Henry, Letter to my brother Beekman (beekman)
To my dear brother Beekman I sit down to write T-UW M-AY D-IH-R B-R-AH-DH-ER B-IY-K-M-AH-N AY S-IH-T D-AW-N T-UW R-AY-T Ten minutes past eight & a very cold night . T-EH-N M-IH-N-AH-T-S P-AE-S-T EY-T AH-N-D AH V-EH-R-IY K-OW-L-D N-AY-T Not far from me sits with a vaullancy cap on N-AA-T F-AA-R F-R-AH-M M-IY S-IH-T-S W-IH-DH AH V-AO-L-AE-N-S-IY K-AE-P AA-N Our very good couzin , Elizabeth Tappen , AW-ER V-EH-R-IY G-UH-D K-AH-Z-AH-N-Z IH-L-IH-Z-AH-B-AH-TH T-AE-P-AH-N A tighter young seamstress you'd ne'er wish to see AH T-AY-T-ER Y-AH-NG S-IY-M-S-T-R-IH-S Y-UW-D N-EH-R W-IH-SH T-UW S-IY And she ( blessings on her ) is sewing for me . AH-N-D SH-IY B-L-EH-S-IH-NG-Z AA-N HH-ER IH-Z S-OW-IH-NG F-AO-R M-IY New shirts & new cravats this morning cut out N-UW SH-ER-T-S AH-N-D N-UW K-R-AE-V-AE-T-S DH-IH-S M-AO-R-N-IH-NG K-AH-T AW-T Are tumbled in heaps and lye huddled about . AA-R T-AH-M-B-AH-L-D IH-N HH-IY-P-S AH-N-D L-AY HH-AH-D-AH-L-D AH-B-AW-T My wardrobe ( a wonder ) will soon be enriched M-AY W-AO-R-D-R-OW-B AH W-AH-N-D-ER W-IH-L S-UW-N B-IY EH-N-R-IH-CH-T With ruffles new hemmed & wristbands new stitched . W-IH-DH R-AH-F-AH-L-Z N-UW HH-EH-M-D AH-N-D R-IH-S-T-B-AE-N-D-Z N-UW S-T-IH-CH-T Believe me dear brother tho women may be B-IH-L-IY-V M-IY D-IH-R B-R-AH-DH-ER DH-OW W-IH-M-AH-N M-EY B-IY Compared to us , of inferiour degree K-AH-M-P-EH-R-D T-UW AH-S AH-V IH-N-F-IH-R-IY-ER D-IH-G-R-IY Yet still they are useful I vow with a fegs Y-EH-T S-T-IH-L DH-EY AA-R Y-UW-S-F-AH-L AY V-AW W-IH-DH AH F-AE-G-Z When our shirts are in tatters & jackets in rags . W-EH-N AW-ER SH-ER-T-S AA-R IH-N T-AE-T-ER-Z AH-N-D JH-AE-K-IH-T-S IH-N R-AE-G-Z Now for news my sweet fellow - first learn with a sigh N-AW F-AO-R N-UW-Z M-AY S-W-IY-T F-EH-L-OW F-ER-S-T L-ER-N W-IH-DH AH S-AY That matters are carried here gloriously high DH-AE-T M-AE-T-ER-Z AA-R K-AE-R-IY-D HH-IY-R G-L-AO-R-IY-AH-S-L-IY HH-AY Such gadding - such ambling - such jaunting about S-AH-CH G-AE-D-IH-NG S-AH-CH AE-M-B-AH-L-IH-NG S-AH-CH JH-AO-N-T-IH-NG AH-B-AW-T To tea with Miss Nancy - to sweet Willy's rout T-UW T-IY W-IH-DH M-IH-S N-AE-N-S-IY T-UW S-W-IY-T W-IH-L-IY-Z R-AW-T New parties at coffee - then parties at wine N-UW P-AA-R-T-IY-Z AE-T K-AA-F-IY DH-EH-N P-AA-R-T-IY-Z AE-T W-AY-N Next day all the world with the Major must dine N-EH-K-S-T D-EY AO-L DH-AH W-ER-L-D W-IH-DH DH-AH M-EY-JH-ER M-AH-S-T D-AY-N Then bounce all hands to Fishkill must go in a clutter DH-EH-N B-AW-N-S AO-L HH-AE-N-D-Z T-UW F-IH-SH-K-IH-L M-AH-S-T G-OW IH-N AH K-L-AH-T-ER To guzzle bohea and destroy bread & butter T-UW G-AH-Z-AH-L B-OW-HH-IY-AH AH-N-D D-IH-S-T-R-OY B-R-EH-D AH-N-D B-AH-T-ER While you at New Lebanon stand all forlorn W-AY-L Y-UW AE-T N-UW L-EH-B-AH-N-AH-N S-T-AE-N-D AO-L F-ER-L-AO-R-N Behind the cold counter from ev'ning to morn B-IH-HH-AY-N-D DH-AH K-OW-L-D K-AW-N-T-ER F-R-AH-M IY-V-N-IH-NG T-UW M-AO-R-N The old tenor merchants push nigher & nigher DH-AH OW-L-D T-EH-N-ER M-ER-CH-AH-N-T-S P-UH-SH N-AY-ER AH-N-D N-AY-ER Till fairly they shut out poor Baze from the fire . T-IH-L F-EH-R-L-IY DH-EY SH-AH-T AW-T P-UW-R B-EY-Z F-R-AH-M DH-AH F-AY-ER - Out out my dear brother Aunt Amy's just come AW-T AW-T M-AY D-IH-R B-R-AH-DH-ER AE-N-T EY-M-IY-Z JH-AH-S-T K-AH-M With a flask for molasses & a bottle for rum W-IH-DH AH F-L-AE-S-K F-AO-R M-AH-L-AE-S-AH-Z AH-N-D AH B-AA-T-AH-L F-AO-R R-AH-M Run ! help the poor creature to light from her jade R-AH-N HH-EH-L-P DH-AH P-UW-R K-R-IY-CH-ER T-UW L-AY-T F-R-AH-M HH-ER JH-EY-D You see the dear lady's a power afraid . Y-UW S-IY DH-AH D-IH-R L-EY-D-IY-Z AH P-AW-ER AH-F-R-EY-D - Souse into your arms she leaps like an otter S-AW-S IH-N-T-UW Y-AO-R AA-R-M-Z SH-IY L-IY-P-S L-AY-K AE-N AA-T-ER And smears your new coat with her piggin of butter AH-N-D S-M-IH-R-Z Y-AO-R N-UW K-OW-T W-IH-DH HH-ER P-IH-G-G-IH-N AH-V B-AH-T-ER Next an army of shakers your quarters beleager N-EH-K-S-T AE-N AA-R-M-IY AH-V SH-EY-K-ER-Z Y-AO-R K-W-AO-R-T-ER-Z B-IY-L-IY-G-ER With optics distorted & visages meagre W-IH-DH AA-P-T-IH-K-S D-IH-S-T-AO-R-T-AH-D AH-N-D V-IH-Z-AH-JH-AH-Z M-IY-G-ER To fill their black runlets with brandy & gin T-UW F-IH-L DH-EH-R B-L-AE-K R-AH-N-L-EH-T-Z W-IH-DH B-R-AE-N-D-IY AH-N-D JH-IH-N Two blessed exorcists to drive away sin . T-UW B-L-EH-S-T EH-K-S-ER-S-AH-S-T-Z T-UW D-R-AY-V AH-W-EY S-IH-N - But laugh away sorrow nor mind it a daisy B-AH-T L-AE-F AH-W-EY S-AA-R-OW N-AO-R M-AY-N-D IH-T AH D-EY-Z-IY Since it matters but little my dear brother Bazee S-IH-N-S IH-T M-AE-T-ER-Z B-AH-T L-IH-T-AH-L M-AY D-IH-R B-R-AH-DH-ER B-EY-Z-IY Whether here you are rolling in pastime & pleasure W-EH-DH-ER HH-IY-R Y-UW AA-R R-OW-L-IH-NG IH-N P-AE-S-T-AY-M AH-N-D P-L-EH-ZH-ER Or up at New Lebanon taffety measure AO-R AH-P AE-T N-UW L-EH-B-AH-N-AH-N T-AE-F-AH-T-IY M-EH-ZH-ER If the sweetest of lasses Contentment you find IH-F DH-AH S-W-IY-T-AH-S-T AH-V L-AE-S-AH-Z K-AH-N-T-EH-N-T-M-AH-N-T Y-UW F-AY-N-D And the banquet enjoy of an undisturb'd mind AH-N-D DH-AH B-AE-NG-K-W-AH-T EH-N-JH-OY AH-V AE-N AH-N-D-IH-S-T-ER-B-D M-AY-N-D Of friendship & love let who will make a pother AH-V F-R-EH-N-D-SH-IH-P AH-N-D L-AH-V L-EH-T HH-UW W-IH-L M-EY-K AH P-AA-DH-ER Believe me dear Baze your affectionate brother B-IH-L-IY-V M-IY D-IH-R B-EY-Z Y-AO-R AH-F-EH-K-SH-AH-N-AH-T B-R-AH-DH-ER Will never forget the fifth son of his mother . W-IH-L N-EH-V-ER F-ER-G-EH-T DH-AH F-IH-F-TH S-AH-N AH-V HH-IH-Z M-AH-DH-ER P . S . If it suits your convenience remit if you please P-IY EH-S IH-F IH-T S-UW-T-S Y-AO-R K-AH-N-V-IY-N-Y-AH-N-S R-IY-M-IH-T IH-F Y-UW P-L-IY-Z To my good brother Paul an embrace & a squeeze . T-UW M-AY G-UH-D B-R-AH-DH-ER P-AO-L AE-N EH-M-B-R-EY-S AH-N-D AH S-K-W-IY-Z