Wm Moodie Letter 28 - Jan 1861 – 10 pages
This letter has been transcribed using Google voice typing
(apologies for any inaccuracies or grammatical oddities).
I have inserted
some extra paragraph breaks for ease of reading, and the numbers at the start
of lines show the start of a new page, e.g. p.2).
Scans of the original letter are
included below the text.
Busby Jan 13th 1861
Dear Alex,
I have received your very welcome and
characteristic letter of date 22nd Octr. I was most interested by your account
of the visit to Castlemaine. Such a narrative gives out in this country a very
vivid idea of the realities of country life in Australia. At this distance,
altho slightly acquainted with the general condition of the country and the
nature of its social states, there is apt to creep over us a kind of poetical
or romantic uncertainty as to whether it ever does rain in these places or
whether it be true that the cup of one’s experience there is - even ordinarily-
drugged with disagreeables.
In thinking of you, at times, I find
myself apt to picture your days and nights, as I think of my own earlier ones;
mostly sunshine and pleasure or quietness and pleasant dreams, but the like of
your letter stalls (?)
p.2) one into consciousness again and
reawakens the painful interest which followed you thro’ your earlier struggles
and trials as an immigrant, and which still ought to follow you in all its
intense sincerity, thro’ the less picturesque, but not less harassing scenes of
a traders life.
I was glad to learn that you had nobly
refused any assistance from persons who could so shamefully requite your honest
and regular services, and that you had so soon found out another situation. I
hope that your start may be successful in Castlemaine if you have determined so
to do, and that your partners may be men of principle and trained to business.
I am glad to hear that Jack and William are doing well. I hope they may find a
settled prosperity waiting on them. I have to thank you for two
p.3) more papers.
That New Zealand war has been a most
infamously managed concern and a standing disgrace for our arms. Many people
here declare that some of our offices ought to be brought to trial and severely
punished for their pusillanimity. I see however by the latest news that the
back of the rebellion is broken and one of the principal natives killed. The
good has devolved from the little war that is this development of the
“Victorian Volunteers” as a means of defence and they have nobly distinguished
themselves in this quarrel.
You say, and I heartily agree with you,
that we all have reason to be proud of our country men, seeing the unanimous
and magnanimous love of freedom which they have
p.4) shown fills their souls.
I doubt not but this has made Britain as
a nation more revered and feared than if a Waterloo was won twice in every
King’s Reign. –
At home there is, at present much
uneasiness felt as to the result of the present contest going on between North
and South in America. Bank discounts are high. Trade is very fitful and
uncertain. Even hope is hopeless for the time. The very severe Winter has been
the cause, too, of much suffering and privation among the poor. The thermometer
stood one morning about two weeks since at 15 degrees below zero in some
Highland towns. In Busby it gave an intensity of cold 6 degrees below zero, and
for four weeks it continued about zero. Loch lomond has been twice frozen over
this winter, which makes
p.5) with the time last Feby, three
times within 12 months, certainly something quite extraordinary.
Trade is quite as double here as in
other places of the kind. I believe the company have had heavy losses by the fall
of some American houses last Autumn.
We are losing time too in the Engraving
shop. However I am so far fortunate for the present, as to be exempt from this,
as our foreman copper engraver fell, coming out from Glasgow one night before
Christmas, and broke his leg above the ancle and dislocated the ancle joint,
and I have, pro tem, been promoted to his place with an additional pound a
month to my wages.
I am now quite restored to health, but I
do not intend to re-involve myself in after night engagements as before, indeed
I am scarcely ever out of doors at night unless down to Mrs Gay’s (?) giving
Elizabeth an occasional lesson
p.6) on the piano, or else over to the
church once a week to the “ Public Readings” which a few of us have started for
the purposes of edifying this waste and howling, human, Wilderness.
Mr Crum has read a tale entitled “Rab +
his friend” beginning with a dogfight and ending with the tragical death of
mistress, master and dog, a very unpromising but really a very touching story.
Mr Dick read Roger’s poems in extract
and some letters from The Spectator, Mr Nimmo read a history of Glascow and
some of Wilson’s Tales of the borders. I am to read next, selections from
“Hood”, + then a number more follow suit.
The teetotal meetings are now going on
and off regularly every Saty night. I have never had it in my heart to look
near them.
The times, the faces and the
circumstances are now all so changed that I am afraid to trust myself
p.7) Truly “The light of other days is
faded
And all their glory passed”.
Geo. Thompson has left Busby and gone to
Higginbotham to work, to be nearer the scenes of his Sunday duties. He says he
likes his new place very well.
Just before he left, (about a month ago)
he, his brother James, our John and I were at a concert for the aged poor in
“The Shaws”. Mr Dalgleish and some others had been up in Busby one night that I
was from home and engaged all of us to come down, so we went.
The concert went
off very well.
But Dalgleish never looked near either
before or after it was over. He had sent up to me a fine accpt
to Rule Britannia (confound the two Js) for me to play. We all understood it
was his own arrangt and I complimented him on it in a letter
to a Mr Burton, who said something in return about “never despairing”. After
the concert I got a note from D, to leave the piano copy of rule
Britannia with a Mr Caswell one of the committee. Since then I have found the
identical arrangement in an English
p.8) publication, and I find that D. had
had a hand in it, but you may imagine what his improvements on Dr Arne would
be.
Now I have been at the pains to trouble
you with all this, just to say that I think he waited away for fear of being
forced to undeceive us as to the authorship of the piece; + that he requested
me to leave the sheet there for fear I could identify it at some future time
with the magnificent work of Dr Arne, and finally that I am not much confirmed
in my former opinion that he is a poor forger of old scraps; a digger on the
worn out claims which cover the goldfields of Genius.
Your father is for a while engaged here.
I have seen him often but never yet have had an opportunity of any lengthened
conversation with him.
He seems to be in good spirits and looks
quite active and strong. He is lodging with Jean Cunningham in “Castle Crab” +
says he likes his circumstances very well. I hear the order of block-work will
soon be exhausted so that he, with the others, will be forced to scatter
p.9) to the four winds in search of a
livelihood, unless he can arrange to get some other job about the field.
My father has never yet went to look for
a situation. He is busy just now making a new machine for a flesher wherewith
to make mincemeat of his flesh. This helps to keep his fingers going but it, as
yet, has brought no grist to that household mill which is always grind,
grinding but never filling a sack (?).
James has got his first year in the
Normal Seminary completed, and expects to reach a 2nd Class at least, when the
result of their examination is declared. Robt is getting on well in Busby
school and I think he will be a fine scholar yet. All the rest are well.
Elizabeth has become a fine singer and leads my trebles in Carmunnock Church. I
have started the singing there again to see whether or not I can bear it
p.10) with fair play in other respects.
I was down at Leven at Newyearsday and
passed a happy happy New Year.
I broke the subject of our marriage with
Mary's father and mother and “found favour in their eyes” I think. It is
intended to consummate it this year if possible at all. So, you may expect soon
to hear something definite. Mary was very glad to hear that you congratulate at
her and me in each other's love. She esteems you her best friend next to me,
her intended husband, and that is just what I have secretly wished at her
heart. She is really an estimable friend, a sensible woman and a loving wife.
I must now conclude with best wishes to
you and your brothers from all my friends; and wishing you a happy new year and
many more in prosperity.
I remain yours as ever, dear
Alexr,
WmMoodie
Scans of the original letter (click on the thumbnail below for a larger image; note the order of the pages p.4-1,
then p.2-3, etc.):
p.4,1
p.2,3
p.8,5
p.6,7
p.9
p.10
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