Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to David Fowler, 1766 August 26

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date26 August, 1766

Call Number766476.1

abstractWheelock replies to Fowler’s complaints of mistreatment in Fowler’s letter of the same day.

handwritingHand is small and loose, with many abbreviations and superscripts.

paperLarge sheet is in good condition, with light yellowing and wear.

inkDark brown.

noteworthyThis letter is written in response to a letter from David Fowler (document 766476.2).

Persistent Identifier

David Fowler
I this minute received yours and am Sorry to find
that you are not yet come to your right Temper of mind,
— Who has calld you a Devil, or Said you are as proud as the
Devil Since you came here? Who has ever Said that you have
not behaved well in the main ſince you illegiblelived with me, or
that I have not ſat as much by you and expected as much
benefit to ye Grand Deſign as by any Indian I ever Educated
or there has there been any Indian y.t I ha'n been mo. friendly
to yn to y.o & y.r Charact.r — ha' I ev.r Sd y.t y.o ha' not done
mo. for my Benefit yn all ye Indians I ever had &c.
and now yo ſay I am too bad to live in y.e House for one
of my miſSteps yrefore I muſt leave yo & y.r School y.t very
Day & go weepg in ye Road Homward — Now David
conſ.r a Little. is this Just comely and reaſonable Treat­
­ment of me. ha' I ſd worſe of y.o or to y.o y.n y.t I was
afraid y.t y.e [illegible][guess: Bid] of y[illegible][guess: r] [illegible] Aſpird aft.r ſuch Grand.r as was not
for ye Gly of G. & co.d not conſiſt with ye good of y.e gen.l
Deſign in View — y.t Wn I had given y.o leave to get every
thing y.t y.o Wanted for y.e Deſign & told y.o I begrutchd y.o
nothg y.t was neceſsy for y.o — y.t y.o ſho.d affect to cloath yrſlf
& Hannah like Courtiers & W.n y.o knew y.t I had been already
reporachd thro' ye Country, as I ha' been only for lettg y.o wear
an old Velvet Coat y.t was given to y.o — I told y.o y.t y.e Eyes
of All Europe & America wre upon y.o & me too. & y.e Eyes of
Thouſands w.o are unfriendly & will not fail to Catch at any
occaſion to reproach me & ye Deſign —I told y.o it was no
Intereſt of mine but only ye Hon.r & Intereſt of X y.t I was
pleadg for, & y.e Succeſs of y.t Cauſe w.c has been ſo long on my [illegible]
& in w.c I ha' so much labourd & worn out myſelf — & w.c certain
­ly as nearly concerns y.o as me to Lab.r to promote — did y.o
not wn I was only Enquirg w.r it was Prud.t & beſt for y.o to
ha' ſo many as 4 p.r of ſhoes at once riſe up & wth a very unbe­
­comg Air go out y.e Room & Say I will ha' no ſhoes I'll wear
Indian ſhoes — & how y.o & Hannah ha' Spent y.r free Hours
yesterday & t'day I know not — Or how yo will live or
wn yo will ſerve tog.r I know not I wiſh y.r Settg out Wre
mo. in ye meekneſs & Humility of X — as for my own p.t great
as ye proſpects of y.r Usefulneſs are, (and y.a are very great
if y.o will take G. with you.) I dont at all deſ.r you shod return
to Onoida wth y.r preſent Tempers — nor am I at all afraid but I
can fully Vindicate my own Reputation, take w.t Courſe y.o will —
I ſuppose y.o cant reaſonably think it unjuſt if ye Whole &
plain Truth comes to y.e Light of ye world, if I am put upon my
own Vindication — nor do I think y.o can feal very Eaſie
if yo ſho.d go 'till y.o return to me again w.c I promiſe myſlf
yo will do as Soon as y.o return to God. My Heart is y.e ſame
and as full of Kindneſs & Good will towds you as ever it has
been. and I am as ready to do any thing yt will Hon.r Chriſt
& & promote ye ſalvn of ye Souls of ye poor Indians as
ever I was — but I ha' no notion of Sendg any man w.o is
aiming to ſet up himſlf inſtead of XJ. as ye obj.t of y.r Wſp
& Wn y.o Will app.r ye Same as y.o ha' heretofore done
yo Will find me ye ſame
I am
y.r ſincere Well wiſher
Eleaz.r Wheelock
Lett.r to D. Fowler.
at his Study. Augt 26. 1766.
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