ELIZABETH GRAEME had enjoyed her visit to England in 1764-65, and when it came time to leave she wrote some thoughts about that country in her journal. MILCAH MARTHA MOORE copied them into her commonplace book.

England like other places has its Sweets & Bitters—to be sure if you have an unlimited Taste for Pleasure, have Health & Fortune, here is the Place, but you must even then, have Moments of Doubt, whether that Indulgence of Desires, is consistent with Candidates & Probationers for Eternity, for my Part I think a moderate Fortune, Health, Peace of Mind, & agreable Connections, may be enjoyed in America—there it is I hope to spend my Days—If I have Health, I shall taste those Blessings, if not, Tranquility, & a Father & Mother’s Bosom is the most fit to repose on.— . . .

Perhaps if I had high Health, Scenes of Pleasure & Disipation might have taken so far Possession of me as to make me regret leaving a Country, where Pleasure in every Shape offers herself, yet not without Alloy, for there are many little Incidents, necessary to make even what appears to be Joy, really so, & I am convinced many an Hour of insipid Langour possesses the Mind that would wish to be thought happy, this you & I have often talked over, as we have sat at the Door of Graeme Park, strolled on the Terrass or watched the Moon that friend to Contemplation, how happy have we been there, & how happy may we be again. . . .

In the next post another “extract” Micah Martha Moore copied from Elizabeth Graeme’s travel journal in which she contemplates what her future holds.

Milcah Martha Moore’s Book: A Commonplace Book from Revolutionary America edited by Catherine La Courreye Blecki and Karen A. Wulf (University Park, Pennsylvania: Penn State University Press, 1997), pp 203-205. Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson’s commonplace book can be examined HERE.The illustration is of GRAEME PARK which welcomes visitors.