1-047 (Raw)

File contents

<source><g=f><o=b><age=24><status=2><abode=02><p=nsw><r=prw><tt=pc><1-047>
Parramatta,
New South Wales,
1 May 1796.
Dear Madam
Your kind favor dated March 10th 1795 we received Nov. 6th 95 but find myself at loss in what manner to express myself. Your good wishes and kind remembrance merit my warmest gratitude and that is the only tribute I can pay your goodness. I long for an opportunity of conversing with you face to face. This would enable me to open my mind more fully than I can now do with paper and ink but whether I shall ever be indulged with that privilege or no is still in the dark womb of Providence. We seem in our present situation to be almost totally cut off from all connexion with the world especially the virtuous part of it. Old England is no more than like a pleasing dream. When I think of it it appears to have no existance but in my own imagination. I feel as if I had once conversed with friends, united in love by the same spirit - some faint remembrance of those pleasures still remain and I cannot but flatter myself with some distant hope that it will be again with me as in months past. Had we only a few pious friends to pass away an hour with it would render this colony more tolerable.
The want of a place for public worship is still to be regretted. We have not one at Parramatta nor any likely to be. [15] So little attention being paid to the ministers makes Religion appeal contemptible. Sometimes Mr. Marsden preaches in a Convict hut, sometimes in a place appropriated for Corn and at times does not know where he is to perform it, which often makes him quite uneasy and puts him out of temper both with the place and people.
With respect to myself I enjoy both my health and spirits pretty well equally as well as when in England. I thank you for kind attention to my daughter; the book you sent her' I hope she will live to benefit by. She now can talk pretty well and is an entertaining companion to a fond mother whose feelings you will readily excuse. I have also a little Native Boy who takes up part of my attention. He is about six years old, and now begins to read English and wait at table and I hope at some future period he may be an useful member of society. He has no inclination to go among the natives and has quite forgot their manners.
Present my best respects to Mrs. Stokes Miss Stokes and Master Edward and tell him we often talk of him when we are eating melons, the seeds of which he was so kind to give me.
With wishing you every blessing in this life I remain
Dear Madam
Yours &c &c
Eliza MARSDEN.
Mr. M. gives you a line but as the two ships sail together we divide the letters.
<\1-047><\g=f><\o=b><\age=24><\status=2><\abode=02><\p=nsw><\r=prw><\tt=pc>