1837 PORTSMOUTH NH DIARY. Religious Revival, Syphilis, Evil of Drink, Cigars, and Novels, &c.

An excellent diary, beginning on June 29th, 1837, by Frances R. Ladd of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, including local content related to sailors lost at sea, the Isles of Shoals, New Hampton Beach, &c. and other content, including the "massacre of whites" in New Zealand, a doctor seemingly infected with syphilis, detailed account of a Fourth of July celebration, extensive religious observations, etc. 

Our authoress begins by describing the present literary effort as "A book wherein I intend freely [to] express my feelings & opinions upon different subjects that may occur to me. . . convinced that it is an important exercise both for improving and strengthening the mind & assisting me in the examination of my heart."

Extracts include:

"I will try to be regular in my hours of retiring & never, unless particularly prevented, sit up after ten or rise after five in summer."

"I hear that Miss Martineau's work on America* is published & wish much to see it. I hear that she abuses the Americans & proves herself to be a radical in religion, politics, & morals, but hope soon to read it for myself. "

"What day can be more delightful to the Christian than Sunday. It seems to bring with it a foretaste of that sabbath, which is never to end & more particularly has it a tendency to raise our thoughts above & make us long for the eternal sabbath, when on this day we commemorate our Saviour's dying love as I have to day. What a blessing it is to be permitted to engage in this holy service. It is indeed like manna sent from heaven, the bread of life, in strengthening me for the duties of this life, & water to the thirsty soul, of which if we drink we shall never thirst again, refreshing & invigorating for all my toils; but how light are my troubles, cares how few, compared with others sufferings & Oh, compared with that the blessed Jesus has endured for me; how great is that Redeeming love which has purchased for me such a rich feast. He is indeed an unspeakable gift."

"I heard Dr. Bourroughs & he certainly appeared to me to preach more spiritual than I have heard him for some time. His morning text was from Prov 9th, 5th 'Come, eat of my bread & drink of the wine which I have mingled,' wherein he told us that a rich feast was prepared for us & to which all were invited, but in its external appearance offered nothing very inviting; but nothing could equal its riches in spiritual sense; it is a feast abundant in the supply of all our wants, but it is the Christian alone who tastes of it aright; to him it is a feast after which he hungers not, nor thirsts & but the Christian can known the pure delight & benefit to be derived from it, for it is for him alone it is made."

"It has been a most perfect day. Last night the Northern Lights were seen to be unusually bright. . ."

"Called on Ann Haven from NY; she was out, at aunt Langdon's, where I found that Dr. Chauncy, who had come there in the morning to the amazement & consternation of all, had left for Deans farm in Stratham . . . he is a most pitiable object, surely the ways of transgressors are hard; how melancholy to see such an object suffering from such a horrid disease, which his own iniquity has brought upon him. Oh that God would forgive him his iniquities & remember his sins no more." This most likely a veiled reference to syphilis.

"It was as pleasant a fourth [of July] as I ever passed. Hannah & Mr. Buttes spent the day with us & after dinner we walked to the Dell, returning passed the Artillery; through a crowd in safety. After tea we went into the garden; fired crackers. I held them in my hands till they went off. Joseph fired four rockets, three of which went finely. The noise it made when rushing with such force through the air was quite startling to our nerves; after these were over, we all of us put on our bonnets & went to the top of the house where we staied till after nine admiring the crackers, squibbs, fireballs, rockets, tar barrells & all the fire works that were to be seen, some of which were quite splendid."

"How many of my fellow creatures have commenced this day with as bright prospects before them as I did, but have been called to pass through different scenes, some to mourn the loss of a dear friend, unexpectedly snatched away; upon others disease has descended with its might, baffling all art of the physician, death has claimed some by his by right; aged, middle aged, & young, rich and poor, it matters not to him. How since death is so continually about me on my right side & on my left I feel more (& O may I ever feel it) that at any hour I may be snatched away & enjoy my present situation whatever it may be in an humble manner & cheerful spirit, keeping continually in remembrance that by God alone I am preserved & in him alone do I put my trust."

"Saw an account in the paper of a most horrible massacre of the whites by the New Zealanders, surely we are in God's land. He knows what is best for us. May he grant that the Gospel may prove to those benighted heathen, the power of God unto Salvation."**

"Mr. Stow preached in town to day, I went to hear him this eve; he was very eloquent & as powerful a preacher as ever. His subject, on the importance of securing religion whilst young from Prov, 'My son give me thy heart.' It is wisdom that here speaks, but it is for religion; the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; he held out in a very striking manner - the reasons why the youth should now become religious. One important one was this; habits were formed in youth; for their future life & whatever principles & sentiments they now imbibed would follow them through life. They have an idea that if they take care of their temporal concerns that God will take care of their spiritual, but you must reverse it. You take care of your spiritual, secure an interest in religion, & God will provide for your temporal wants . . . I would warn the young men especially; to beware how he enters the bar room, to beware how he smokes a first sicar, for there will follow the grog & then the song & he will have a taste for the sinful things which will unfit him for spiritual worship. I would warn them of the first novel, for to that can every young lady trace their levity, their flippant conversation & her relish for sensuous books. Whoever after having read a novel could lay it down & would with the same wrapt interest read her Bible? So, she has begun the pernicious work, . . . nothing will please but that which stimulates the mind; light reading serves to such what alcohol does to the drunkard." 

"Read this morning Baxter's Rest, on the character of those who shall enjoy rest & am convinced that this is not our rest, nor are we to expect any here. It is when the sprit leaves the body that we enter upon teh rest prepared of God for those who love & serve him here. May I so accustom myself to reflection upon the truth of the uncertainty of all things here as to meet with Christian firmness and resignation every trial & possess joy in the midst of tribulation; if I keep in view Christ as my anchor, my refuge, my rock of defence, I know I shall be safe through all the storms of life & after having passed through a tranquil & happy path shall be prepared for the thorny road which to the eye of the worldling is dreary. & Why? Because to him the future brings no life, at the end he sees no door, no Saviour to welcome him to the abodes of everlasting rest, where is no sin, sickness, nor death. 

41pp, appx 10,000 words. 

*Harriet Martineau's Society in America, published 1837 in three volumes, based on her two year tour through America. Often cited as the first female sociologist, her work offers a rather blistering critique of America's claims of liberty and democracy in light of the plight of black persons, both slave and frame; Native Americans; and women. 

**Probably referring to the Ploughboy Mutiny, in which three Māori crewmen aboard the American whaling ship Ploughboy rebelled against their officers due to alleged mistreatment. They killed an American sailor (John Coles of Nantucket) and a Danish sailor, beheaded one of the victims, and wounded a third.