19th Century American writers : letters, manuscripts, & correspondence

passage to New York, by talking with him on the subject of enlarging the printing operations at B. F. I wonder if he would incur some little ink by the by in helping you to a portion of what few additional printing materials you may need from time to time. He is well disposed to Association. [close square brackets] With regard to the abandonment of rating by hour, I am glad of it in part, & doubtful also somewhat. If rating by labour has been [illegible] stituted as far as practicable, you have done well; and you have done better, if meas- ures have been instituted for discovering modes of rating by labour applicable to [employments?] which seem not now to admit of it. There are some kinds of course which will not permit of it at any time. But rating by hour should be retained, I think, wherever rating by labour is inpracticable - as in the school; if we except the labour of your literary department. I hope that you have not destroyed too much in the change. In effect to the payments on account of the stipends, certainly and at once they should be respect to the payments on account of the stipends, certainly and at once they should be in money, and if I understand your arrangements, equally to each person in amount & time. I wonder exceedingly that the non-observance of this obvious rule has not [illegible] a tremendous convulsion in the Association. But, as you remark, all these questions deplorably difficult of solution. Nowhere, but in Association could they be [illegible] but to be [crossed out] rejected.

I anticipate much, when I shall be able to be with you [illegible] from Mendelsohn's "Songs without Words." And with this hope I must be content. [illegible] I recollect the exalted enjoyment I received from your lectures, & then endeavour to think who here could understand even a sentence of their profoundest & best [illegible] I cannot muster even one. What is to be done? Your lectures, as they now stand, are entirely too good for our region of country. I shall hope to talk with you on the matter.

But I must close a communication which has been frequently interrupted?. I hope it will be thought worthy your perusal. I must beg to be commended to all my friends at Brook Farm - Mr J M Ripley, Mr & Mrs [Dana?], Miss Fanny Macdaniel

your sisters Miss Marianne & Fanny, Miss [Carson?], etc. etc. I hope that you will continue to interest yourself personally in the practical measures & details more & more. I think that you will not [love?] by the labour; & I believe that the Association cannot do without it.

Truly & faithfully yours, James Kay, Jr.

It is hard that I should forget to mention the name of my own boy in my message of love; but the truth is, that I am daily expecting a letter from him, & shall transmit them directly to him. Still, please do include him.

Might I mention to impose a commission on you, to be executed when next you shall be in Boston? We are compelled by competition to stereotype a [illegible] edition of Wordsworth's Poems; and we think it desirable to stereotype at the same time [illegible] separate volumes his "Sonnets" and his "Excursions". These Poems have been [pub-?] [illegible, ripped] in volumes distinct from Wordsworth's Complete Poetical Works in England, & [?] [illegible, ripped] have been imported into this country. They were announced for publication by [?] [illegible, ripped] of Boston; but I presume they have abandoned the project at our request & because we have them in [press?]. We cannot obtain these volumes in Philadelphia; & I would hope that they must be in Boston, either in bookseller's or private hands. Could you obtain them for us? We do not wish it known that the application is for the purpose above stated; & therefore if procured from booksellers, no mention should be made of it. If you should succeed in [procuring?] them, will you have the goodness to send them to us by [?] or Adam's, or what other Express communicates with this [city?] If denied, we should not destroy or injure the copies. J.K.J.

If possible[underlined] the editions should be of 1845 or not earlier than 1844

Dear Sir

I have been absent for some time from home, and returning a few days since found your letter inquiring after the address of Mr [?] [ ?son]

A letter directed to Jefferson, Frederick County, Maryland, would reach him.

Yours truly J. P. Kennedy Baltimore July 27. 1843

Jos C Hodges Esq

"Ode to [Hunbut?]."

Old Bank rose from foot of [Visy?] St to Hoboken Present Washington Market was Bear Market.

114. Whale. Daving teacher

116. [Sirnfine?]. Newton [Manyin?] 138. [Lamner?]. Carrige [Makin?] Earbnon; Rooms, Cir of Pine St. and Broadwy. Bookstore - afterwad Carville. Home Dr of Syphillis.

[Peere?] Van Wyck. ~ lawyer

M-2 81

[exentert mn.?] on to [diy?] yu wil oblge

tuly yur Fid the Pathr.

Newbury, Dec 17 1821.

Much respected and dear Madam

Without an hyperbole I think I can assure you that yours of the [20th?] [ult?[ was received with much pleasure. Its value was greatly enhanced by some circumstances attending the time at which it arrived. I had just seated myself at the table on thanksgiving day morning, and being rather indisposed felt as though there was but little enjoyment for me, when my attention was called to the door and I was permitted to receive your friendly letter. A perusal of its contents seemed [illegible] dissipate the mists of horrour with which imagin[ation?] had surrounded me, and although my indisposition forbid my joining the social circle, yet I felt my spirits sensibly elevated, and I enjoyed the day far better than the brightest anticipations, under such circumstances, could have induced me to believe I should do.

The friendly sentiments expressed in your very acceptable letter I think I can heartily reciprocate, and I have long wished I might be permitted to call you by the endearing appellation of sister (for like a sister you have long seemed to me.) It affords me much pleasure to learn that you arrived in safety notwitstanding the uncomfortable season in which you took your journey and the peculiarly unpleasant weather you had during the latter part of it. It gives me additional pleasure to be able to conclude (an inference I draw from you silence on the subject) that your health is as good as usual. - It is not

a little gratifying to hear that you find some time to read; for in books, if you make a good selection I think you will meet with the best of society. From them as from the purest fountains you may derive [more?] golden maxims of wisdom and truths of much practical importance and utility. The evidences of Christianity instead of being slightly read as is too generally the case, ought to be faithfully studied. Surely no work is better vouched than the Bible, yet none perhaps is more frequently and wantonly attacked. While infidelity then continues to exist it is important that the friends of Revelation, should be well acquainted with the external evidences which alone bear any weight with those who doubt its authenticity and deny its authority. You say that appearance does not answer your [expectations?]. I hope you will not have reason to complain of his preaching - I want you to give me the general character of his [deletion] Sermons. - The reason I did not answer your request for "the [?] of thorns" was siimply this I did not receive your letter until after the waggon left - Should I find an opportunity of sending it I shall. It is a very interesting little volume. It forcibly inculcates, by example, the importance of pursuing with unvarying steadiness that "short and narrow way" which alone conducts to the peaceful shores of that happy country where are pleasures forevermore. It points out the great folly and wickedness of our wishing to break over those salutory restraints, which are so necessary to keep in due subordination our lawless passions & appetites, & to check that criminal curiosity which we too often manifest to pry into things with which we had better be unacquainted. If we [deleted]rightly read[/deleted] were careful to read with close attention the book of providence ever open for our inspection, we should find ourselves [heaped?]

about with so much undeserved kindness, which, it seems, should secure our ceaseless gratitude & constant obedience. Yet notwithstanding the constant experience we have of the goodness of God and of his loving kindness - how prone are we to go astray from him, and by so doing, [we?] [cause?] to ourselves that punishment which is most justly inflicted on us for endeavoring to break down [those?] [hedges?] which are set up to defend us against greater evils lying beyond them.

After so much inteligence as you must have received by the great number of letters recently addressed to you, it would be presumptuous in me to think of offering any thing new. Your mother however I must tell you is so well as to keep about the house - she attends I believe considerably to spinning. She does not appear at all pleased with the idea of [deleted]going[/deleted] being shut up all winter. I supposee you have been told that she attended meeting on thanks giving day. I think she is as well as when you left. Y[our?] brother M. is at present rather more ill than [usual?] occasioned I believe by a sudden cold - Other friends much as usual - I. [Slate?] appears to be doing well. M. [Tappan?] remains indisposed - his friends are yet in doubt to know what to conclude respecting him. - Mr. [Miltman?] continues to be afflicted with the rheumatism- I think however he is better. Capt [Baufreau?] is about sailing again. Mrs [R.?] I think will return to her father's. I have time to write no more though I have a thousand things to say. Mrs Miltman has charged me to remember her regards to you whenever I may have opportunity. Miss [Winsthe?] [?] give my regards to your brother & sister & let me be remembered likewise to [I?] yours with esteem S Pickard

[?] 22nd. of May 1863

I quite agree with [thee?] [?] the English pronunciation [of?] Maria Miller. It wd have been better on my part to have called Ms Miller.

I like exceedingly the plan of thy Dictionary as indicated in the preceding page

[Thine truly?] John G Whittier

W A Wheeler Esq

Richmond, Va. May 27, 1836. B. Badger, Esq. My Dear Sir:

I accidentally fell in with the "New York Weekly Messenger" this morning, - and was pleased to recognize in its editor one with whom I was once personally ac quainted during my sojourn in Boston - which [act?] I most unluckily abandoned, in April 1817, for a residence in this my native place. Here [have?] I been ever since [failing?] at my profession, - without as yet having been able to accumulate little if any thing above a livelihood.

Eighteen months ago I hit upon the establishment of a Southern Literary Periodical, which I have presented up to the present time with an ardour and zeal, almost as unprecedented, as it has been Quixotic. It is even now with the greatest difficulty that I can keep up the attractions - the interest. If, however, I can enter upon the 3d balance with 12 or 1300 paying subscribers all will be well - otherwise my loss will be very great, for up to the present time my expenses increasing it to what it is, have greatly run ahead of my actual receipts. But I fear I am [intimating?] on the time of my finance - and will therefore change the subject.

By the same mail which carrys this scribble to you, I shall also send to your address the first 5 [numbers?] of my 2d [column?] which I should like to get the favour of you to peruse with some [care?] - and after you have done so, to give such a notice [of?] that such as you really think it [wants?].