Samuel F. B. Morse, His Letters and Journals - Volume I. | Page 7

boy ten years old. I wonder if he was really able
to assimilate it.
I shall pass rapidly over the next few years, for, while there are many
letters which make interesting reading, there are so many more of the
later years of greater historical value that I must not yield to the
temptation to linger.
The three brothers were all sent to Phillips Academy to prepare for
Yale, from which college their father was also graduated.
The following letter from Finley to his brothers was written while he
was temporarily at home, and shows the deep religious bent of his mind
which he kept through life:--
CHARLESTOWN, March 15, 1805.
MY DEAR BROTHERS,--I now write you again to inform you that
mama had a baby, but it was born dead and has just been buried. Now
you have three brothers and three sisters in heaven and I hope you and I
will meet them there at our death. It is uncertain when we shall die, but
we ought to be prepared for it, and I hope you and I shall.

I read a question in Davie's "Sermons" the last Sunday which was
this:-- Suppose a bird should take one dust of this earth and carry it
away once in a thousand years, and you was to take your choice either
to be miserable in that time and happy hereafter, or happy in that time
and miserable hereafter, which would you choose? Write me an answer
to this in your next letter....
I enclose you a little book called the "Christian Pilgrim." It is for both
of you.
We are all tolerable well except mama, though she is more comfortable
now than she was. We all send a great deal of love to you. I must now
bid you adieu.
I remain your affectionate brother,
S.F.B. MORSE.
I am tempted to include the following extracts from letters of the good
mother of the three boys as characteristic of the times and people:--
CHARLESTOWN, June 28, 1805.
MY DEAR SON,--We have the pleasure of a letter from you which has
gratified us very much. It is the only intelligence we have had from you
since Mr. Brown left you. I began to think that something was the
matter with respect to your health that occasioned your long silence....
We are very desirous, my son, that you should excel in everything that
will make you truly happy and useful to your fellow men. In particular
by no means neglect your duty to your Heavenly Father. Remember,
what has been said with great truth, that he can never be faithful to
others who is not so to his God and his conscience. I wish you
constantly to keep in mind the first question and answer in that
excellent form of sound words, the Assembly Catechism, viz:--"What
is the chief end of Man?" The answer you will readily recollect is "To
Glorify God and enjoy Him forever."
Let it be evident, my dear son, that this be your chief aim in all that you

do, and may you be so happy as to enjoy Him forever is the sincere
prayer of your affectionate parent....
The Fourth of July is to be celebrated here with a good deal of parade
both by Federalists and Jacobins. The former are to meet in our
meeting-house, there to hear an oration which is to be delivered by Mr.
Aaron Putnam, a prayer by your papa also. And on the hill close by the
monument [Bunker Hill] a standard is to be presented to a new
company called the Warren Phalanx, all Federalists, by Dr. Putnam
who is the president of the day, and all the gentlemen are to dine at
Seton's Hall, otherwise called Massachusetts Hall, and the ladies are to
take tea at the same place. The Jacobins are to have an oration at the
Baptist meeting-house from Mr. Gleson. I know nothing more about
them. The boys are forming themselves into companies also; they have
two or three companies and drums which at some times are enough to
craze one. I can't help thinking when I see them how glad I am that my
sons are better employed at Andover than beating the streets or drums;
that they are laying in a good store of useful knowledge against the
time to come, while these poor boys, many of them, at least, are
learning what they will be glad by and by to unlearn.
July 30, 1805.
MY DEAR SONS,--Have you heard of the death of young Willard at
Cambridge, the late President Willard's son? He died of a violent fever
occasioned by going into water when he was very hot in the middle of
the day. He also pumped a great deal of cold water on his head.