9

to compose your feelings & views at different periods of your
life. You will be amused at the honest changes
you have undergone in your opinions of various
persons & different subjects.

How interesting, how deeply interesting
it must be to me to turn to my Journal & read over the
remarks which I made on first seeing you! How
little did I then think that you were so soon to
be my wife! I had it in true from our first
acquaintence secret aspirations and hopes, but there
were fears & apprehensions, and I had almost given
over the idea of changing a state in which I
had enjoyed so much care, tranquility & pleasure
[illegible] of almost all the care & trouble of life. But
that "moon light walk" proved too much for my
philosophy. Never was love more sudden than mine
and when was man better pleased with the aspect of
his love on becoming intimately acquainted with
her.

You were then only seventeen years [also] your
person was slender, and might almost be taken
as a model of [symetry]. Your weight was one
hundred one pounds & you were of the ordinary
height. Your features are of the [precious] [illegible] [illegible]
delicate & exquisitely formed. auburn hair, soft hazle blue eyes,
high smooth forehead, beautiful mouth chin & nose. In your
face there was a [illegible] of expression and a mild
benevolent [christain?] look which me thought I
had never before seen. Your complexion was fair &