FLORIAN - The Most Traveled Man on Earth

I have sent to Mrs. Kirkland letters from Miss Ravencamp and Mrs. Davison. Mrs.
Kirkland is still in Jamaica, according to what Mrs. Clay told me. She is expected at any
time.
<strong>The</strong>y are talking today of universal peace. This news, so they say, was brought from
New York by a gentleman who has leased his building at the Balise [p 3] and has just
come into town. I don’t believe it. On the contrary, I dread the effects of the Non-
Intercourse Bill. I hope nevertheless that if you cannot come directly, either by New
York or Philadelphia, that you can embark on an English ship for Havana or Pensacola.
<strong>The</strong>re are schooners every day from Pensacola to here.
I wanted to describe the country and the city to you. I have talked of nothing but women
and balls. <strong>The</strong> country is not pretty. It is too flat and too low, but the city is nice enough
– well built and even pretty homes. <strong>The</strong> young men are almost all very ugly, do you hear
that my daughters? Of course, many strangers are coming here, but those that I have seen
haven’t appeared better looking to me.
<strong>The</strong> climate is most pleasant in the winter. We have gone three days without fire.
Yesterday the wind turned to the North and this morning I lit two or three pieces of wood
as thick as one’s fist, which warmed me as much as I needed.
I hoped on finding on my arrival here letters from one of you. We have had news from
London dated October 15. [about 3.5 months ago]. Would you have omitted writing me
by the monthly packet? My dear friends, don’t neglect me. All of my happiness is in
thinking of you. You would be most ungrateful if you forget me. But I am not afraid of
this, nor should I be afraid. I address my letter in the plural. You are all my heart, wife,
and dear daughters, brothers whom I love tenderly. You are never separated from my
thoughts, from my memories. I unite you al______ my dreams for the future. <strong>The</strong>se
may be nothing more than dreams, but they please me too much to renounce them. A
thousand and thousand kisses to all of you. On embracing one another, dream of the
happiness of embracing you in my arms, to be pressed close to you. Adieu, adieu.
P.S. Couessin is leaving with the intention of going to London. I am giving him this
letter with a small box containing the teeth which he will have remade new, by M.
Lefaleur. I am addressing this box to Marguerite (you must know my child, that a Gogo,
in this country, is simply a “behind.” <strong>The</strong>y say for example that Madamoiselle So and So
has a big behind, etc.). I will attach to the box a note for M. Lefaleur which you can read.
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