ted. I will then defer that pleasure for some time and confine myself now to objects more immediately interesting. Your anxiety, my dear aunt, about the education of your children, cannot be too highly commended-happy children to have such a mother! We have no seminary of learning immediately in this neighborhood, that I would recommend. My inquiries have been very particular at St. John's. There the system of education particularly as it respects morals, is extremely defective, and there are so many beautiful young girls there, that the attention of the students is very much diverted from their studies. At Charlotte Hall2 about thirty miles from this, I do not approve of the teachers. At the college in George Town3, their catholic habits would I presume be an objection with you, and I rather think that it would be a reasonable objection. This much for all the colleges and seminaries of learning in the neighborhood of the metropolis of our country. However there is a college at Carlisle1 that I would recommend, as well for its system of education, its discipline, and its situation. As for the cheapness of living, etc., I do not believe it to be inferior in any respect to Yale among other things it is very healthy. Now my dear Aunt, should you choose to send my cousin to Carlisle, it will be in my power and it will be very agreeable to me, to pay attention to him. I will procure him such letters as will secure to him an agreeable reception into the best society and every accommodation necessary to his comfort. If you should still determine to send him to Yale, let him not pass us-the sight of any member of your family would afford me great happiness. Since I last wrote to you, we have lost my brother Robert one of the best hearted men that ever lived. Mother has been over and recently returned. Her health is very good. She desired me to remember her to you in the most affectionate terms-and to express her great anxiety to see I am in great haste, Your affectionate nephew, you. Wash. Aug. 15, 1811 CHAS. W. GOLDSBOROUGH. 1 This letter to Mrs. Harrington is evidently in reply to one from Mrs. Harrington respecting her plans for the education of her youngest son, Henry, who later received an appointment, through Goldsborough's influence, as midshipman in the American Navy and fought in the war of 1812 upon the U. S. Frigate "United States." 2 Charlotte Hall, in the northern part of St. Mary's County, Maryland, a state academy founded in 1774. 3 Now Georgetown University, founded in 1799, by members of the Roman Catholic church, and was in 1805 transferred to the Jesuit Society in Maryland, in whose control it remained. Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, chartered by the legislature of Pennsylvania, Sept. 9, 1783. Established on what was then practically the frontier, Dickinson was the first college founded to meet the needs of the population of the new West. It received a liberal donation from John Dickinson, author of the famous "Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer," one time governor of Pennsylvania and most influential in the moulding of our Constitution in 1787. Elder brother of Charles W. Goldsborough and named for his father. MY DEAR AUNT: I have just received your letter of the 22nd ult. Should it be your choice to send my cousin Henry to college, surely he will not object, since it is his advantage only you can have in view; and he must admit that you are far the most competent judge as to the propriety of the measure. The advantages of a liberal education are inestimable. He naturally must wish to become a useful and valuable member of society. Let him then pursue his classical studies. Let him afford to himself a fair opportunity of gratifying his honorable ambition by improving and enlarging his mind. But what, my dear Aunt, is the bent of his genius? If law, physic, or divinity, then it must be indespensably necessary for him to prosecute his studies-if mercantile pursuits should be preferred by him, then he must procure a situation in one of our most respectable mercantile houses-if a soldier or a sailor's life should be agreeable to him, he has arrived at an age to commence his career he is now a good age for a cadet in the army, or a midshipman in the Navy -as to the situation of a clerk under the Government, let him I entreat you never think of it but with a determination never to become one. I speak with experience when I assure you that though I have one of the best situations of this sort under the Government, yet if I had never entered the service, I should I am persuaded have been worth tens of thousands where now I am worth hundreds-when I was a lad, about the age of my cousin Henry, my worthy, revered, departed friend and patron, Governor Henry,1 told me that he would procure me a situation as clerk but that I must not remain longer than six or eight months in such employ, and then assigned reasons which my own experience has abundantly confirmed. For years have I felt my error in continuing; yet, owing to some unaccountable infatuation possibly a degree of indolence which is foreign to my nature, and the persuasions of those with whom I have had the happiness of acting, I have contrary to my own judgment remained,—and now I consider myself from long habit a kind of fixture.2 With respect to Carlisle college, the reputation of the teachers, for learning, piety and diligence, is very high-no religion is taught-The professors are mostly of the Protestant Episcopal church-The expenses of board and tuition are about $200-I believe indeed precisely $200—his clothing would not cost him more there than at home-The habits of the college are remarkably economical-and the morals of the collegiates are guarded with parental care.Henry you say is not in good health: then Carlisle is the very place for him to go to. The mountain air would soon brace him up-and invigorate his constitution. Should he determine to select the mercantile business, it will, I believe, be in my power, as soon as our commerce shall be on a safe footing, to procure him such a position as I should wish to see him in-He would have to pay his own board etc., till of age-The expenses in Phila. or in Balto. or New York, in either of which places I believe I could procure him a situation would be from $500 to $600 annually-It is, be assured, as necessary for a young man to serve a regular apprenticeship to the Mercantile business, to become a respectable intelligent merchant as it is for one destined to the bar, physics, or divinity, to go through a regular course of studies in either of those professions. Should he determine for the army, I think the appointment of a cadet can be obtained for him-or should be choose an appointment in the corps of marines (which I think pre ferable to the army) I think I could obtain for him the commission of a second lieutenant-If he should prefer the navy, I could get him a midshipman's warrant. Now, my dear Aunt, do you and my cousin Henry determine what is to be done and command my services without the least reserve. I thought that you knew of the death of my brother Hawes, who died between five and six years since.-John, Horace, and myself, are all the children left of my father and mother.—John, who is the most perfect character I ever knew, lives in Easton, and is in very extensive practice as a lawyer-his circumstances easy.-Horace is now with my mother-poor fellow, he has a failing which we have some hopes he will recover from: though many attribute it to his personal deformity.-My poor brother Robert was not happily married-about three years before his death he was divorced his child lives with my mother.-My brother Hawes left four children, Francis, Robert, Charles, and Carolina: all promising their mother, one of the finest women I ever knew-lives in Delaware-Tho' she spends much of her time with my mother-brother John has four-John -Elizabeth-Henrietta-and I do not know the name of the youngest-tho' believe Henry. Yes, my children shall know your name, and be taught to esteem and love you. Yr. affect. nephew, Mrs. Rosanna Harrington. 1 Governor John Henry, of Maryland, a note on whom appears with letter No. 2. 2 Goldsborough was chief clerk of the navy department for fourteen years, retiring in 1812, when partizan politics finally made his position uncomfortable upon the outbreak of war with England. In political principles he was a strong Federalist. 3 Dickinson College was controlled by this denomination, though its usefulness and the healthful situation commended it to the legislature of Pennsylvania and it often received a state appropriation as a maintenance fund. Between the date of this and the succeeding letter young Harrington must have expressed his preference for naval service rather than any of the alternatives. He received his midshipman's warrant Dec. 17, 1811, and after a short period of instruction in navigation was assigned to service upon the Frigate United States commanded by Stephen Decatur. SIR: NAVY DEPT., 20 Dec., 1811. You will report yourself to Dod Hunter at the Navy Yard here, who will instruct you in the theory of navigation. Respectfully yours, Midshipman H. Y. W. Harrington Presents PAUL HAMILTON1. 1 Paul Hamilton, b. Oct. 16, 1762, St. Paul's Parish, S. C., d. June 30th, 1816, in Beaufort, S. C. He was Comptroller of South Carolina from 1799 to 1804 was governor of South Carolina 1804-1806; was Secretary of the United States Navy from 1809 to 1813, being appointed by Madison in his first cabinet. MY DEAR AUNT: I have just received yours by Mr. Mitchell. Do not suffer yourself, my dear Aunt, to entertain any fears about my cousin Henry. He is, without flattery, one of the most moral correct young men I ever knew-and he is much pleased with his profession. Dod Hunter, under whom he is now learning navigation, called on me a few days since for the purpose of expressing his very favorable opinion in relation to Henry-and frequently called him a fine, very fine, young man. As soon as he shall have completed his studies with Dod Hunter, he will be attached to the frigate United States commanded by my particular friend Commander Decatur,1 to whom I shall write by Henry, and who, be assured, will pay attention to him-Henry must however go first to the E. Shore2-Mother says she will be grievously offended if he does not He is quite well. In great haste, Feb. 19, 1812. Mrs. Rosanna Harrington, I am, my dear Mother, Yr. aff. nephew, 1 Stephen Decatur, b. Jan. 15, 1779, in Sinnepuxent, Maryland, appointed a midshipman in 1798; in 1799 was promoted to a lieutenancy. In 1802 he commanded the Norfolk and Enterprise in the war against the Bey of |