Thornhill, July 28, 1836.
My dear Madam,
I AM becoming so sadly neglectful of my duties, as a correspondent, that
I not only richly deserve from my friends their censure, but a total
discontinuance of their kind communications. To yourself and respected
sister, however, my neglect assumes the aspect of ingratitude; you have
so diversified and heaped on me your kind and delicate attentions. I can
say so little that is apologetic, that I will not make the attempt; but,
as in my approach to a Higher Power, I would at once acknowledge the
fulness of my delinquency, and solicit from your united kindly feelings
that indulgence which I am in nowise entitled to expect. I trust,
however, that your forbearance will not be exercised in vain, and that it
will be long before I again trespass to a similar extent.
But though I have no apology to offer for my long silence, it may in some
measure be accounted for in the present uncertain state of our affairs;
for I have long been hoping that something definite would arise, and I
was unwilling to write to you before. But week passed on after week, and
we are still in statu quo. The B—s have probably informed you of our
intention to remove to some other situation, for the sphere is
exceedingly limited, and the church-people unusually few; so that, after
a four years’ trial, I should hardly feel justified in spending my little
residuum of strength in a spot where the deficiency of proportionate
result is so great. Our accommodation, too, in our confined lodgings,
are far from suitable, and all our personal attempts, as well as
expectations from others to amend them, have hitherto failed. This minor
matter, indeed, would not, of itself, have been sufficiently strong, to
induce us to remove, but, taken in conjunction with all the other
matters, I have, at length, felt it my duty either to fix in some other
mission, as our cures are here denominated, or else to retire altogether
from public to more private engagement. I have written to our good
bishop on the subject, expressing a preference for the vicinity of our
children, or some more southerly and more genial part of the province
near the lake shores. He has kindly promised to do all in his power to
meet my wishes, but he has not hitherto been able to succeed, and we are
waiting the result of his further endeavours. You have heard enough, I
doubt not, of our political affairs to need any enlargement on this
point. Very nearly, indeed, were we on the point of provincial ruin.
But through God’s mercy the decision and good sense of the
Lieutenant-Governor have saved us from anything immediate, and, I hope,
also, from ultimate evil; for there is a strong conservative feeling
brought into exercise, which is not very likely soon to subside. In our
last Parliament, which the Lieutenant-Governor dissolved, there was a
large Radical majority; but from the recent return for the ensuing
Parliament, out of sixty-two members forty-four are Conservative, and
only eighteen Radical; so that we have good reason to expect an amended
state of things. It will be months and years, however, before we attain
to a sound, healthy, and flourishing state; for emigration is very nearly
at a stand; capitalists, of course, have no courage to venture among such
a set of revolutionary ruffians. The less monied, who are compelled to
go somewhere, proceed to the States to the far west by hundreds and
thousands. Labourers and mechanics not only turn aside from us, but
leave us after settling among us from want of employment, or, rather,
from want of money to pay them for their labour. Toronto, for months
past, has had quite an appearance of gloom; so many shops shut up, and so
little trade done; and other towns complain in like manner. Farming,
too, where farming labour is paid for, is so losing a concern, that, if
it were not absolutely necessary for the supply of their family in
country places, there is scarcely a gentleman but would give it up. I
have annually lost by mine—little indeed, but still, lost; and the
general cry among my neighbours is, Nothing is to be got by farming.
Indeed, were it not for the comparative poverty of the settlers, the tide
of emigration would soon set homewards: but, to realize the means of
return would, on a general scale, be impossible; were they to attempt to
sell, no sufficient number of purchasers could be obtained, and the sum
realized would go but a little way towards living in the same style in
England; so tarry they must. Still, the hearts of many are turning
towards their beloved country, and they would soon rejoin their friends
if they could.