Sunday, March 19th, 1797

My Dearest, Theodosia,

                                                As days turn to weeks, I begin to wonder how much longer these letters will continue before we can next see each other. I do not know when I will next be returning to Albany, school appears to be increasing with every passing day. The work load is increasing and I am spending more and more time with my head in a book then doing anything else. Of course, I enjoy study, Mother always said I took too much after Father, but I would much rather be playing the piano with my sister.

Piano is one of the few things that brings joy to my life. It calms me whenever I am angry, soothes me whenever I am sad. I suppose it is in the little things in life that make us feel better. Alexander wishes to follow in Father's footsteps, to be a lawyer. I do not see how someone can see that as a possible career path. Defending the bad for crimes that they should be punished for, protecting the good from those who have tried to harm them. It is not a career I find myself leaning towards.

What about you? You have never once discussed your plans for the future, not what hobbies you hold beyond the studies you partake in each day. I feel this is one think we know nothing about, what we want our future to look like.

Love Always,

Philip Hamilton.

~~~

My Dearest, Philip,

                                       The time will come when we are old enough to make decisions for ourselves. When we will be able to meet without sneaking around, to write to one enough without fearing for what will come. That is the future I want, well, need. To be out of my father's watchful eye and away from his rules.

Realistically, I want to be a scholar. I want to be able to teach those less fortunate than myself, to help them. But I fear that may be an impossible dream. You do not see many female scholars. Father believes that it is a woman's right to marry rich and spend their lives in luxury. I find that to be a rather dull premise. I do not wish to spend my life next to a man who can work all day, meet new people. I want to be the one who can work to support myself, to not have to rely on a man for everything.

Perhaps that dream is unlikely. Perhaps that dream is impossible. I do not know, but what I do know is that one day Father will be unable to control me and that will be the day we can be together. I only hope it arrives sooner rather than later.

Love Always,

Theodosia Burr.

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Notes;

At the time, women were often known to be 'seen and not heard' they married rich and proceeded to live their lives in comfort until their eventual deaths. This was an ideology echoed throughout the world at the time and to see Burr questioning this ideology suggests she held more modern-day thoughts than others.

It is also interesting to note that Hamilton did not want to follow in his father's footsteps, unlike his younger brother. We know that Hamilton learned to play the piano from his mother in his younger years, but his intelligence was something we thought he would always rely on.