Memoirs of a Huguenot Family/Letter from John Fontaine to Rev. James Maury
Letter from John Fontaine to Rev. James Maury.
Dear Nephew Maury:—The last letter we received from you was dated the 18th June, 1760, which was very acceptable to us, which we answered the 24th Jan. 1761, and have received no letter from you since. Our great desire to hear from you will not permit us to be any longer silent, as the peace is now concluded so much to our advantage, and more especially so to all those who possess estates in North America, and that the French and Spaniards have ceded to us and put us in actual and quiet possession of more territory than the most sanguine could have expected, and that you are now sole lords of North America, bounded on the north by the north pole, on the south by the Gulf of Florida, and the west by the great river Mississippi. Nothing more can, we think, be wished for as to extent of territory, but to be thankful for this great enlargement, and the great deliverance from our powerful enemies the French and Spaniards, and from popery and idolatry, which in our opinion is as great, if not a greater blessing than any, or indeed all the others put together.
Now, thanks be to our great God for it, He may and will be worshipped without a rival from the north pole to the Gulf of Florida. It is impossible for you and me, without his especial assistance, to be sufficiently thankful for so many favors conferred on us and our posterity. A land flowing with milk and honey to inhabit, the pure and unadulterated doctrine brought down from heaven by our blessed Saviour and Redeemer to lead us to eternal life; these are blessings so complete that no more can be added to them.
The poor natural inhabitants still remain as thorns in your sides, lest you and we should forget the past deliverances. We pray to God to open their understandings, and make them one flock with us, obedient to the same God and Saviour. Whilst those Indians continue uninstructed in the principles of Christ's true religion, they will be cruel and treacherous. We are greatly concerned to hear of the horrible cruelties committed by those infidels upon your out settlers. We hope you will soon put a stop to their proceedings, and by a superior force bring them to reason, and convince them of the folly of such undertakings.
I received the Timothy grass you were so kind as to send me. I sowed some in my garden, and it grew well. I tried in the field, and the grass killed it. It would grow well in well cultivated lands if well weeded, and I think would produce a great crop; but I am too old and too feeble to undertake any thing, and I am often confined with the gout.
Your affectionate uncle,