1To George Washington from Timothy Dwight, October 1785 (Washington Papers)
This letter accompanies the Conquest of Canaan to your Excellency. In the year 1778, an application, under the countenance of General Parsons, was made to your Excellency, for permission to inscribe to you this poem, then intended for an earlier publication. A permission was politely & condescendingly granted. Since that time, the public appearance of the book has been unavoidably delayed by a...
2To John Adams from Timothy Dwight, [ca. 8-12 December 1785] (Adams Papers)
This letter accompanies to you the Conquest of Canaan. It is the wish of the writer, that this poem may be published in England. For the accomplishment of this design, he becomes a suitor to your Excellency, for such assistance as may be necessary. As an apology for this application, he could allege, that it was recommended to him by Col Wadsworth, who indeed offered him a letter of...
3To George Washington from Timothy Dwight, 5 July 1786 (Washington Papers)
I have delayed an answer to your Excellency’s letter, which I duly received, from an expectation of having a conveyance by Col. Humphry’s, of whose design to visit Mount Vernon I was early informed after the receipt. Had the Conquest of Cannan been published, on the plan of a subscription, I should have taken the earliest opportunity to forward a paper of proposals to your Excellency. But that...
4To John Adams from Timothy Dwight, 24 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have been some time employed in writing a poem, entitled Greenfield Hill ; of a rural character; in a degree descriptive; but principally didactic. In it, beside several other subjects, are treated the subjects of slavery, war, the state of society public & private, in New England, the education of children, religion, œconomy of private life, & the policy of this country. It is written, in...
5To John Adams from Timothy Dwight, 10 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your answer, & permission, with much pleasure; & should not have delayed this expression of it so long, but thro’ necessity. An extensive, &, in many instances, fatal sickness has prevailed among my Parishioners, & together with no small share of the same calamity in my own family, has engrossed almost all my attention & duty. The unmerited testimonies of esteem, contained in your...
6To John Adams from Timothy Dwight, 7 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
At the request of Hon. David Daggett Esquire, a Member of the Council of this State, & the Author of the inclosed oration, I do myself the honour to forward it to you. It is with the greatest pleasure, that I hear of the return of Mrs. Adams’s health, & of the establishment of yours. Both events I regard as highly interesting to our Country, & know them to be the foundations of sincere &...
7To John Adams from Timothy Dwight, 31 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
Mr. John Punderson Austin , Son of David Austin Esq. the present Collector, wishes me to write to you in his behalf. He has for a number of years done the business in the Office of his Father, who as Collector of this port; &, as appears by a certificate, signed by several of the most respectable merchants of this town, and now lying before me, has done it much to their satisfaction. His...
8To John Jay from Timothy Dwight, 4 January 1803 (Jay Papers)
I have deferred answering your letter, that I might be able to answer it more to your satisfaction than I could otherwise have done. My own Family is not a desirable place for the purpose, which you mention. I am too often & too long absent, at most all seasons of the year; &, when at home, am too much occupied by company, & various avocations, to render such attention as I would wish, even to...