light of the sun seemed completely out. It is still called “la journee noire”[1]. The congress of Connecticut was deliberating, and as gradually the unexpected and frightening darkness increased, the congressmen shared the general terror. Many of them thought and said that doomsday had arrived, and someone suggested to close the meeting.
“But an old Puritan[2] spoke up and said that if really the last day had arrived, he wanted to be found at his post doing his duty. for that he requested that lights be brought so that the assembly may continue its work. A great calm reigned in the soul of this man, the calm of divine wisdom, and he was possessed by the inflexible will to do his duty. The word duty is the most sublime of our language. Do it in all circumstances like the old Puritan. You can′t do much more, never allow yourself to do less. See to it that not a single of our hairs turns white through your fault.[3]
None of Captain Lee′s advice -- none of his words -- were
- ↑ Journee noire: The black day.
- ↑ Davenport de Stamfort.
- ↑ I failed finding the original text of Lee′s letter to his son. The text is therefore a translation into English of the French text which was a translation from English into French. How did my grandmother know of this text ? Perhaps directly from one of Lee’s daughters, with whom she had contacts.
