ENPages
W. H. B.s'; Brooklyn May 1st 1859.
Dear Father,
According to the advice given in thy very acceptable letter of the 24th Apr. I have set myself down here, while Ward and family are gone to church, to "tell of my state of health and of mind, what my occupation has been the past week", but not "what it is to be the next," for that I do not know myself. Yet I am not quite willing to admit that I deserved a lecture for neglect in the matter of writing - for I dont remember having more than one let a week go by without sending some of you something in the [underline]shape[/underline] of a letter, though they have been poor apologies for the genuine article. But to follow out my intentions as above declared. My health is excellent, as it has been ever since my recovery from fever last winter - and I am sure that my general health is much better here than at home; why, I cant tell. Of the state of my mind I am sorry to be unable to give so good an account, for seasons of cheerfulness with me are the exceptions not the rule. I meet with so little encouragement, and so much of the contrary. The last time I wrote I had in hand a job in the execution of which I fully expected to give satisfaction - and hoped it would lead to some thing
better, in both of which expectations I have been disappointed. The person for whom they were done is, or pretends to be very much dissatisfied with them, and wont be likely to give me anything else to do, if he even pays me for what I have done. From the fact of his not making any objection to the first of the series, which I finished and showed to him, and waiting till they were all done before finding fault with them, I am inclined to think that it is mostly a trick to get rid of paying for them. If he refuses to pay me, I shall endeavour to get hold of them long enough to fix them so that he cant use them. That they are poor things enough is quite certain, but I could'nt make them otherwise from the sketches furnished me, and I know that he cant get any better ones for the same price - No really good artist would look at them for less than $3[?] each. These pictures are what I have been engaged on for nearly four weeks, and were finished last Friday - they are mostly landscapes, but a few residences and public buildings.
Thy account of thine, Mothers and Georges health is far from what I should like to get - but I hope you will all be carefull of yourselves, and that better weather will set you all right again - Yesterday was an almost summer's day here, and todays is not far behind it - the trees are getting quite green and
the grass is luxuriant as I wish it may soon be in the pastures at home - you must be tired enough of foddering by this time. I [underline]am[/underline] glad to hear of the prosperity of the C. V. [Nursery?], and hope this spring will make a big hole in it. I often think how much better off & happier I should be with my nose and knees in it's soil, as of old, than I am here, or am likely to be. I become more & more of the opinion that it is best to give up this struggle, but am not yet quite settled in it. Do write and counsel me freely.
I have not witnessed any of the spiritual manifestations at Mr. Hawley's, but judge from what I hear that they seldom receive any thing very satisfactory at the circles of this house; but at the house of another disciple in Brooklyn they are receiving a series of lectures from Swedenbourg through a medium named Miller (who often comes Mr. Hs.) which are considered very good. I cannot tell what effect the faith has had on Mr. & Mrs. Hawley, (the boys are unbelievers) as I did not know them before they embraced it, but they are very kind good people. One of their neighbors and spiritual friends is a Mrs. Maguire, who tells me that about 30 years ago she lived in the Hollow, North Ferrisburgh, when her husband carried on the chair
making business. Does thee remember anything of them?
Poor Josh's dream of love has been short, indeed; but is it supposed that he has sufficient cause for jealousy? It strikes me that all the strange things happen while I am away from home.
It seems a long time since I had a letter from George, but he probably has not much time for letter writing. Lloyd tells me that G. has been [deleted] honored with the office of Town Clerk. Speaking of Lloyd, we are all anxious to know how he is. Ward has come from church and is talking like mad, so I may as well knock off "[underline]at once[/underline]". Ward & [Nick?] send love to all - as does thy affectionate son
Rowlan Devans.
