From Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Church, [24 September 1796]
To Angelica Church
[New York, September 24, 1796]
At length, Dear Angelica our apprehensions are realized and your coming is deferred.1 But though life is too short to render it agreeable to lose even a winter in the passage from hope to enjoyment in any thing which materially interests us—yet if you do really come in the Spring and bring with you Mr. Church it will afford us consolation, because it will leave less ultimately at hazard and may give us earlier the pleasure of seeing him. But prithee do not let the Winter freeze the inclination, and produce more procrastination. For one cannot always live on hope. Tis thin diet at best.
Your friend, Mrs. Grattan, is strongly tempted to remain in Philadelphia.2 But we are trying to form a counterplot. She will be an acquisition to us, if what we hear is true.
Adieu Give our Love to the younger part of your family, to Caty3 in particular mine. I am told she justifies all my anticipations of her. I take credit to myself for having discerned her worth in embryo when no one else had yet found it out.
Adieu Yrs. Affect
A Hamilton
ALS, Judge Peter B. Olney, Deep River, Connecticut.
1. The Church family had originally planned to return to the United States in 1796 (Philip Schuyler to H, October 12, 1795; Angelica Church to H, February 19, 1796; H to Angelica Church, June 19–20, 1796). On July 9, 1796, however, Angelica Church wrote to Elizabeth Hamilton: “We shall not meet before the Spring …” (ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress). The Churches arrived in the United States in May, 1797. See Robert Morris to H, May 23, 1797.
2. A typical advertisement for Mrs. Grattan’s concerts reads: “Mrs. GRATTAN Respectfully informs the Ladies and Gentlemen of the City, that the 4th LADIES’ CONCERT will be on TUESDAY, the 14th day of February at the Assembly-Room.…
“Mrs. Grattan begs leave to inform the Ladies and Gentlemen, that the subscription-book is at her house No 39, North Sixth-street, for the reception of those names who wish to honor her with their commands.—A subscription for eight nights 16 dollars, including a Gentleman and Lady’s ticket, each transferable—Half-subscriptions 8 dollars, including one ticket.—single ticket, 2 dollars.
“* /* The Concert to begin at half past six; and at half past eight, the music will attend for the Ball.” (Gazette of the United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser, February 14, 1797.)
3. Catharine, one of Angelica Church’s four children.