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29 July [1896]
Dear Julia
Dear Julia
I have written a word or two to Harry, let us pray for his success. I have always supposed you were rich and that living in the country where Chateau Margaux does not grow, that it was easy to keep within your income, it is city life that swallows money in small, constant nips. I am glad you had the blind man to your house -- I never heard of him, I cannot read his last name, as you write it -- I suppose Aldrich did not see him in the A it amuses us to see Tom work over his old poems, and bring them out, he is too shrewd a man, not to know his own limits, but he, and such as he, believe in hoodwinking the world; he has buttered his bread well -- but boy and man, he is Tom Aldrich -- I sometimes wonder if people who have betrayed selfishness, done mean deeds, and worse, and it has been known to
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a few -- if they, the doers, ever feel small upon recollection. I swear I sometimes think, if I could after my present life, come up as an honest tree, I would choose it, rather than to live a human life again -- we are so weak, so ignorant, so bad in the threads of our web -- You poor dear, I hope Temple House will blow over with you. I stick to it, that there is more in that than in either of the others -- it is the least understood, you can imagine with my opinion, how I feel, when I am asked why I did not have some lovely character in Temple House! Virginia, to me is the soul of purity and self-denial -- Have you read the reprints of Henry Kingsley's novels -- most charming and witty. I have just read Prince Otto by Stevenson, very beautifully written -- I am attempting once more to write a story, but I am so snubbed, so ignored -- ny name left out of every passing thing written that I haven't much faith in myself.
Yours
E D B S
[C-9 114 14]
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[C9 114 14] [COPY]
[Stoddard, Mrs. Elizabeth Drew (Barstow) to Mrs. Julia Dorr]
July 29 [1896] [Sag Harbor]
Dear Julia
I have written a word or two to Harry, let us pray for his success. I have always supposed you were rich and that living in the country where Chateau Margaux does not grow, that it was easy to keep within your income, it is city life that swallows money in small, constant nips. I am glad you had the blind man to your house -- I never heard of him, I cannot read his last name, as you write it -- I suppose Aldrich did not see him in the A it amuses us to see Tom work over his old poems, and bring them out, he is too shrewd a man, not to know his own limits, but he and such as he believe in hood winking the world; he has buttered his bread well, but boy and man, he is Tom Aldrich -- I sometimes wonder if people who have betrayed selfishness, done mean deeds, and worse, and it has been known to a few -- if they, the doers, ever feel small upon recollection. I swear I sometimes think, if I could after my present life, come up as an honest tree, I would choose it, rather than to live a human life again -- we are so weak, so ignorant, so bad in the threads of our web -- You poor dear, I hope Temple House will blow over with you. I stick to it, that there is more in that than in either of the others -- it is the least understood, you can imagine with my opinion, how I feel, when I am asked why I did not have some lovely character in Temple House! Virginia, to me is the soul of purity and selfdenial -- Have you read the reprints of Henry Kingsley's novels -- most charming and witty. I have just read Prince Otto by Stevenson, very beautifully written -- I am attempting once more to write a story, but I am so snubbed, so ignored -- ny name left out of every passing thing written that I haven't much faith in myself.
Yours E D B S
[Envelope address to Mrs Julia C R Dorr 'The Maples' Rutland Vt
