But  the  best  evidence  of  the  man's  personal  worth
lies  in  the  high  respect  and  friendship  which  he  in-
spired among  educated  and  titled  Englishmen,  as
shown  in  many  ways  and  notably  in  his  correspond-
ence. Chesterfield  remarked  that  a  private  letter
discloses  not  only  the  character  of  the  writer,  but
that  of  the  person  to  whom  the  letter  is  addressed.
Read  in  the  light  of  this  statement,  no  one  can  fail
to  see  the  regard  in  which  Brant  was  held  by  the
Duke  of  Northumberland,  at  that  time  the  head  of
the  British  peerage,  who  wrote  him  the  following

letter  :

Northumberland  House,
Sept.  3rd,  1 791.
My  dear  Joseph  :

Colonel  Simcoe,  who  is  going  out  Governor  of  Upper
Canada,  is  kind  enough  to  promise  to  deliver  this  to  you,

3*S


THE    OLD    NEW    YORK    FRONTIER

with  a  brace  of  pistols  which  I  desire  you  will  keep  for  my
sake.  I  must  particularly  recommend  the  Colonel  to  you
and  the  nation.  He  is  a  most  intimate  friend  of  mine,  and
is  possessed  of  every  good  quality  which  can  recommend
him  to  your  friendship.  He  is  brave,  humane,  sensible,  and
honest.  You  may  safely  rely  upon  whatever  he  says,  for
he  will  not  deceive  you.  He  loves  and  honors  the  Indians,
whose  noble  sentiments  so  perfectly  correspond  with  his
own.  He  wishes  to  live  upon  the  best  terms  with  them,
and  as  Governor  will  have  it  in  his  power  to  be  of  much
service  to  them.  In  short,  he  is  worthy  to  be  a  Mohawk.
Love  him  at  first  for  my  sake,  and  you  will  soon  come  to
love  him  for  his  own.
