| Recipient | Eleanor Isabella Franklin |
| Transcript or Index | Jany 6th 1841
Mr dearest Eleanor
I cannot suffer this most joyous Season and more particularly to the true Christian [?faith] over without wishing you may indeed be of the number of those who really value it, and are sensible of the rich blessings it brings to all who are [?embraced] to [?receive] them That Merciful God may keep you in the [?being] and performance of His most righteous love is my constant prayer, for without His continuous help and watchfulness daily experience assure us we are most inefficient and fall far short of our duty. You are [?blessed] my beloved Eleanor with capabilities and abilities, which He I fervently hope will sanctify, for more than useless are all our scientific or moral attainments unless they are occasioned in reference to Him. If God be your hope and consolation you will then have with us to free [?from] the unhaltered use of your Talents, but will use them wisely to your and prove a [?new] [?feeling] source of comfort to your beloved Parents and your [?numerous] affectionate relatives and friends amongst which number dearest Eleanor I shall remain one of your most deeply attached and affectionate as long as it pleases God to [?continue] me our [...] word shall I fervently trust througb His [...] Mercy, be of the happy number of those who will rejoice with you throughout a blissful Eternity. I can scarcely think that it is 4 years this day since you arrived at Hobart Town dear Eleanor. You like me have doubtless spent many happy as well as wearisome days since that time I am inclined to think perhaps the former preponderate, though the dissatisfied & ungrateful mind of fallen nature delights to bring foward and place more [?prominently] the latter. I have had [?]sorrow dear Eleanor since we parted, the deepest fall has [...] from those failings. We certainly did form a happy family party as could anywhere be found and when I look round my present circle I at times could almost fancy that our happiness then formed a [...] Then instead of having [..] [...] portion of my real existence, but dearest Eleanor, God forbid either of us should be found amongst the [...] [...] I will therefore leave the [...] [...] [...] to tell you some of our proceedings. I should tell you how we usually spend our time unless we dine early which we some times do. Emma and Catherine employ themselves in their studies to which they regularly attend, after that time we walk until dinner, when we dine late, [?]drive and soon after have tea then. Music and reading aloud until bed time - this is the way with but few exceptions in which we spend our days we subscribe to our excellent liking for which we pay £2 a quarter and always have nice weeks, we have just finished a very interesting account of the Russian Empire by a Mr Venables, has your Papa this work in his library? if so, I think you would like to read it, what an immense portion of the Globe to be under the control of one Sovereign! The work was published in 3, it contains amongst other interesting information an account of the destruction by Fire of the beautiful Winter Palace. Have you once read Nichol on the Architecture of the Heavens, for I have never yet heard your opinion on the book, it interested me much. I wish, dearest Eleanor, you would write to me in a separate letter and not wait for a part of dear Sophy's, she ought always to fill her own sheet of paper & your letters with the present reduction of postage [?]each [?...] 8d we pay that sum for those we send you. I wish dearest Eleanor you would tell Sophy we are longing to have her journal, she should have let us have it before this. I hope hope long ere you receive this letter, you will have had two boxes from us sent within the last year, if your boxes were directed to Lieut. Wentworth of the Dockyard, Deptford, they would reach us for Lieut. Wentworth has kindly promised to send or secure anything for us from Van Ds' Land and he very kindly also generally informs us when any Vessels are likely to leave for Hobart Town. Do tell Sophy and Tom this, I want some of the tin cases to be returned to us or we must send our our cases
Dear Eleanor, dear Sophy and Tom's letters by Sydney have just reached us after being 6 months traveling towards us. We hope the first has sent off in June has long since been received and the contents approved of by you all. I hope your dear Mama can wear the cap I made for her after the French pattern I always wear and that dear Baby's frock is not too small for him, how I should delight in kissing him and in seeing your dear Papa carry him in his arms, dear little fellow he must be a great Pet with you all. On Christmas day we rose very early though the weather was most severe and went to the Cathedral before it was light to hear the 100 Psalms sung most beautifully by the Choristers and to hear full charm on the splendid Organ, the Cathedral was partially lighted and the whole appearance most solemn and imposing. We attended again in the afternoon to hear one of the most sublime anthems I ever heard, one of the Choristers has an extraordinary powerful, thrilling and sweet voice, indeed the whole Choir is considered the finest in England and you can imagine dearest Eleanor with our love of music have made me delight in going to hear them perform the daily service, not that we often attend the whole service, but if in the neighbourhood of the Cathedral in the afternoon when an anthem is always sung we generally go in to hear it. I think Emma and Catherine have told you of our going to the Jews Synagogue and how deeply we were interested though much grieved to find their Worship so idolatrous and fallen. We had very nice accommodation in the Gallery [?appropriated] to the Women and went on one of their light Festivals. At Easter we had some unleavened bread given us to taste, it is exactly in appearance the same as very thin biscuits pricked in small holes ["entirely over the" - crossed out] and made of the finest flour, we have the promise of some of their chants which are very beautiful during the whole of their Worship, they have swinging their bodies backwards and forwards. The Crown is indeed sadly fallen for the poor Jew but ere long the Lord of all Power and might pour upon them the Spirit of supplication will cause them to Worship Him acceptably, that time dearest Eleanor may not be distant. I hope my dear Child, you will be able to read my writing, I fear from Sophy’s last your dear Papa has much difficulty in reading my letters. I will certainly not cross my letters to him but write them as well as I can for I am sure he has enough to do with bad writing not to be anxious to have any illegible letters from his correspondence. And now dear Eleanor I must end my letter. Emma and Catherine will write soon to you and Sophy. With love to your dear Papa and Mama, believe me your attached Aunt I. Cracroft.
Sophy tells me your dear Papa thought one of my letters so well written that I could not have written it, but tell him with my love it was assuredly all my own writing!! I told Sophy some time ago that William Gardner is married, he is with his Regiment in Scotland, Augusta writes very nicely to Emma and Catherine she often mentions you in her letters, Henry is [?become] a nice boy and Mrs Gardner tells me is thought strikingly like Tom, little Gooch is plain under Mrs Bruckner's care and is also much altered for the better. |