Benjamin Rodman letter to Thomas Rotch, New Bedford 12 Mo 3d 1815

               
  B-512-3
                                New Bedford 12 Mo 3d 1815
    My dear Uncle & Aunt
                          Your very acceptable letter of the
  22d of 10th Mo I received some time ago, and the expressions
  of sympathy and regard which it contained were particu-
  larly gratifying - Nor should I have delayed thus long
                                                    time
  to acknowledge it, had I not after waiting a short^ been
  apprehensive that a letter might pass you on the road, whilst
  journeying to make a visit to your friends in this part of
  the heritage - And to see you would afford us all so much
  pleasures that perhaps I was more easily persuaded of its not
  being an improbability - But even now, there seems to be
  nothing new of interest to inform you of, however, deeply,
  interested
  ^ you may feel in the passing events of our village -
    You have had an opportunity to see by the Mercury, that
  the influenzas which has prevail'd throughout our country
  (at least, east of the Alleghany) has been in many instances
  fatal in our neighborhood - this has been particularly
  the case amongst the old and infirm'd - Our families and
  the town generally are now clear of it -  I believe - tho'
  very few have escaped - Several of us were unwell at the
  time - And until lately - our house has been most like
  an infirmary ever since I arrived from my western
  tour - I often retain in memory the scenes which I
  witnessed while exploring those new regions, and it affords
  me much pleasure - in contemplating the manner so
  many of our hardy fellow beings are gaining a liveli-
  hood - & while I never could have realized untill entering into their