequate Sense of such kindness. You must know I am an entire Stranger to the Conditions of the Sale of the Lands of Jackstone, by my Brother JOHN Whither it was Absolute or Reasonable; however be that as it will I would have You to consider it in the Light of a Mortgage or Security for so much money with lawful interest, thereon advanced or engaged to be paid. Then the state of the account would show thus - Bring all your demands, from their respective dates, against the estate, & charging lawful interest thereon home to a certain day of the year, then on the other hand give credit annually for the neet profits or yearly rents of the said lands of Jackstone, and upon that ballance, so ____, charge lawful or customary interest to the day that determines the succeeding year and then credit that sum by the rent or income, of said estate, for said year; Let this become alternating from the sale of Jackstone by my brother JOHN to this ____ and whatever ballance may appear to be due to you invite most -- thankfully pay you with the usual interest to the day of payment. -- Of this I will, be glad to have your sentiments tho I acknowledge ____ friendship induce you to a compliance, I have no other protention to success, as it would be really giving up all benefit to your bargain for the ___ repayment of your own money, with the accustomed interest thereon. Your possessions are large, parting with this little spot will be no material diminution and ___ may possibly one day have have that _esting reflection of saying you have been the restorer of a decayed scattered family.

As to what you write me in relation to my Brother's claim on COLQUHOUN (?) the knowledge I have of your friendship for us leaves me no room to doubt you did the best, especially as he was unable to ____ and I wish I had either___ ___ informed or not been told anything of the matter for I'm afraid I am bad intelligence. I have given umbrage to my cousin Inversman (?) and if so I am most sincerely sorry for it; from the substance of my letter to him, I think he must plainly see I spoke conditioned that my information was good, and of that I obviously intimated my diffidence, indeed the manner of my stating the case shewd it. I protest I never had cause, nor did I ever entertain any suspicion of Inversman till I was ___ from information find if it has been as represented to me, I appeal to himself if I might not with a good deal of propriety have said what I did; I think I may then reasonably hope as I confess my mistake and am truly sorry for it, he bears no resentment. I promised (?) myself he has too much good _____ to be the ____ of a ___done prejudice get the better of that amity which I would ___ between those of so near an affinity. I pray __ affectionate compliments to him and his family; his being angry with me is only a suspicion of my own from his not writing to me.

I had a letter from my brother ALEXANDER some few months past who informed me he was just then going to the coast of Guinea in the station of a second mate and that he was in hopes the vessel would put into one of these islands to dispose of her slaves, when he expected to see me. I had an account six years ago that my brother JAMES was dead and that brother SANDY administered for some wages due to him from the Sunderland Man of War.

_____ I am of opinion, tho without certainty, as I have no copy, that by my fathers will it was so provided that in case of the death of any of his children before the payment of their respective bonds of provision that the share or shares of such child or children so dying should be equally divided amongst the surviving. Should it be so, and I pray you'l inform me, I am entitled to my proportion of what might have been due to those who are lost.

My inclination to return to my own country is extremely strong, but the cares of life increasing on me. Mrs. ALEXANDER being last Saturday the 13th Instant happily delivered of a daughter, both of whom, I thank God, are in a promising way. I must be obliged to place that happiness in ____ more distant proposal, at least of removing thither with my family to settle, tho I am far from cavoting proud riches, but such as man be got ___, and soberly distribute __fully and left contentedly.

By the first good opportunity, Capt. ROSS by whom I received your being bound for Rotterdam in Holland, I will send you a cask of my 6th (?) rum, the payment of which will be compleat in the acceptance of it.

____ _____ pass over your kind and generous offer of supplying me with anything I might have occasion for from your place, for the ___ you have my gratefull acknowledgments, but as we have now begun to settle factories here from your place, I am furnished reasonably with your manufactures and as that branch of trade is, to this place, am ___ ___ ___ yearly ___ off a quantity of our rum I am therefore willing to throw in my ____ ____ giving __ all the encouragement in my power; influenced also as a lover of my country and countryman to whom I hope I will become profitable.

Tho I have already ___ this letter far beyond a moderate length; yet from the warmth of friendly heart of which I well know yours is no less susceptible I am d ___ing to impart my whole thoughts to you and I wish you was nigh (?) enough to assist me in properly digesting of them. Immediately I am profess to commence a co partnership with a gentleman who now is and has been for some time past a settled merchant in this place, and who has not only dealt extensively, for his own account but hath also a large share of consignments from many different parts; should we agree on joint interest will not be despicable, & we propose not only to deal largely on our own accounts, but also to set up for, and accept of, commissions business and we have the highest probability of falling into a considerable share of the most beneficial branch of that business, I mean the consignments of slaves from the coast of Guinea, because the gentleman who is at head of that business from the town of Liverpool (?) in England is my apparent partner's particular friend and who has already promised, under his hand, to become fair on encouragement to the several merchants of that town to bestow their favours that way on his friend a security for him in the sum of five thousand pounds sterling provided be can engage himself with a partner who can find a good security on his part for five thousand pounds sterling more in the city of London; Now this I am ready to comply with, as I have an approved of security ready, so that you'l certainly be pleased at my good luck, as ___ must needs think, and it cannot be supposed that I can have a fortune sufficient to make in any shape a c______ security that I am not without a friend who has some opinion of me, however this will not come for ___ _____ before next spring against which time the gentleman who urges this to ____ is to settle and show in clear state of his affairs that I may be well satisfied of my safety in engaging in this partnership, concerning which I cannot be too cautious not only on my own account but also in a special manner on acct. of my generous friend who has no other connexion with me than merely from an acquaintance, & that of being a namesake, which hath grown into an intimacy & friendship of which I have already had many demonstrable disinterested instances, & I hope, and pray I may not live to make use of them; A ___ as I finally determine I will give you an early ___ of it; I think your countenance could be of service as my friend and relation Mr. William FORBES is engaged in, and as a factor for ____ company which, I imagine will consequently prevent his giving encouragement that way (?); who otherwise, from his long acquaintance and known indefatigable diligence in business, would be ___ inbitter (?) to a ___ference from me or indeed many others you I am sure I shall never solicit where I have any reason to suggest the interest of a friend, a relation and one of so much real worth can _____ or interfere. In short I doubt not of your being mindful of me as often as occasion offers and you may ___ we will exert ourselves as much as possible to do credit to those who shall be so kind to recommend us.

I would be glad you would s____ your friends and write me speedily by the way of London which is a sure conveyance; your brother Mr. WALTER hath quite forsaken me and I know not the reason of it?

I am much indebted to my friend Mr. James LUMSDEN the minister, at Towey for his kind and affectionate letter and how to excuse myself to him for not writing to him & this opportunity I know not, unless from the feelings of sympathetic heart considering Mrs. ALEXANDER's immediate condition he does of himself from such sensation, contrive some suitable, or at least plausible excuse; my complaint attends him and his family and my other self joins me.

I am much under the same dilemma in regard to my brother in law, Mr. James LUMSDEN. Mrs. ALEXANDER joins me in love to him his spouse & children to whom, as well as the minister, I will take the first opportunity to endeavour to make myself civil as it is on this occasion impossible for me to do it in any other shape than this.

Your father and mother in a particular manner have from the ___ness of my heart my best wishes and tenderest affections as well as your brothers and sister. Oh! what ecstasy the thoughts of seeing you all puts in me. Let me not forget Mr. John GORDON and good Mrs. Isabella GORDON, may those of far inferior note I shant mention was I not apprehensive. I have brought your patience to a hair -- Peter JACKSTONE, Sammy HORNE, Auld & young Johnny ELEMEHY, Rob the fiddler & c & c but I much hath heart I should throw myself into the ___.

The ___ however of your lady has determined Mrs. ALEXANDER to have wrote her a letter by way of introduction to a correspondence had not her indisposition prevented and ___distant their personal acquaintance may be yet I assure you my wife strongly anticipates that happiness; We join most affectionately in compliments to you both, with best wishes for your tender brood. And may you find __ your be crowned with health, wealth and a _____ mind.

Our compliments to all friends who ____ us in remembrance and hope you'l believe that I am with great truth and sincerity, Dear Sir, your most affectionate cousin & obliged ___ servt.

Harry ALEXANDER [Signature]

P. S. (My cousin Mr. McSWEEN (?) is happily settled and doing credit to himself & those connected with him, he heartily desires his compliments to you and your good lady with whole amicable character from different hands, I am perfectly in love and from my soul I do congratulate your enjoyment of so much bliss.

As my paper, and indeed my time, the vessel being to sail this afternoon, is now s___, I have only one request to ask of you, which I earnestly do, that you make known to your father and mother that I have the most gratefull remembrance of their care and tenderness of me, to whom as in duty bound, I have often wrote tho I never have had one line in return. Do you remember how I have cryed (?) with hunger going home after all our pro___der has been expended when the game (?) has drawn is farther off then intended? Oh! those were happy days, no hunting or fishing here.

This ___ is a copy of my letter of the 15th June 1752 by the ship Foster (?), Arthur PAINE, Commander for London, which I apprehensive never reached your hands.