Featherstone Osler

H.M.S. Algerine

                                                                                                             Falmouth 7th mo July 8th 1830

My Dear Featherstone ;

I have been often inform’d through the medium of thy Dear Parents of thy progress in life as regards thy Profession ; & I can assure thee I have at all times felt a deep interest in thy Welfare ; It calls for gratitude when kind Friends unite in promoting our true interest ; but what has proved a source of satisfaction to my mind on thy account is that this consistent conduct has so materially proved thy passport to promotion. & I hope thy Principles are so established on a right foundation that we may all hope thy Voyage of Life will be under the most favourable auspices & the termination crowned with equal to our most earnest wishes on thy Account ; We must be deeply impress’d with the Knowledge, that from the nature of thy Profession thee may be said to hold thy life by a more precarious tenure than what we may be consider’d to be liable to ; but my Dear Nephew always recollect of the Christian, Warfare is maintaind in our minds ; we may humbly hope that whether we fall by sea or on the land ; we may arrive through the Bountiful Mercy of God in Christ, to the Haven everlasting Happiness . _ Thou art aware that for the last thirty years I have been much engaged in Business ; & that my days of for relaxation, have been but few, but however few, it has always been my earnest desire to spend them with thy dear Parents, & thy Sisters and Brothers ; such has been my pleasant lot for the last 3 weeks & this day I am to part from them for home, I feel the seperation very acutely, but my mind is much cheer’d by Knowing that those so near & dear to thee and to myself & Family are soon likely to be settled down in their new House, which I can assure thee is the most comfortable and consistently built one, that I know of , & in which I trust thy dear Father & Mother may experience many Happy Years in this wish perhaps I should not include thy sisters ; as they may wish desire a change of Names & residence ; - Thy Dear Father & Mother ; like most others feel the effects of Age & infirmities, still when all circumstances are review’d, I think their is much cause for Gratitude to the author of every Blessing , I think the Building of the New House has proved of service to thy Father in occupying his attention & as a Tradesman myself , I can with great Truth declare, that he has proved himself a Wise Master Builder ____

I have seen thy last letter of the Packet Tyrian ; which has proved a source of Pleasure to us all, I as the father of my thoughtless son Edward had fondly hoped that he might have met thee at Rio at which place he was, previous to the Packets sailing ; as he brought the Letters from the Cape of Good Hope from Jane Oslers son & Daughters for her, & which reached here by the same packet as thy own ; poor Edward I hope the time may yet arrive that he will see the Error of his ways & bo walk in that path that will ensure to Himself, His parents & friends true Happiness.-

With respect to my own family we have generally been preserv’d in the enjoyment of Health & I am very certain they all unite in Love to thee

I have been an invalid by a sprain in my Knee which by my long inattention became rather serious ; I was obliged to be put out of Commission, & haul’d into dock to be repair’d ; ten weeks repairs, only enabled me to start under Jury Masts (Crutches) but now I am sufficiently seaworthy as to carry Topsails, but cannot venture to set a heavier press of canvas, as I find one of my lower Masts still requires watching to prevent the necessity of again going into Port to repair ; Myself & Family are removed from Swansea to Lower Sketty to reside ; a pleasant situation about 3 miles from Swansea near the road to the Mumbles. we have a good House and Gardens, about 18 acres of land so that thy Uncle & Aunt may now be called Farmer Bath & his Wife & cousin Mary the Dairy Maid,

As thou will receive a letter or letters from home at the same time with this, I need not say any thing further respecting thy Father Mother & family except that I have witness’d daily during my sojourn with them, the earnest desire they all feel for thy true Happiness,

& now my dear Featherstone adieu ; May Health & every Blessing attend thee ; as the sincere desire of

                                                     Thy Ever Affectionate Uncle

                                                                      Henry Bath

Perhaps thou will one day favor me with a letter –

Henrietta Osler

Falmouth

                                                                                                        RoseHill .. 4^th mo April 10^th 1836

             My Dear Henrietta

"There are those who have long had their residence there," "Who would Thousands bestow, if they had Thousands to spare,"

We were much pleased with having thy Mother & Sister with us at this Cottage & although it was during the Winter months I trust they have derived some benefit as well as adding to our comfort, I still mourn their absence, but very particularly my dear Companion ; seldom a walk that I take to the Mumble Hill ; for my temper is too much formed for cheerful society to feel myself happy as a poor lonely subject . My Health seems rather improving, but fear that I cannot visit Cornwall till near the end of next month [May] Dear Aunt has been very unwell but at present appears much reliev’d,

I remain My Dear Henrietta

    My very dear Featherstone & Ellen

            I duly received your very affectionate Letter and although I have not more promptly written you in reply , rest assured it has not arisen From any alteration in my views or affections towards you for I truly find; that Rosehill in Glamorganshire, and Tecumseth in Upper Canada, are by our mutual Love drawn very close to each other and which I truly desire may be cultivated and increased :- I may first dispose of money matters, I duly received thy order for Thirty Seven Pounds which was duly honor’d and placed to thy Credit; & I can with truth declare that I wish thee not to be anxious about any further remittance, to, by any means derange your plans of usefulness or your own Family comforts and as I feel for the true Welfare of your Flock I am desirous that Ten Pounds may be expended on my account in the purchase of Bibles and Testaments for the Holy Scriptures: are of that importance that they make "wise unto Salvation". I am made acquainted , by reading your Letters to your dear mother as she & the other branches of the Family are by any sent to one so that we reciprocate in these matters. on 2^nd mo Feb 14^th Susan Bath was so prolific as to give Henry twins two girls, who were named, but, I felt an anxious desire that one should be called "Ellen" on my mentioning it to Henry & Susan they were even more anxious than myself to have a name in their own immediate Family, a remembrance of one, they so dearly loved; after repeated endeavours& the Registrar writing to London, license was obtained and to make surely surer Henry had the eldest new named "Ellen Osler".-

But as we hold, what we consider our comforts, by a precarious tenure, the dear girls have been taken from us, by an early death. Emily in about 18 weeks Ellen Osler in about 20 weeks ; the latter was taken to Lodgings near us at Rosehill, I saw her on the even of her Death, thus you see my dear Relations what were our hopes : but as "The Judge of all the Earth will do right", we should bow with Thanksgiving that our darlings are taken even thus early into the Haven of eternal repose, without having to encounter the storms & batterings which a longer voyage would have subjected them to,

Then those who are called churchmen , and the Quaker could Kneel beside each other , and pray, the one for the other and not as is too commonly is now, call the errors; of individuals , as if it belonged to their Creed which is called uncharitable, and how unlike to That God, who caused His sun to shine on the evil and on the Good, & His Rain to fall on the just, and on the unjust; then we may but prayer "Forgive us our --- debts as we forgive those who trespass against us our debtors". and we are commanded to pray one for the other; then; what a Happ Family would Christians prove when every ingredient that is contrary to the Love of God in each bosom, is prayed away. I was just ruminating what a delightful sight it would be to witness one of every Christian denomination united on their knees ; and forming a group all breathing their prayers to God for each other in Love for the salvation of all; manifesting to the fullest extent ; Love to all men ; and thereby worshipping God; not in this mountain , or at Jerusalem but worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth, this is equally the privilege of all who are born of God.-

And now my very dear, and near relatives: I must be taking leave of you for the present ; as our dear Liz, who is spending a little time with us at Rosehill; will occupy a portion of this sheet, we feel deeply interested in her Health and comfort: she is frequently my companion to the Mumble Hill: I believe your dear Mother, and all the Family are in the enjoyment of Health and every needful Blessing for Time & for Eternity, and you may rest assured that every branch of my Family unite in Love to you all; farewell .

                                                                 From your Ever affectionate Uncle

              My much loved Feth & Ellen