Your friendship and letters add a continual charm to my life,
and will always please the heart and secure the affection of, yours,
With sincerity,
R. ALDEN.
TO MRS. PREVOST.
Albany, 5th June, 1781.
I was absent when yours of the 10th ultimo came, and therefore did not
receive it till the first inst. You may be assured will one day repent
his insolence. Uniformity of conduct and great appearance of
moderation are all that can be put in practice immediately. The maxim
of a man whom neither of us esteem very highly is excellent on this
occasion--"_Suaviter in modo, fortiter in re_." See, my dear
Theodosia, what you bring upon yourself by having once piddled at
Latin. The maxim, however, would bear sheets of comment and days of
reflection. I second the just pride of ----, in being averse to crouch
to a villain. Your letter to E. would have every influence that mine
possibly could.
These crosses are of that class which, though they may perplex for a
moment (a moment is too much), yet cannot affect our real happiness.
That mind is truly great which can bear with equanimity the trifling
and unavoidable vexations of life, and be affected only by those
events which determine our substantial bliss. Every period, and every
situation, has a portion of these trifling crosses; and those who
expect to avoid them all, or conquer them all, must be wretched
without respite. Witness -----. I am half vexed at the manner in which
you speak of what you term "the sorrows of -----.
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