The New Hampshire Gazette

MRS. ANNE ROYAL,

Mr. Editor—This lady has lately been in this town, on a tour through the New-England States, Her object no doubt is, to see our people, and as far as she has permission, examine our public institutions, in order to publish another volume of her "Sketches, &c." I had the pleasure of being introduced to and of having considerable conversation with her. It appears from her account of herself, that at the age of five years, she was captured, in her native State of Maryland, by the Indians, and not ransomed until she was twelve years old; that at the age of fifteen, she was married to Major William Royall, a distinguished officer of the Virginia line of the army of the Revolution, and lived with her husband, on a plantation in Western Virginia until the year 1812, when he died—that after his decease, she emancipated her slaves and removed to Alabama, where, in consequence of sundry unforeseen events, (after moving in the first circles in the Western country.) she was reduced in her pecuniary circumstances, and being in ill health, it was recommended her to travel to the mineral waters of Virginia for her health: that in order to divert her mind from unpleasant reminiscences, she kept a Journal: that on exhibiting it to some of her friends, it was also recommended to her to continue her travels and her journal farther, and publish the latter; and the result is, the volume entitled Sketches, &c."

She is also the authoress of a novel called "The Tennessean": and proposes to publish a volume of "Letters from Alabama," and a continuation of her Travels.

I have hastily, perused part of her Travels and part of her novel—the latter as far as I have gone, gives us, of the sea-board, an interesting view of the habits and manners of the people of the Western country; and the former is valuable for the faithfulness of the narration of the scenes which came under her inspection; for after a short acquaintance with her, one is fully convinced, that according to the best of her judgment, she will relate what she sees, without fear, favor, affection, or the hope of reward,—"nothing extenuate or set down aught in malice."

From her residence amongst the Indians at the most susceptible part of her life, her manners are not precisely like ours, and those we ought not to expect so to be, and ought to be a sufficient apology for the abruptness, independence and sincerity with which she expresses herself, on almost all occasions. But she thinks, and it really appears to me, that she has claims upon the patronage of all those who feel grateful to those heroes, who separated us from the guardianship of a cruel and unnatural step-mother, and as the relict of one of the most distinguished of those heroes, who achieved our national independence

She has also claims upon the benevolence of all, in consequence of her sex, age, and indigence—and even if her mind is disordered. (as is pretended by some, who have never seen any other people than those in this neighborhood,) she has still greater claims upon our humanity and benevolence.

I therefore hope she will receive from all well bred and well disposed persons in New-England, the courtesy and hospitality which are due to her sex, and a liberal patronage of her literary performances.

GENEVIEVE.