[Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to Andrew D. Campbell, November 6, 1815]

Mentioned in this letter

Business, Economy, and Travel: Journals - The Port Folio; Travel
Education, Religion, Literacy, and Culture: Books; Customs and manners; Gender roles; Mythology - Greek - Hebe; Painters; Paintings; Schools - Madame Grelaud’s French School
Government, Law, and Military: Wars - War of 1812 - 1812-1815
Historic Homes and Places: Eyre Hall
Home, Health, and Social Life: Gossip; Health - Doctors; Health - Mental Health; Health - Remedies and Medicine
People: Bonaparte, Joseph, 1768-1844; Bonaparte, Napoleon, 1769-1821; Campbell, Andrew Donaldson, 1777-1854; Eyre, Ann Matilda Upshur, 1780-1829; Eyre, John, 1768-1855; Gilmor, Mary Ann “Molly” Smith Drysdale, 1774-1852; Gilmor, William, 1775-1829; Jarvis, John Wesley, 1780-1839; Jeffrey, Lord Francis, 1773-1850; Louis XVI, King of France, 1754-1793; Moore, Thomas, 1779-1852; Physick, Dr. Philip Syng, 1768-1837; Quinby, Elizabeth Ann Upshur Teackle, 1801-1875; Teackle, Littleton Dennis, 1777-1848; Wolcot, John, 1738-1819
Places: United Kingdom; United States - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia County - Philadelphia

About this letter

Description: Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to Andrew Donaldson Campbell.
Creator: Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur
Creation Date: November 6, 1815
Subjects: Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur, 1783-1837; Campbell, Andrew Donaldson, d. 1853
Item Type: letter
Identifier: MSS 2338, 2338-a, 2338-b Box 1
Publication Information: Papers of the Quinby, Teackle, and Upshur families, 1759-1968, Accession #2338, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.
Institution: Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
Collection: Voices of the Eastern Shore
Place Names: United States - Maryland - Somerset County - Princess Anne; Scotland - Glasgow City Council Area - Glasgow

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Princess Anne E. S. Maryland Novr. 6th 1815

My dear friend

Few things have given me more pleasure than the receipt of your truly friendly letter of the 13^th April, and yet it has remain’d in my secretary nearly 7 months unanswer'd, but not unread. I have perused it and reperused it with no common satisfaction. It seem’d like the renewal of an old compact of individual peace and harmony arriving, as it did when all the world were shaking hands in token of the truce to war and bloodshed. Our rulers may stand in the high places and proclaim, “Now you are enemies” or “now you are friends: but thank God their voices” are as the idle winds which I regard not. My brother may kill your brother in battle, or vice v[ersa], but can I ever forget that you are my [torn page] and a steady one!” Never!

True “of the war of its cau[ses and] effects,” it is now needless to speak [torn page]. [torn page] mutually felt enough of its [torn page]

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-ces not to desire a renewal of it. If nearly state Bankruptcy, individual suffering, or the apparent approach of every symptom of death to our constitution can open our eyes to our folly we have had a view of all full close, to cause us to retrace our steps but to the paths of peace and to make us abhor the first weak and depraved instigators of war. But “no more of this if you love me”. The subject is a painful one to me. Nor can I feel the consequences of our late involvement, much ameliorated even by having witness’d the few brilliant achievements of some of my countrymen. Those few have done their duty as Soldiers and sailors and citizens, and it is some happiness to know that there is a soul within us. As to Bonaparte, his exploits have beggar’d all human calculation. I have read of nothing in his[tory] or fable equal to him. He is a perfect ignora[mus], and it is my opinion, that untill he is fin[ally] [torn page] under the most potent of all [torn page] will still continue to start up where [torn page] he is least expected to dazzle and del[ight] [torn page] King Louis has too much of [torn page] milkiness of soul to govern [torn page]

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the stiff necked nation. He sits too loosely in the saddle to gain the goal, with such a fiery Dragon to ride and rein.

We have had King Joseph amongst us and yet labor under the magnitude of that honor. The few who felt a curiosity to see a limb of Satan were disappointed in their endeavors whilst he was in Philadelphia having kept himself incognito; for what reason I can't tell. I was there at the time on a visit to my dear child, whom I found improved in appearance and improv’d in mind. Oh Campbell! This is a subject that I scarce dare to trust myself with, although you have so often urged me to dilate fully upon it. I feel all a mother's weakness, all of mother’s doating partiality, and how can I pretend to give you a full yet just account of my only one, my dear child? Yet I am strongly tempted. I feel the full tide of maternal fondness swe[eping] [torn page] heart, and must give it vent. [torn page]