The Life and Letters of the Rev. George Mortimer, M.A.: Rector of Thornhill, in the Diocese of Toronto, Canada WestArmstrong, John
Religion
The Life and Letters of the Rev. George Mortimer, M.A.: Rector of Thornhill, in the Diocese of Toronto, Canada West
Armstrong, John
Mortimer, George, 1784-1844
expected by many, and the mob, who assembled to pay the last sad offices
to their veteran friend and neighbour, came accoutred in their swords,
daggers, pistols and fowling pieces. A novel and a painful scene, but
which was altogether uncalled for; no attempt having been contemplated.
My eye glanced on one of the assembly; a loyal, but strange and penurious
man, whose habits had never suffered him to become possessed of anything
in the shape of arms, and he was leaning on his trusty lengthened pitch
fork, a weapon, of which I heard, he was afterwards vaunting that there
was nothing like that. His presence, however, to my mind at least, was
far from pleasing; it ill-accorded with the scene before us, and seemed
so ridiculous, that I could hardly refrain from a momentary smile. Of
the general and more public details you are doubtless most fully
apprized; for I perceive that our Canadian affairs are exciting a
peculiar interest in our fatherland, and are commented on with an
accuracy, which shows that they must have been perused with every means
of the fullest information lying before them. All is now, through God’s
providence, in a state of quietness; while, therefore, we feel indebted
to our friends for their kind sympathy, and their affectionate
expressions of hope, that our provincial troubles may cause us either
quickly, or eventually to retrace our steps towards our beloved native
land, we must still assure them that nothing is further from our
thoughts; our path has been deliberately chosen, our objects have been
extensively gained, much of God’s temporal smile is resting upon us, we
are now established in our ample, commodious, and, I might say, beautiful
house, the society around us is superior to what is found in most country
places in England; our income is ample and enough for all exigencies.
Life is gliding gently along with as little disquietude and as much
comfort as we can ever expect to find in the present world; peace and
tranquillity reign in our domestic circle, God’s spiritual blessings are
experienced by the majority of our family, and some hopeful indications
given by all, and, therefore, why should we wish for a change? Of myself
and my own immediate duties, I would say, but little good is being done.
Ministers are much wanted, and, were I in England, it would be only to
extrude and thrust out some of the partially engaged or wholly unoccupied
with which you are overburdened already. No, my endeared sister, much as
we love our native land, much as we value our still more beloved friends,
we ought not to close our eyes on our present mercies, or so mix up the
cherishing of regret with causes for thanksgiving, as to destroy their
efficacy, or to diminish their heart-stirring effect.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account