Letter from Hattie to Em, April 15, 1869
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Em, April 15, 1869
Subject
Chinese language--Study and teaching; Death; Death notices; Writing; Parcel post; Music; Singing
Description
In this letter to her sister, Emily, Harriet Noyes writes about various things, such as her Chinese teachers, the aftermath of the loss of Mr Caldwell, and a box received from home. Like many of the other letters, Harriet reminisces about home, particularly singing with her sisters. The lower corners of the letter are torn.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #1
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1869-04-15
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_027
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton. China.
April 15th /69-
My [u]own dear Em[/u]-
Time to write
for the mail again and this time
I am going to commence with
you. I have been waiting for some
time for my teacher but as he does
not make his appearance perhaps I
can get a little time for writing before
he comes. I have only had this
teacher about two weeks and I dont
like him at all. I study an hour
in the morning with "Li Sin Shang"
and he is one of the nicest of Chinamen
but "Seen Sin Shang" who agreed to come
at 10 o clock but usually gets here an
hour or two after the time is I do think
without any exception the most disagreeable
person I ever knew any where.
Mr Preston hires him & as he does not
care for him all the time he teaches me
I dont know whether I shall keep him
long dont think he amounts to much
as a teacher. We did not get a very
full mail this time I only had your
letter & Edwards & one from Mr Loomis
& Mrs Folsom. But of course we both [Note: Page corner is ripped here]
feel a claim in all the letters from
home
and we usually have the reading of
letters from missionary friends that
are received by any of the mission.
Tell Father & Mother I gave their
messages to Dr Kerr & tell Mother
whenever she feels like sending greeting
to the Missionary brothers & sisters to do
so, nothing is more natural. I have
received messages from unknown friends
in England. Last English mail
brought me a letter from Mr Caldwells
mother in reply to a note that I sent
her with a copy of the lines in the Recorder
which Mr Piercy asked me to send them.
Their loss must have been a sad trial
he must have been very dear to his home
friends. And a large circle of brothers &
sisters mourn for him. I do not
think I have ever known any one
posessed of a more beautiful character
so above the frailties of Earth. but perhaps
it was because he was so [u]near[/u] Heaven
when we knew him here.
Clara asks if I would care to have
what I wrote of him put in the Gazette.
If you would like to have it published
do so. If anything from my pen
can be the means of giving pleasure
or benefit to any one at home I shall
be very happy. But I always write at
"full speed" and am well aware
that my letters bear testimony to the fact.
I would like to write once in a while
for the Gazette if I had time but that
is [u]the "if"[/u] that comes across my path very
very often. + I am obliged to turn
away and have undone many things
that I would gladly do. I have
not kept a journal since I came to
China would like very much to do so.
The 1st of Nov I bought a book &
thought I would try but I hav'nt
written a word in it for nearly three
months. By the way I would like to see
the printed copy of my journal if perfectly
convenient if not [u]no matter[/u] at all.
Before I forget it I will tell you
again that the box you sent last
spring came all right and
every thing was very nice and just
what we wanted. I am sure you
must have missed some of the letters
we wrote after receiving it I am
rather sorry if you did because I wrote
how nice everything seemed when it first
came. I was very much delighted to get
the music you sent. I had wanted
some patriotic music so much and
the pictures are very nice. Henry was
delighted with your drawing of our
"[u]Home[/u]". Do you ever paint any now.
I don't know whether I ever shall or not.
I hope you will sometime have plenty of
time to spend in drawing & painting. I cant
tell you how hard it was for one to give it
up + even now sometimes I can hardly feel
satisfied. But I try to comfort
myself with thinking that it is easier to
give it up so than it would be to give
up the pleasure of practicing it if I was
skilled in the art. & I could never
feel that it was right to give my time
to it here to any great extent I must
tell you that "our group" of six sisters
has come to light again. Henry found
it in a book where I suppose it had been
all the time. [u]Perhaps[/u] bye & bye my
lost photos will turn up but I must
own I would just as soon expect to
find them here as that you would
find them at home. I am [u]so glad[/u]
you had a nice time at the convention.
'twas too bad about your quartette.
Dear Em I wonder if [u]we[/u] shall ever
sing together again. I have felt very
thankful since coming here for my little
skill in music. It has proved very useful in
teaching the children & an [u]inestimable[/u]
pleasure & comfort to myself. Love to
all inquiring friends. Mrs [?Jas?] Ross Miss
Dorsey &c &c Your own Hattie --
April 15th /69-
My [u]own dear Em[/u]-
Time to write
for the mail again and this time
I am going to commence with
you. I have been waiting for some
time for my teacher but as he does
not make his appearance perhaps I
can get a little time for writing before
he comes. I have only had this
teacher about two weeks and I dont
like him at all. I study an hour
in the morning with "Li Sin Shang"
and he is one of the nicest of Chinamen
but "Seen Sin Shang" who agreed to come
at 10 o clock but usually gets here an
hour or two after the time is I do think
without any exception the most disagreeable
person I ever knew any where.
Mr Preston hires him & as he does not
care for him all the time he teaches me
I dont know whether I shall keep him
long dont think he amounts to much
as a teacher. We did not get a very
full mail this time I only had your
letter & Edwards & one from Mr Loomis
& Mrs Folsom. But of course we both [Note: Page corner is ripped here]
feel a claim in all the letters from
home
and we usually have the reading of
letters from missionary friends that
are received by any of the mission.
Tell Father & Mother I gave their
messages to Dr Kerr & tell Mother
whenever she feels like sending greeting
to the Missionary brothers & sisters to do
so, nothing is more natural. I have
received messages from unknown friends
in England. Last English mail
brought me a letter from Mr Caldwells
mother in reply to a note that I sent
her with a copy of the lines in the Recorder
which Mr Piercy asked me to send them.
Their loss must have been a sad trial
he must have been very dear to his home
friends. And a large circle of brothers &
sisters mourn for him. I do not
think I have ever known any one
posessed of a more beautiful character
so above the frailties of Earth. but perhaps
it was because he was so [u]near[/u] Heaven
when we knew him here.
Clara asks if I would care to have
what I wrote of him put in the Gazette.
If you would like to have it published
do so. If anything from my pen
can be the means of giving pleasure
or benefit to any one at home I shall
be very happy. But I always write at
"full speed" and am well aware
that my letters bear testimony to the fact.
I would like to write once in a while
for the Gazette if I had time but that
is [u]the "if"[/u] that comes across my path very
very often. + I am obliged to turn
away and have undone many things
that I would gladly do. I have
not kept a journal since I came to
China would like very much to do so.
The 1st of Nov I bought a book &
thought I would try but I hav'nt
written a word in it for nearly three
months. By the way I would like to see
the printed copy of my journal if perfectly
convenient if not [u]no matter[/u] at all.
Before I forget it I will tell you
again that the box you sent last
spring came all right and
every thing was very nice and just
what we wanted. I am sure you
must have missed some of the letters
we wrote after receiving it I am
rather sorry if you did because I wrote
how nice everything seemed when it first
came. I was very much delighted to get
the music you sent. I had wanted
some patriotic music so much and
the pictures are very nice. Henry was
delighted with your drawing of our
"[u]Home[/u]". Do you ever paint any now.
I don't know whether I ever shall or not.
I hope you will sometime have plenty of
time to spend in drawing & painting. I cant
tell you how hard it was for one to give it
up + even now sometimes I can hardly feel
satisfied. But I try to comfort
myself with thinking that it is easier to
give it up so than it would be to give
up the pleasure of practicing it if I was
skilled in the art. & I could never
feel that it was right to give my time
to it here to any great extent I must
tell you that "our group" of six sisters
has come to light again. Henry found
it in a book where I suppose it had been
all the time. [u]Perhaps[/u] bye & bye my
lost photos will turn up but I must
own I would just as soon expect to
find them here as that you would
find them at home. I am [u]so glad[/u]
you had a nice time at the convention.
'twas too bad about your quartette.
Dear Em I wonder if [u]we[/u] shall ever
sing together again. I have felt very
thankful since coming here for my little
skill in music. It has proved very useful in
teaching the children & an [u]inestimable[/u]
pleasure & comfort to myself. Love to
all inquiring friends. Mrs [?Jas?] Ross Miss
Dorsey &c &c Your own Hattie --
中国广东
1869年4月15日
亲爱的Em
是时候再次给你写信了
这时候，
我要和你开始。
我等了老师一阵
但是他没有来
也许我能都等他一会儿。
我两周只有这个老师
而且我不喜欢这个老师。
早上，我和李先生
一起学习
他是最好的最好的领导者之一
但是辛先生答应10点来到他
通常会晚一到两小时
我认为没有什么例外
他是全天下让我最不满意的。
Preston先生雇佣他
而且因为他教我的时候不用心
我不知道我是否还会继续跟他
我认为他不是一个称职的老师。
我们这次没有收到很满的邮件
我只收到你的
Edwards的，Loomis先生的
和Folsom太太的。但是我们都很平静地
收到了所有的
家信
而且我们通常有传教士朋友们的信来读
它们都是来自组织的。
告诉父亲母亲
我把他们的消息告诉Kerr医生了
告诉母亲，
无论什么时候她想问候传教士兄弟姐妹了，
什么都行。
我收到了从英国不认识的朋友们那来的信。
上一次英国来的邮件
给我带来了一个Caldwells先生的母亲的信
她在回复中写下了
我给她在Piercy先生让我发的
一份讣告。
它们的丢失必定是给伤心事
他必须对家里的朋友们非常小心。
而且兄弟姐妹很大的圈子
都在哀悼他。
我认为我可能认识任何人
去摆出一个更好的性格
去向大家表达了她的恭敬。
但是也许是因为当他知道他在这的时候，
他离天堂很近。
Clara问我我是否在意我写了什么
关于把他放在Gazette。
如果你希望它出版，那就去做吧。
如果我写的任何东西
可以作为传播快乐的意义
或者对任何在家的人有好处
我会很高兴。但是我经常非常快速地写
而且会注意，不是那么文学
我的信忍受了约束的事实。
我会时不时地给Gazette写一些东西
如果我有时间，
但是只是说“如果”，我经常说这个词。
而且我有义务转型
并且经历更多
我喜欢做的事。
从我来中国以后我就没有坚持写期刊。
11月1日我买了本书
我觉得我可以试试
但是我将近三个月都没有写下一笔。
顺便说一下，
如果方便的话，
我想看看我打印版的期刊。
在我忘记之前
我要再一次告诉你
你去年春天寄来的箱子很合适
而且所有东西都很好
也是我们都想要的。
我肯定你错过了一些我们收到箱子后给你的信
我很抱歉如果你收到
因为我写了它第一次送到的时候有多好。
我很高兴收到你寄来的音乐。
我特别想要一些
爱国歌曲
而且你送的照片也很好看。
Henry很高兴看到你画的我们“家”。
你现在还画画吗？
我不知道我会不会。
我希望你什么时候可以有充足的时间画画。
我无法告诉你一个人放弃它有多么痛苦
甚至现在我几乎不能得到满足。
但是我努力安慰自己
通过思考：很容易放弃
如果我擅长绘画的话
那会是一个放弃快乐的历练
我不会感觉
把时间花在这里是正确的
因为一个很大的延长
我必须告诉你
六姐妹的“组合”又亮起来了。
Henry找到我认为一直存在的一本书。
也许后来
我丢了很多照片需要上交
但是我必须自己拿着
我希望把它们找回来
然后你在家能找到。
我很高兴你很享受这样的习俗
对你的四重唱来说太坏了。
亲爱的Em如果我们可以再一次一起唱歌。
我会很感谢
因为你的到来，激发了我的一点点音乐技能。
它给我带来了
教孩子和无法估量的快乐
和自我安慰。
希望你向：Ross太太
Dorsey小姐 和你带去问候 你的Hattie
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Em, April 15, 1869,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed November 21, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/26.