Letter #33: March 28, 1781 to John Bogart, North Branch from Simeon Vanartsdalen, Northampton, Bucks County

For a transcript please see the edition in Hathi Trust Letter 33

Transcription of Beginning of Letter 33

This letter was left incompletely transcribed by the writer of "The Bogart Letters" as "the larger part of this letter is omitted in the printing, its language being very frank concerning social offenses especially characteristic of the time and place in the view of the writer."

(Paragraph breaks added to facilitate reading)

Omnia vincit amor, et nos cedamus amon, are the words of one who was the glory of his nation, and very applicable at this time. If it be true as some report that every planet Venus must of late been at the helm, for the passion which she commands has been very conspicuous in the con[-??] of the last season.

The promiscuous associations of the young gentlemen and ladies in the past of the country have caused matrimony to take place with many of them. And I should be happy to inform you that pure love had been the leading motive, but as every effect must have a cause, the many unseasonable begotten and less than nine-month births of children that are now expected plainly demonstrate that the pretended love of our youth has been mixed with that predominant passion called licentiousness.

Salmon says that the people of the Netherlands (from whom we have our origin) know not what love is, he must certainly judge very hard for if they are quite destitute of love, their mutual affections must be excited by a worse passion.

A mixture I readily grant, but rather than acknowledge an entire laborious passion, I would dispute that point with Mr. Salmon for if he had been as void of prejudice and partiality as many a Hollander is of immediate desire, his writings would have been more universally esteemed.

I have lately heard that [?] Mr. Simonson at Gregg Town was married, now what could induce a man of his age. I am pretty well satisfied it was not wantonness, for he is too serious. it could hardly be love for he is too old: it is therefore most probable it was for the sake of a sociable companion and greater convenience in life. So much for conjugal affairs.