Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-10-08
LoSpoN. December %. 1880.

Ny DEAR GODSON Although have so lately
written to your better half and at such tedious
length too yet cannot refrain from the attempt tC
engraft an old head upon young shoulders, notwith
standing my belief that no man the wiser for
another's experience. There are too many who are
unable TO profit by their own. Witness the gambler
and the spendthrft not to mention another class OF
victims OF centiOus propensities matured into ha
bituaI indulgence. Each of those wretehed vOtarles
of his darling vice is sensible of the Puinous
effects of his folly than any preacher who exhorts
him against the consequences. He that wears the
chain best knows how and where the fetter gals
They that declam against the fixed and rooted IL
habits of their neghbOr, under the expectation OF
reforming him, only show that they themselves are
cOxcombs. Rather sententious and fiat this, you
viii say, and yon will say the truth
Having established yourself in Gloucester, let me
remind you mot to put of until tomorrow what
NAV be done to-day and to leave until next year
what could be done this (l83l) Plant all sorts OF
trees Man and boy knew John Lewis for some forty
years or so, although never was in his house. 1t
NAV be probable he has saved you the trouble OF
roaring orchards But be that il may, fail not TO
have q good apple orchard, especially, and Danish
ardent spirits beverage from your table.
= IT, at the beginning, you obliged
to resort 70 spirs let your wife make punch of tod
DIV by measure Of a certain strength never to be IN
creased according tS the good old Virginia fashion
2 Have noedealing thascan possibly be avoided with
your neighbOls The disregard OF this caution Will
certainly lead to squabbles and strife.
5. Take no receipt On loose pieces OF paper Car
ry receipt book in yoHF pocket, and take all re-
ceiDts in it if you afraid Of losing It, keep 1t IN
your desk Always have the Feeeipts witnessed,
when practicable.
4. Copy OF have copied, all your bills In boos,
that you may ~ glance see the cost OF any arti-
cp ar branch OF expense Without accurate accounts
Won must first fall kehind hand What voyage
woulo a ship make without ob>ePYation on reckon
ing? Ytu are now embarked on VSyage OF life {;
without a good look out you may be cast aYsy.
s. Form no iLtimacies with your nelgbooFs HRqeP
a seyen wear acsusintance. The rigid observance
of nv own maxims lid not prevent ill blood be-
tween some of my neighbOIs and myself My max
inns preserved me from strife Snd fromloss by those
With the rest | WAS on the best Vi terms
). Economy, the sdapting OF yopg spPphes JHai-
ciousIy to their intended end This Is git OF God
IL cannot be taught at lesst. have tried 10 la2Fp
it all my life, without success. hy mother had II IN
perfection
!. Frugality-It is in the power Of every honest
man. who means to retain his honesty, to r0tralg
from ndulging in expenses which ne cannot anoFq,
disregard of this maxim, the result OF their ndo-
lent ignorance of their own affairs, has ruined ali
nv name and Pace they did not know what they
could afford, and some, fear, did not care
| shall send yOu some aeOrns of an oak from Iur-
KEY. and also few English Plant them in beds,
keep clean and transplant at eighteen inches or two
feet high. / hope that you viii not rorget broad
nuts English walnuts tlberts hazel nuts and pheSs
nuts.
| shall probably never see you and my darling
niece succeed as housekeepers. DAILY and every
day find that sG sinking TO be laid by the side
of nv hOnOred parents at Old MatOax, Is now the
only wish that | have personally to myself. No
tombstone, no monument for me, Let 'spPlng with
dewy fingers cold dress the turf that shall cover
my no longer feverish head or thrObbng heaFt. u
there be any memorial of me, let it be plain head
stone with this inseription John Randolph of RO-
anOke, son of John Randolph OF Roanoke the elder,
and Frances Bland, his wife, Of Virginia born june
3D. I773; died --, 1881" Beyond this last period
feel that it is impossible short of miracle, for
NV existence to be prolonged. "Thy will be done.'
/ am now closely confined to my apartment, with
faithful Johns aid | have all the comforts that
am now capable Of enjoying my life hangs upon
his.
| had liked to have omitted special caution
against going 10 the watering places in autumn in
search of health. 1t is Idle, Gssipsted and ex-
pensiye practice If you are to live in the lower
country you must accustOm yourself to the climate,
which have no hesitation III saying is in every way
more healthy than that Of the upper country short
of the Allegheny. When | was a boy, agues and
feyers were hardly known twenty miles west OF the
falls of the great rivers. The inhabitants OF the
lower country were always jeered by the trans
mountain people, especially on account of their
sickly climate. But now perhaps the valley is the
sckliest in the State Who ever heard of the break
ing up of old William and Mary by an indigenous
plague. In case you should go far enough west Ito
Montgomery or Wythe) to avoid autumnal disease,
you must count upon dying the first time that cir
cun1stances Oblge you to spend the season at home
There never was complaint Of sickness at Warner
Hall until the last Warner introduced the rum fever
The notion of i'll health has been pretext TO cover
the love of gadding and gossiping and for winter
climate and spring especially mot mentioning roads)
there ia no comparison.
PRAY mention Mrs. V. Bibber's lowest price for her
estate, and John Tabb,s alsO, if practicable,
Adieu, my children,
]. r., of Roanoke
To John Randolph Rryant. Esq