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ChaPter eiGht Transitions, 1731–1744 Prior to their marriage in the summer of 1731, Martha received at least two love letters from daniel, who at the time was in new haven finishing his tutoring obligations at Yale. Like his earlier letter to Mehetabel and John, whom he here refers to as “ye tender & dear arbiters of my fate,” daniel’s first to Martha, dated January 15, is notable for its display of both physical and spiritual passion. Since daniel was considering the ministry as a career, his use of religious imagery is not surprising (nor is his counsel to Martha to always “improve in Virtue, & study to make as good a Figure in ye eyes of angels, as you do in mine”). What is startling, however, is his candor in alluding to his longing for their “mutual exchange of Passions,” to the “flaming Wishes of an impatient Lover,” and to his visualization of “ye Scene of [their future] blisses.” daniel was clearly anticipating the physical joys of marriage, a fact that he seems to have been eager to share with Martha. to Mrs Martha Coit att n London dear Creature does absence teach you to love? do you look and find but half yourself at home? do ye pleasant Cares & sweet anxieties of Seperate Lovers at all perplex your gentle bosom? alas, my virtuous generous Fair, methinks you should feel some of these Solicitudes to requite what i endure: all ye painful ills of impatient Love & distant prospects sit heavy on my Soul. i love, i love, my anguish, i cherish my torments, till ye bright Moments yt fly to my Succour hurry my enraptured Spirit to a mutual exchange of Passions with yours. to hear from you were half ye Pleasure of injoyment; but this your Severe Prudence denies! Well, i will call you cruel, but esteem you discreet. The liberty of writing you indulge me i will faithfully use. nothing will i tell you of Faith & Constancy; but what is greater yt your beauties continually improve on my Fancy! in every new idea you are still more lovely. Thus my 152 Transitions, 1731–1744 153 dear, improve in Virtue, & study to make as good a Figure in ye eyes of angels, as you do in mine. allways shall it be my ambition to assist you in so noble an attempt. here i cannot forbare calling to Mind the ten-Thousand ardent Vows, which are sacred to this great design: & i assure my self yt ye day approaches when i shall bow my Soul in thankful adoration to ye author of my hopes & happiness yt he sets me in a Capacity for ye Prosecution of it. by the Power of this imagination an innumerable Choir of bright ideas crowd upon my Soul, & paint me amost eligant Prospect of an happy Life. Suffer me then my Fair one to open to you ye Scene of blisses which are already present to my foreboding Thoughts. The flaming Wishes of an impatient Lover shall hurry me in a noble transport over ye uncertain joys (yt lie between) to yt auspicious hour when heaven & Fate shall assure us each others hearts. Then will we swear in ye Presence of our friendly angels yt ye Love of God shall be our happiness, his Glory our business, ye imitation of his holiness our Study, his Power & Goodness our only Confidence. Then Shall our united Vows conspire to pray down a blessing on our tender hours. Thus with devotion shall we begin our Life; & yt God we worship shall cherish us in ye arms of a careful beneficent Father. While we deal faithfully in his Covenant we cannot want ye Smiles of his Providence. in a day of adversity if such he ordains he will soften our Cares & relieve our Sorrows. in ye meanwhile with what inimitable Pleasure shall we daily behold each other with this sweet reflection, the beloved of my Soul is a Favourite of heaven, & ye owner of my heart has an interest in ye bosom of a God. o my Life, my all; but my God, when shall we begin ye utmost of our joys. i chide, i chide, ye winged minutes: they fly too slow while my hope’s defer’rd while i am not with you; joyn, joyn your Wishes with mine to haste ye promis’d day; bid me, bid me fly to your dear imbrace! This, This will fill ye vast desires of your impatient Lover & very humble Servant d. hubbard n.h. Jan 15th 1730/1 P...

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