Letter from H. A. Wilson, to Donald McLean, dated 6th. December, [no date of year.] New Plymouth. 6th. December (no year). 1852 My dear Son, I am sure I need not tell you how deeply we feel for you, under the great affliction with which it has pleased the Almighty to visit you. It would be useless to attempt anything like consolation. Your own sense of our duty to submit, with resignation, to the Divine decree, will do more for you than volumes written on the subject. We feel truly thankful that your dear babe has been spared. He will, no doubt, prove a blessing to you. I am glad to learn from Mrs. Govett that you have been able to secure such good nurses for the poor little fellow; and equally so to hear that you have such kind friends as Mrs. Kitson and Mrs. Paul, to watch over him, when you are obliged to be absent from him. Write me soon, and let me know all about him, and yourself; for I shall feel very anxious until I hear from you. We are all glad to have the Govetts amongst us again. They are much the better for their trip. Mrs. Govett required a change almost as much as Mr. Govett. Miss Hunter and Robert will leave us by the first good opportunity. They also require a little shake up after their illness, particularly the former. Mr. Wilson seems to have given you an account of all our political proceedings in this hitherto quiet nook. She cannot now be called the "Silent Sister." Only fancy some of the fools wanting to set old Sammy King up for the post of Superintendent. Were he to get it, that Irish rebel of a wife of his, would soon set us all in a blaze. She seems to be playing a high game just now; no doubt in the hope of getting Sam and herself hoisted up on high. Our neighbour, Young, is in grand feather; being a member of the Constitutional Association, and chief councellor to Messrs. Hulk & Co. As he is so much taken up with these public affairs, he has little time to bestow on us. Therefore we have escaped pretty well lately; only getting a little song after he has been rather too often in the tap-rooms. Fifty odd passengers have landed from the English ship now in the Bay; where they will all get house room, I know not. Every place seems to be full. But we always think the same, every vessel which comes. Still, they all shake down somewhere. Wellington Garrington has come out in her; and so has a niece and nephew of Doctor Humphries. Charles Brown has removed to the Bush. Most of us wish that he would remain there entirely, be has made a great goose of himself lately, with his radical opinions; so pity his poor young wife. She is a general favourite; but he seems to have lost caste with most people,- certainly with all the respectable class. Kiss your dear boy for me; and may God in his mercy bless, protect, and console you, my dear Son, is the sincere prayer of your affectionate "old mother", (Signed) H. A. Wilson. To:- Donald McLean,