I have committed to the flames, nearly all my letters, written previous to the year one thousand, seven hundred, and seventy-four, preserving only two or three, for the purpose of comparing myself -- with myself -- The letters which I have destroyed contained a kind of history of my juvenile life -- Perhaps, it may be observed, it would have been well if I had made my conflagration more general -- Yet, if those who may survive me, possess as much curiosity relative to me as I have experienced respecting those individuals of my kindred, who have lived before me, every thing I have written will be read by my posterity, should I be blest with descendants, with interest and avidity -- Some of my letters I have purposely involved in ambiguity -- let no one seek to lift the veil -- every thing relative to me as an individual, I have endeavored to render clear and unembarassed, but when remarking upon the communications of others, I possess no right to be thus explicit -- Upon the whole, I commend these volumes of letters to affectionate posterity, and, thus patronized, I am assured I have little to fear.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Notes:
Years later, according to a letter Judith wrote in 1796 to the Rev.
Robert Redding of England, she hoped to publish her letter books and
thus expose her work to a much wider audience than her
descendants.