<hi rend="bold" TEIform="hi">Letter from Abraham Rencher to Elisha Mitchell, March 20, 1823:</hi> Electronic Edition. Rencher, Abraham, 1798-1883 Erika Lindemann Funding from the State Library of North Carolina supported the electronic publication of this title. Text transcribed by Erika Lindemann Images scanned by Mara E. Dabrishus Text encoded by Brian Dietz First Edition, 2005 ca. 13K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2005

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 <hi rend="italics" TEIform="hi">True and Candid Compositions: The Lives and Writings of Antebellum Students in North Carolina</hi> written by Lindemann, Erika Elisha Mitchell Papers (#518), Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Letter from Abraham Rencher to Elisha Mitchell, March 20, 1823 Abraham Rencher 3 pages, 4 page images 1823 Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Call number 518 (Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

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 Library of Congress Subject Headings Erika's vocab English Education/Goals and Purposes Education/Preparatory Education Writings by Non-Students 2005-05-10, Brian Dietz finished TEI/XML encoding Document Summary

Rencher, a former student, tells Prof. Mitchell that he is dissatisfied with teaching and wonders if he should engage in the study of law.

 Letter from Abraham Rencher to Elisha Mitchell, March 20, 18231 Petersburg March 20th 1823 My Dear Friend

I have delayed writing to you longer than I had anticipated. I wished to give to my situation a fair decision. This delay has been protracted longer from the dissatisfaction which I felt on my first arrival; but I am happy in being able to inform you that I daily become more reconciled to my pedagogical chair. It is a happy constitution in our nature, that it yields to the circumstances in which fortune may place us. The wretched victim of a horrid dungeon, by long confinement, becomes delighted with the music of his chains which are clanking around him. This must be considered as a fortunate circumstance, when we reflect, that in the corrupted and uncertain currents of this life we know not at what moment we are to be thrown from our fondest hopes, from our most flattering and towering expectations and doomed to seek pleasures even from our dissapointments

Dont infer from these cursory remarks on the power of habit that it can ever render me entirely pleased with the the business of teaching—it can only soften my dislike, indeed I have frequently wondered at the enthusiasm of a favourite poet in calling it "Delightful task! to rear the tender thought" "And teach the young idea how to shoot"2 It no doubt is true of a mother, fondling the darling of her affections, and instiling into its infantile mind the first principles of knowledge and of vertue; but when applied to a common pedagogue it is one of the severest ironies that ever was written

Notwithstanding my aversion to this employment, my prospects have so much brightened that I am determined to remain here this year at least My shool has increased far beyond my hopes, which of course has increased my wages. I am fully aware that my situation with you would be more prolific of pleasure and improvement I feel avarice creeping gradually upon me as I grow older

From the particular marks of attention which I have been proud to recieve at your hands, you will no doubt wish to know how I spend my time?—very shamefully, for I am doing nothing. While a member of college, ambition, my own partiality, and the persuasion of friends led me to the study of the law, and had I engaged in a profession immediately, I should now have been busy in the analysis of crime; but catching some of the feeling then prevalent in my section of the country and removing to a place where I was entirely cut off from society, those religious feelings had and still haveperhaps an undue influence on my life. I concieved such terrifying apprehensions with respect to the moral influence of the study & practice of law and the danger of mingling with men remarkable for their scepticism, that I abandoned the law, or at least deferred it for a season—I have not since resumed it. I know that the sneering infidel would laugh me to scorn for the weakness of my superstition, but if it is an error I believe it will meet with indulgence from you. These scruples must ultimat prove ly happy, or be a never failing source of regret that they shoud have cont destroyed my best exertions to promote the welfare & happiness of my country. I once took up medicine, but fearing I should never attain proficiency in a profession with which I was not pleased, I dr likewise. In short, my dear Prof. I have been so halting between the two, tremblingly suspended between hope & fear, that I begin to think that I shall, like the ox between the hay stacks, perish in doubt which to chose. I can not believe that a young man is capable of making his own choice of a prof. and I am sorry that my purpose had not been fixed by some more experienced friend. But I must not dwell any longer on my private griefs and embarrassments. I am anxious to hear from you. I should be happy to render you my service in anything that lies in my power. Give my best respect to Mrs Mitchell and Master Erasmus.3 I am your sincere & devoted friend.

A. Rencher

1. Elisha Mitchell Papers, SHC. The letter is addressed "Rev. E. Mitchell/ Chapel Hill/ No C—" and is postmarked "PETERSG VA Mar 26." The amount of postage, "18" cents, is handwritten in the upper right corner. Above the fold forming the top of the envelope, Mitchell has written "Mr Rencher/March 20. 1823/ Petersburg."; another hand has written "Gov Rencher" below the fold at the bottom of the envelope.

2. James Thomson, "Spring" (1728).

3. Probably Erasmus Darwin North (d. 1858). He may have been related to Mrs. Mitchell, whose maiden name was North.