Richard Imlay letter to Charity Rotch, New York, April 13, 1824

              B-267-3 
 
	Dear Friend                  New York  April 13  1824
	       Contrary to my Intention I have delayed Employing
	my pen in this way much longer than has been my wish
	but confident I am it has not been for want of Regard or a
	recollection of one who will ever have a place in my memory
	to be sensible that you enjoyed Life ever gave me pleasure
	and to be Informed of your loss has as you may suppose been
	to me a Cause of Sorrow, altho months has past since you
	had to meet that State of Suffering, being Situated as I have
	been and am I seldom get any Information from you and
	consequently did not learn the Circumstance for a Long time
	after it took place, and not being able to determine whether you
	still remaind at Kendal    did not write, the friendship
	which has its date at an Early period of my life for one whose
	candor generosity & feeling I am not a Stranger to call forth
	in my mind all that regard and anxiety which you will
	ever be entitled to, and to repay the many acts of kindness
	received will ever give me pleasure, (how the Changes of Time
	brings to my mind things that are past, Little did I ever calculate
	to experience what I as well as many others of Like Credulous
	minds has had to meet) during our Long and Intimate acquaintance
	and that at a time of Life calculated to Rivit the Chain of
	friendship Strong. I had fully made up my mind nothing but
	that which has Created your Late Separation from him who
	has been your Companion from your youthfull years
	should ever have separated us, as I Concluded the same
	region would have furnished us with Habitation and the
	Bru[illegible]of the West would have Refreshed us, but he is gone
	I trust to a better and more perfect World, and some of us
	are Left for a few short years to witness the falacy and speedy
	decay of the fabric we are our Whole Life a building, your
	pleasure & sorrow I expected to be a partaker in but how Little
	we can see of what is to take place  that which would
	have afforded in pleasure I had to abandon and those whom