Your affectionate daughter,
ELIZA SOUTHGATE.
Mrs. Mary Southgate.
Medford, May 12, 1797.
Honored Parents:
With pleasure I sit down to the best of parents to inform them of my
situation, as doubtless they are anxious to hear,—permit me to tell them
something of my foolish heart. When I first came here I gave myself up
to reflection, but not pleasing reflections. When Mr. Boyd[2] left me I
burst into tears and instead of trying to calm my feelings I tried to
feel worse. I begin to feel happier and will soon gather up all my
Philosophy and think of the duty that now attends me, to think that here
I may drink freely of the fountain of knowledge, but I will not dwell
any longer on this subject. I am not doing anything but writing,
reading, and cyphering. There is a French Master coming next Monday, and
he will teach French and Dancing. William Boyd and Mr. Wyman advise me
to learn French, yet if I do at all I wish you to write me very soon
what you think best, for the school begins on Monday. Mr. Wyman says it
will not take up but a very little of my time, for it is but two days in
the week, and the lessons only 2 hours long. Mr. Wyman says I must learn
Geometry before Geography, and that I better not begin it till I have
got through my Cyphering.
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