33. Gilmore Place,
Edinburgh
31^st. July 1846
My Dear Friend,
I feel as you do quite tantalized by the Idia of being so near you as I shall be when in New Castle—and yet unable to see you. It will not always be so. I hope yet to see you. Your friends here the Wigham family deeply sympathise with you, and unite with me in fervent wishes for your speedy restoration to health. Knowing your interest in the subject of American Slavery and exiciting as it is so much attention at this time in this time Country I am sure if you were in health—you would find much that you could do to advance the cause. We can but illy spare you. We must learn submission—and to be content under the hand of affliction. A hard lesson—learnt by few. It is a high Christian virtue heard of in theory rather than seen in practice. Few reach it who are uniformly in the enjoyment of good heatlth. It pre is a consequence of affliction rather than preceeding it.
I have just arranged to labor in Scotland—for a few months to come. We are anxcious to make the most of the free Church question. If we do not succeed in making them "Send back the Money" we shall have seized an opportunity of enlightening the whole people on the Subject of American Slavery which is deemed quite important.
I will not trouble you with letters—and you need not answer this. Whether I see you or not I shall feel assured that the cause of my injured and long neglected people has a friend in you. I hope to see friend Garrison in a few days. He is indeed a Dear Man—but he needs no praise from me—his life speaks for itself. To praise him to his friends is like praising him to he face. To stand up for him when attacked and maligned is the true position. He will have an exciting tour throu this country. His religious opinions like those of Mr. Wrights will under go a searching examination. I hope he will not be turned aside from his mission of peace and good will to man, by any merely abstract questions. He is of age and I know of no man whose judgement I would follow sooner than his. Still I have my fears. I fear this will tire you—so I will stop—peace be with you—Believe me very sincerely
Yours,
F Douglass