William Rotch, Sr. letter to Thomas Rotch, Dunkirk 12th mo 16th 1792

              B-163-23
                                      Dunkirk 12th mo 16th 1792
  my dear Son Thomas
                     
                       When I clos'd Wm & Samys letters yesterday
  to go by Handy, I had not time to write to thee, but as he is detaind
  by contrary wind, it gives me oppt to acknowledge thy very acceptable
  letter of the 10th mo - it is cause of humble thankfulness to the
                                                              & dear
  Author of all Good, that thy dear wife & thine & our other near ^rela=
  =tives have been favourd to pass the Small pox so easily, I wish the
  impressions of those, with the manifold other mercies extended to our
  family may never be erased, and the way for the continuance of the
  impression, is to endeavour ever to keep in view the great end of
  our Creation, that the purpose thereof may not be frustrated, then
  may we hope for preservation, in heights and depths, things present,
  and things to come, for whilst we are in mutability, our passage
                                      being
  through time may well be compar'd as ^ on a Sea of Glass, ever
  in danger without a continual watch, of sliping sometimes to the
  right hand and sometimes to the left; my dear Son may thou
  and thy dear help mate be a guard and a strength to each other,
  in religious progress, I believe her to be a choice companion to
  thee, may thou be so to her, which I dont mention from any cause
  of doubt; then may you go hard in hand up to the mountain of
  the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, who will
  teach you of his ways & enable you to walk in his grace; may you
  now in early life, be bound to the Law and to the Testimony, there is need
  of good examples as well as faithfull labourers, in every station in the