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Al\:IJ;;RICAN HISTOilICAL ASSOCIATION.
MoSEs AusTIN TO Miss EMILY AusTIN 1
Durham Hall, June 20-1812.
MY DEAR EMn.Y, I am now bringing you in debt to me in the letter writing:-this makes three I have written you, but I have such a pleasure in thus holding a communication with my only Daughter, that if I were to write twenty, without an .A,nswer, I would write with the same pleasure again, your Dear Mother's last letter is Dated in Philadel- phia, she says Emily is so much engaged in examining the strange things of the Great City, that she cannot write at this time at all- all is well, you are doing just as you should do, now is the time to examine well the things of nature and art, every thing you see will teach you the duty and obligation we are under to our god and society-it will prove to you how much man is capable of doing, when his mind is properly improved, it proves to you the great and un- bounded Works of Nature, its the strongest proof that all things in this life are under an all wise Creator, who has ordered all things to answer his great intentions, no place exhibits man in a more strik- ing point of View, then in a large City~ach day calls his attention to some act of Duty towards his fellow men and proves his good or bad inclination towards his suffering neighbour. One of the greatest duties enjoined on man is to do as he would be done by, give unto others what he expects others will give unto him, the rule strictly & frankly adheared to, will always produce friends and admirers in every country and among every Nation, it also produces an internal Sattisfaction which nothing can take from you-let me recommend the rule of conduct to you my Emily-its a foundation on which you may build with safety, and happiness will be the sure consequence, the pillars of a female character are Truth and Virtue, with a modest deportment to al,l but especially towards her inferiors-let your Deportment always be courteous to such whose situation in life has rendered them unequal in, information or personal acquirements-- such, if persons of Common feeling have mortifications in abundance without receiving them from H1ose that have the happy capacity to please and enjoy the works of nature and art-therefore always think that you are only doing your Duty when you make all such persons easy and satisfied in your Company-bear in mind that if you have a talent inferior [Superior] to an Other that its your duty to exer- cise it with that reserve that will_ give Offence to no person, hpwever low their situation and _condition in life, for altho. you have now a Father that takes great pleasure in labouring that you may enjoy the advantages, yet the time will come when that Father will cease
1 From n typewritten copy in a scrap book, University of Texas Library. Original tu tlJe Poseesslon ot Mrs. ~mmett I,.. Perr-,, Houston, TeX-!l,ll, •
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