1-064 (Original)

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Sydney
New South Wales
August 22nd 1801.
Dear Madam
I received your kind favor for the Cornwallis. It always gives us peculiar pleasure to hear from you in this distant part of the globe. I hope in this period our friends Mr. & Mrs. Johnson will have paid you a visit. From them you will learn the exact state of this Colony and what a miserable place it is in a moral & religious sense. Since my colleagues departure it is quite changed. The greatest alterations have been brought about from a variety of causes uniting together. Our present Governor has almost put a total stop to the introduction of spirits into the Colony. However strong an inclination the common people may have to get intoxicated they will not have it in their power. We have also had a number of ships from all quarters with Commodities for sale which has reduced many goods below their original cost and many thousands of pounds worth of goods have been taken out of the settlement lately for want of purchasers and an immense quantity of goods remain unsold. We are at present in great want of Bread. This is in a great measure to be attributed to the extravagance & idleness of the Farmers who take little or no care of their crops when grown. We have a good prospect at present of a plentiful harvest next Season but before then the sufferings of many will be very great. [27] You would see from my colleagues papers when he returned that an Institution had been adopted for providing for the poor distressed children in this Colony. The school is now opened and more than 30 Girls received. I spent the last evening with them for the first time and made a beginning to instruct them in the principles of Christianity, sang a hymn and went to prayers with them.
New South Wales while I was performing this duty appeared more like a Christian Country than it had ever done since I first entered it. I hope the foundation is now laid for religion and morality if God only furnish means to carry it on. It will meet I am aware with great opposition and have many difficulties to surmount in order to carry it into full effect. I shall exert my utmost abilities to promote its prosperity & like Nehemiah shall make supplication to the God of Heaven, and say the "God of Heaven will prosper us therefore we his servants will arise and build."
My colleague may think himself happy that he is out of the settlement at present. He would have been very miserable had he been here. There are still great differences amongst our leading men which renders the situation of those who would be quiet far from pleasant. I make it my study to avoid all quarrels as much as possible and sometimes do violence to my own feelings for the sake of Peace. After all ones caution troubles will come, they must be expected while we live in the midst of unreasonable and wicked men. I have lately had a difficult task to perform. Our Courts of Justice where we are compelled to sit as members to administer Justice often expose an honest man who will do his duty to great troubles. He is constrained sometimes to condemn the conduct of his equals or superiors. When he does this though no more than his duty the guilty will remember him and seek occasion to do him an injury. I hope from what has lately happened the mode of administering Justice will be completely changed in this country.
I have seen a great deal of mankind during my residence in this Country, at least of the bad part but I am quite tired of my situation in many respects. I have much to do, more than almost is possible for one person but God is very gracious, he gives me strength and spirit. [28] If I feel little pleasure from the multiplicity of other business in Religion in the week day I am refreshed sometimes on the Sabbath and find my soul sweetly drawn after God. This is a very ungracious soil for the growth of Piety. The Lord knows best where to place me. In the midst of every difficulty I see cause to rejoice that he has appointed me such a Post of Honor. Whatever I may meet with if it comes in the way of my duty, it does not become me to complain but to he still & know that he is God. Mrs. Marsden has wrote you a line. You will have seen Ann our little girl. Her mother did not wish to part with her, but I prevailed at length.
I do not suppose you will he able to make out this scrawl. I am very weary this evening having had much to do this day. The Ribbons came safe shall give Mrs. Johnson an account of them next conveyance. Give my respectful compliments to Mr. Stokes. I would have wrote him but he may expect one by the next ship. I want to give him some account of the progress of Agriculture our Coal Mines &c &c.
I have the honor to remain
Dr Madam Yours resptfy
SAML MARSDEN.
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