Letter from James Redpath to Henry David Thoreau

Feb 6, 1869 Henry D Thoreau Dear Sir - If you do not desire to know my address, (which you had better not know if you have any prospect of being [permanent ?] to Washington) please hand the endine knot to F. B. I. mia, perhaps, may wish to see me to consult as to our future course. I have been pularly summoned; but have [been likely refused ?] to obey the summons; & am in the country, now, to have quiet until I shall complete the forthcoming volume. I directed your lecture to be sent to you for correction; which I am told - has been done. Can you furnish me with an eye of the B. of B. J? I was very curious of the defects of the eye of copier; but as I recollect very little about the B, I can not undertake to subscribe it from my own resources. I shall however, yet obtain the testimony of the eye witnesses; as I have all their names, (the "Orderly Book" that you allude to) & will either see or write to every man who was present, or [women ?] can get their addresses, or leave them.

for K. Fentry. I shall probably visit the ground in the Spring. For the private life I have liked a number of very interesting letters from Kansas men, - just such plain, matter of fact statements as you are greedy for, & which, better than any rhetorical estimates of John Brown's character is course, [ evident, not lost ?] to the intelligent reader the [merit ?] of life of the old warrior. The very numerous faults of language (there have been very few of facts) & the imperfect estimates of character which for [ ?] of book mean me - & I will heed the bent - to take more time in [ ?] another original volume. As for my forthcoming book, as it is an edited volume only, I have nothing to fear on that eye. I have not even yet attempted to arrange my numerous nonfiction materials, & do not see [ best ?] I shall be able to commence it for some weeks to come. This is my apology or reason rather for neglecting (it appears over) my promise with reference to Mr Thoreau's last book. I find that he extracts that

home made in my book [ ?] for your lecture are incorrectly [ ?]. Do you think that they shall be altered? If so, please return the volume I sent you properly marked; & I will return you as many vols as you desire with the latest corrections. The 330 thousand have been printed & [ ?] many corrections not in the edition I sent you. The prospect is that it will reach over 50000 at least. I think it will do good among the masses; that is all I tried to do - for the educated have teachers enough; & over them I do not expect to have influence. Remember me to Mrs Thoreau & thank her, in my own name & in behalf of my wife, also - for her kind invitation, which we shall, as soon as possible, accept. Very truly yours Jas Redpath