Item 17: Letter from George H. Butler to “My Dear Uncle,”, 1836 August 8
Item — Box: 1, Folder: 17
Dates
- Created: 1836 August 8
Creator
- Butler, George H. (Person)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter/Correspondence
Condition Note:
Poor. The page is torn in the middle seams and the page is fragile.
Measurements:
Closed: 8 3/16 in. x 5 ¼ in.; Open: 10 ½ x 8 in.; Envelope: 3 x 5 ¼ in.
Title:
Letter to Uncle
Description:
The following item depicts a letter written by George M. Butler to his uncle, unnamed, dated August 8, 1836. In the letter, Butler explains his many worldly travels, writing that he has slept with Camels in Morocco, I have broken bread with the muleteers in Spain, tasted life in Paris, seen the Dutchman in his famous home, climbed the mountains of Switzerland, and more.
Location:
Paris, France
Transcription:
Front:
Paris JAug[ust] 8. 1836. My Dear Uncle, I hasten to acknowledge the Rec[ei]pt. of a First of Exchange from Drexel & Co of Phila[delphia] upon I Gruner & Co of Paris, in my favor for Three Thans and + Thirty Frances, for which many thanks - This will relieve me from my present “pecuniary Embarrassments” and will enable me to leave for England + Scotland and I trust for home before long-. I should not have remained in Paris more than a week on my return from Italy had I not, in fact, been compelled to do so from the sheer want of the wherewithal to journey farther.- I have for sometime been anxious to get home once more; but thought that as I was here I might as well see all that was to be seen and make an end of it - I shall probably now remain in Paris until after the 15th. of the present month as that day is set apart for the reception of Marshal Pelissin on his return from the Crimea + is also the day of what is called the “L’ete Napoleon” which is
Page 2:
celebrated here as we would celebrate the birthday of Washington. but of course with all the magnificence becoming an Emperor. Grand preparations are being made and the Parisian world is on the “qui vive” of expectation - The day after the “fete” I propose to start for London + after seeing something of England + Scotland I shall “ship” for mine own far off land + if I am permitted to see once more its “rock-bound coast” I think really it will be the happiest day of all my life- I have in the last two years seen much and I trust have profited something- I have slept with Moors and Camels in Morocco, I have broken bread with the muleteer in Spain, tasted of life in Paris, seen the Dutchman in his famous home, climbed the mountains of Switzerland, admired Dresden China in Dresden, Bohemian glass in Prague, eaten, maccaroni (sic) [macaroni] in Naples, and received the benediction of the “Holy Father” at Rome, but under no circumstances have I forgotten, no where have I seen a spot I love so well as a certain little valley many, many miles away which my forefathers bravely fought for, but which their children
Page 3:
find difficult to keep- Apropos of home matters, I understand that an addition is about to be made to the Census of the Valley from a source from which probably it was little expected - Now, my dear Uncle, you will have no doubt many fulsome demonstrations of congratulations upon this happy Event, but, believe me, no one will more sincerely wish you joy on this occasion than your runaway, good for nothing nephew on this side the seas- I trust you may be given a child that shall through life bear your name and above all things that you may be spared to see him grow up a credit to his father and an honor to the name of Hollenback- We can hereafter be the best of friends “sans peur, sans reproche”- I can be kind to you and you can take such interest in me as you have a right to do in the son of parents who were so near and dear to you, without the world saying aught. I have been, without reason, a sort of “scarecrow” and bugbear to many persons a long, long time- the consciousness of it has made me do many foolish things which I now
Page 4:
regret- it made ^me avoid rather than seek your society, but I trust that all this is now past- the little stranger shall be a bond to draw us nearer together than we have ever been before- I have been a proud, sensitive foolish boy, but never an insincere one- in this Theatre of Life. I can play no “role” save the one natural to me- blundering and bad it may be, but straightforward + honest it will be - My dear Uncle there is a wide ocean between us + life is uncertain and you must begin one to try to understand me + if you can find any virtues among my many vices, give me credit for them- If I have made few demonstrations of affection toward my friends, do not believe that it was because I do not feel- I dislike ostentation in affection as much as in anything else, and believe that “where there is the most emoke there is the least fine”- if I have done many foolish + wrong things dont think of me as all bad, and I shall be content- I have formed many pleasant accquaintances among Americans + others since I have been abroad- Mrs Renwick I have seen often- she has been very kind + seems to take great interest in me- Where all I have been + what all I have seen in the last two years I must reserve for the fire-side next winter where over apples + cider I will spin you as long yarns as a sailor in the forecastle- with best wishes for your own health + that of the mother in her “trying hour” believe me most Truly Yours Geo[rge] M. Butler
Envelope:
Geo[rge]. M. Butler Letter from Paris France Aug[ust] 8, 1864 [on the written year 1864, it is crossed out and it appears as it someone wrote 1856 in pencil]
Died March 1863
Paris JAug[ust] 8. 1836. My Dear Uncle, I hasten to acknowledge the Rec[ei]pt. of a First of Exchange from Drexel & Co of Phila[delphia] upon I Gruner & Co of Paris, in my favor for Three Thans and + Thirty Frances, for which many thanks - This will relieve me from my present “pecuniary Embarrassments” and will enable me to leave for England + Scotland and I trust for home before long-. I should not have remained in Paris more than a week on my return from Italy had I not, in fact, been compelled to do so from the sheer want of the wherewithal to journey farther.- I have for sometime been anxious to get home once more; but thought that as I was here I might as well see all that was to be seen and make an end of it - I shall probably now remain in Paris until after the 15th. of the present month as that day is set apart for the reception of Marshal Pelissin on his return from the Crimea + is also the day of what is called the “L’ete Napoleon” which is
Page 2:
celebrated here as we would celebrate the birthday of Washington. but of course with all the magnificence becoming an Emperor. Grand preparations are being made and the Parisian world is on the “qui vive” of expectation - The day after the “fete” I propose to start for London + after seeing something of England + Scotland I shall “ship” for mine own far off land + if I am permitted to see once more its “rock-bound coast” I think really it will be the happiest day of all my life- I have in the last two years seen much and I trust have profited something- I have slept with Moors and Camels in Morocco, I have broken bread with the muleteer in Spain, tasted of life in Paris, seen the Dutchman in his famous home, climbed the mountains of Switzerland, admired Dresden China in Dresden, Bohemian glass in Prague, eaten, maccaroni (sic) [macaroni] in Naples, and received the benediction of the “Holy Father” at Rome, but under no circumstances have I forgotten, no where have I seen a spot I love so well as a certain little valley many, many miles away which my forefathers bravely fought for, but which their children
Page 3:
find difficult to keep- Apropos of home matters, I understand that an addition is about to be made to the Census of the Valley from a source from which probably it was little expected - Now, my dear Uncle, you will have no doubt many fulsome demonstrations of congratulations upon this happy Event, but, believe me, no one will more sincerely wish you joy on this occasion than your runaway, good for nothing nephew on this side the seas- I trust you may be given a child that shall through life bear your name and above all things that you may be spared to see him grow up a credit to his father and an honor to the name of Hollenback- We can hereafter be the best of friends “sans peur, sans reproche”- I can be kind to you and you can take such interest in me as you have a right to do in the son of parents who were so near and dear to you, without the world saying aught. I have been, without reason, a sort of “scarecrow” and bugbear to many persons a long, long time- the consciousness of it has made me do many foolish things which I now
Page 4:
regret- it made ^me avoid rather than seek your society, but I trust that all this is now past- the little stranger shall be a bond to draw us nearer together than we have ever been before- I have been a proud, sensitive foolish boy, but never an insincere one- in this Theatre of Life. I can play no “role” save the one natural to me- blundering and bad it may be, but straightforward + honest it will be - My dear Uncle there is a wide ocean between us + life is uncertain and you must begin one to try to understand me + if you can find any virtues among my many vices, give me credit for them- If I have made few demonstrations of affection toward my friends, do not believe that it was because I do not feel- I dislike ostentation in affection as much as in anything else, and believe that “where there is the most emoke there is the least fine”- if I have done many foolish + wrong things dont think of me as all bad, and I shall be content- I have formed many pleasant accquaintances among Americans + others since I have been abroad- Mrs Renwick I have seen often- she has been very kind + seems to take great interest in me- Where all I have been + what all I have seen in the last two years I must reserve for the fire-side next winter where over apples + cider I will spin you as long yarns as a sailor in the forecastle- with best wishes for your own health + that of the mother in her “trying hour” believe me most Truly Yours Geo[rge] M. Butler
Envelope:
Geo[rge]. M. Butler Letter from Paris France Aug[ust] 8, 1864 [on the written year 1864, it is crossed out and it appears as it someone wrote 1856 in pencil]
Died March 1863
Creator
- Butler, George H. (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu