Mary Meade’s Letter to her Children upon her death
Dear Children, From your earliest infancy, my dear children, I have endeavored to train you up in the paths of virtue, to make you sensible of your dependence on your Creator, Protector, and continual Benefactor, under the shadow of whose wings, is perpetual repose, and from the light of whose countenance flows eternal joy and felicity. May truth, justice, mercy, humility and charity, in thought, word, and deed, to the whole race of mankind, be practiced by you with delight. Think not either, or all of these desirable virtues difficult to attain. Apply but to the fountain of all wisdom and goodness, with a sincere and determined resolution to exert your utmost endeavors to obtain them, and all will be easy. Your tender affection and love for each other, I have often remarked with tears of delight. Continue this happy union, my beloved children, and let the loss of an affectionate parent, bind you more firmly to each other. You are young and frail, and consequently an uninterrupted state of harmony is not expected to subsist between you, but endeavour to come as near it as possible. Strive, each succeeding day, to make progress in conquering a propensity to dispute with each other. The eldest, I hope, will set the example. Never glory in getting the victory in a dispute. It is false glory, for disputes generally arise from the most trivial causes. Glory rather in getting the command of your passion. This, is productive of every good--it ensures the approbation of infinite wisdom, of your own mind, and of the virtuous part of mankind. Think for a moment, before your passions get to an unjustifiable height, and impose on yourself the task of silence. This done, reflection will follow, and I hope there are none of you, but are blessed with such dispositions, as will feel more joy in forgiving an injury than in triumphing over an adversary. This victory obtained, I must caution you against an error which may be the consequence of it. The result of a virtuous action must be self-approbation, but let not this degenerate into vanity--an error common to mortals, and which ought therefore carefully to be guarded against, for it is not only contrary to the precept and example of our blessed Saviour, but disgusting to man--the brightest virtues are tarnished by it, and lose considerably their lustre. “Pride was not made for man”--therefore, my children, if you are happy enough to place your whole aim and ambition in virtue, and are conscious that you possess it, in some points, superior to your fellow mortals, let it not cause you to look on others with contempt. God, who only knows the heart of man, may see in them virtues which your penetration cannot discover, and though they may be wanting in what you excel in, they may possess qualities of a higher dignity, particu’arly if adorned with humility. Should it be your fate to be separated, let it not diminish your affection for each other. Let a constant correspondence subsist between you, in which you must communicate in the tenderest terms, the defect you may hear ascribed to each other. This is a nice and delicate point, but certainly one of the first proofs of friendship. To them alone, let the subject be mentioned, nor ever deceive yourselves or others by supposing you participate in the injustice done a friend or fellow mortal, by calumny or detraction, while you with ease or indifference, make it the subject of common conversation. Ere I say adieu, let me once more entreat you to be kind and affectionate to your fond father, and other kind benefactors, and be united in the strictest bonds of harmony as brothers and sisters. Let those to whom Heaven has been most bountiful, bear with the weakness of the younger or inferior. How delightful the reflection to have reformed perhaps a forward brother or sister, by lenity, prayer and rectitude of conduct. A few more lines, and then farewell. They relate to your behavior to domestics. From your earliest infancy, my dear children, I have taught you to treat them with complacency, kindness and humanity. This I must forever justify, but positively forbid familiarity with them. Never will you be respected by them, if you make companions of them. Adieu, my children, and let the following lines be a rule for your conduct. Never think a thought, speak a word, or do a deed, but what you may be safe in setting about, with these words: “Oh! God, my Maker and judge, I do not forget that Thou art witness to what I am doing.” Heaven preserve and direct you to his divine presence, most fervently prays your affectionate mother, Mary Meade.