Gazette Of The United States, & Daily Advertiser

CURIOUS SPECIMEN OF THE FORMAL STYLE OF ANCIENT COURTSHIP.

The following original Epistle of the most uncouth quaintness was written, in this country, more than a century ago. The author was the Rev. Elias Keach, a Dissenting Minister, in the county of New-Castle. It abounds with as many wild flowers of Rhetoric, as the noted Compilation "Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence displayed;" and, we are well assured will interest the Antiquarian, and divert the Wit.

From my Study at Christeena Creek this 29th Day of Augt. 1686.

Mrs. Mary Hamby

Dearest Lady.

My boldness in rushing thee rude and unpolished lines, into your Heroick and most Excellent Presence; doth cause me to suspect, your Amazement, and may justly cause you to correct my unmannerliness; or that either my Wisdom is narrow in Breadth or my Education short in length, or at least you may imagine my Comprehension to be like unto a half Moon, not of ability to incompass that most Excellent Jewel and Ornament of Humanity, call'd Modesty; if you have not forgot my ingenteele Carriage towards you when I saw you last and first.

But Lady let me crave the mantle of your Virtue, the which noble and generous favour will hide my naked and deformed fault, although it seems to be a renewed boldness, to require such an incomparable favour, from your tender heart, from whom I have deserved so little Kindness. Mrs. Mary:

Solomon says Childhood and Youth are Vanity; and if so, you cannot expect that in my Youth, which the gray hairs of our age, (or at least of our wooden World) cannot afford; it is a common saying and a true, love is stronger than death, and it is as true a proverb where Love cannot go, it will creep. you know Dear Lady that the higher the Sun rieth by degrees from the East the more influence hath the power and heat of its beams upon the Earth, so ever since I saw the Sun rise of your comely and gracious presence, the Sun beams of your Countenance and your discreet and virtuous behaviour hath by degrees wrought such a virtuous heat and such amorous Effects in my disconsolate heart: that, that which I cannot at present, disclose in words, in your gracious presence; I am forced (although far distant from you) to discover in Ink and Pap'r; trusting in God that this may be a Key: to open the door of your virtuous and reverent heart against the time I do appear in person'; Dear Mistress let me most submissively crave this favour, of you amongst the rest of your generosities, that you would not in the least Imagine that I have any Bye ends, or reserves in writing these few lines to you; but that I mean virtuously truly and sincerely, upon the word of a Christian; and the main scope and intent of this Letter, is only and alone to discover unto you, those amorous impressions of a virtuous Love which hath taken root or is already ingrafted in my heart; who have listed myself under the banner of your Love; provided I can by any means gain the honour to induce you to acknowledge and account, me your most obliging Servant: who have already devoted you to be the Mistress of my most amorous and virtuous Affections.; I must needs say this is not a common practice of mine to write Letters of this nature; But Love hath made that proper which is not common; Mrs Mary If I had foreseen when I saw you, what I have since experienced, I would have foreseen a more ample and courteous behaviour than I then did; through my Stupidity and dullness, the reason then I could not tell:.But the Effects I now know. and shall be careful and industrious to improve, not to your disadvantage and I am persuaded, to my exceeding comfort and contentment; as for my person you have in a measure seen. it, and as for my practice you do in a measure, know it as for my parts the effects of my conversation will shew it; I know it is fool to speak in my own praise, seeing I have learnt this lesson long ago, wise is that man that speaks few words in his own praise; again: as for a portion; I would have you have as favorable a construction concerning me, as I have concerning you: which is this.

Pure righteousness & zeal exceeds a portion with a wife; (so also in a husband) againe as for my parents I am obliged by the law of God; to honour them, and this I say in short (first) they are of no mean family; (secondly) they are of no mean learning and (thirdly) they are of no mean account and note in the world although they are not of the world ;) but the truth and certainty of this I leave to be proved by several of no mean note in this province and the next; and thus Dear Mistress: have I open'd unto. you my intellectuals, and the inward fruits of a virtuous and cordial intent and candid resolution; not be destitute of hope that the silver streams of my dearest affections and faithful love will be willingly received into this mill pond, of your tender virgin heart; your halling up the floodgate of virtuous love and affections; which will consequently turn the wheels of your gracious will and understanding to receive the golden grains or effects of my tenderest love and unerring affection, which will be my loyal respective and obliging service so long as life shall last; and such a thrice happy conjunction may, induce many to bring bags of golden grains of rejoicing to our mill and river of joy and contentment and we ourselves will sing the Epithalmy; this is the earnest (yet languishing) desire of his soul who hath sent his heart with this letter: and remains your cordial friend earnest suitor faithful lover and most obliged servant,

ELIAS KEACH Pastor and Minister in New Castle county.