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Peter Kean wrote to Susan Niemcewicz in Elizabethtown, New Jersey.

Susan was so kind to take a warm interest in everything that concerned her son. Peter provided his mother with a journal that he hoped would amuse her and not tire her on his daily activities in Princeton. The previous day was the coldest one Peter had ever experienced and he went to recitation half frozen anxiously awaiting the 11 o’clock hour. He returned to his room and read Montesquieu’s Spirit of Laws for ideas on government. At 4 o’clock he began to think of politics and was disgusted with the measures of government and, inflamed by Junius’s style, Peter wrote an essay on the present state of America. Peter took up Euclid’s Proposition 8 and read Junius till 12 o’clock and went to bed. The following day he continued to read and received a letter from Susan full of salutary advice, her observations and mind tallied on about “some Dayton,” and to make him a friend. He finished Junius in the afternoon and at 3 o’clock began this journal, a very dry thing. Friday, he took up the Spirit of Laws again and read till late in the evening. Peter took up Sully, whom he had not read since he was sick. Peter critiqued Montesquieu and claimed that without laws he would be the most “retched of animals.” He attended Algebra and recitation and afterward continued to read Sully. Peter planned to send Papa [Julian Niemcewicz] his essay the following day. In the postscript, Peter mentioned that he dined with Mrs. Kollock and saw Miss Bayard. Mr. Kollock will deliver this letter.

People mentioned: Mr. Dayton, Mrs. Kollock, Rev. Henry Kollock, and Miss Bayard.

Authors/ Scholars mentioned: Junius, Montesquieu Spirit of Law, and Thomas Sully.

Author/Creator

Peter Philip James Kean (1788-1828)

Recipient

Susan Ursin Niemcewicz, formerly Susan Livingston and Susan Kean (1759-1833)

Creation Date

circa January 1806

Creation Date

1-1806

Document Type

Manuscript

Collection

Liberty Hall Collection, 1711-1847 (bulk 1790-1830)

Inventory Location

103 C

Rights

This collection is open to the public for research use. Copyright remains with Kean University. Credit this material. Personal photographs may be made for research purposes. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to the Special Collections Research Library and Archive at keanscrla@kean.edu.

Publishing Repository

Special Collections Research Library and Archive, Kean University

Peter Kean to Susan Niemcewicz, circa January 1806

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