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we should all do hereafter. At the present time I find
my head improving although I can read & write only to a very
limited extent—The Books I bought I can but glance over, which
is quite a trial to me, as they were books of information. My
hope now is that, thorough recovery from the effects of sea sickness
with the bracing effect of food as soon as I can get my
stomach strong enough to recieve it will increase my nervous
strength & of course improve my head. Perhaps I shall not feel
The full & The best influence of my voyage until I have
been for some time & have my plans [unclear]. Therefore as when
I left—The decision upon which, you will hear (of a Divine
Providence pursuit) from St. P. Do not think from all this that
I am low spirited. I am in very good spirit now, & full
of high expectation—but I thought you ought to know exactly
how I have been. For a few days past the weather has been
most beautiful—& and a little time I mean to forget what preceded,
I shall not attempt to travel unless I feel quite fit for it,
yet I may prefer not to come back in the [sloop?], but in the steamer, in any case—
At present however do not look for me, at all, until the 1^st Oct,
for I think there is now as much prospect of my staying till then, as
when I left—But you know I have never been quite as sanguine in
regard to a recovery as some of my friends—I hope you are
well, & I expect enjoying yourself greatly. You are of course in
the midst of a beautiful Spring—while here it is quite cold.
Though I do not suffer in this respect. I quite almost envy ^you. Your
happiness this Summer—You will enjoy everything for my sake. I
could not be satisfied to stay away unless I knew—this would be
so—Dont think# much of me. I shall be well taken care of. &
shall soon be back to spend I trust the remainder of my days in
the bosom if ny dear family—Dear Julia & Charley, I love them
much more than I supposed I did—Take good care of them. Teach
them every thing good—I think of them especially since absent as
included in our covenant with God. My prayer is that they may live to be
useful.
# "Think", is here to be understood in the Southern sense.