What a devil of a bore your forced purchase of the unnecessary neighboring land must have been. I am just buying 150 acres more at Chocorua, to round off our second estate there. Keep well and prolific—everyone speaks praise of your "Better Sort," which I am keeping for the country....
To his Daughter.
Fabyans, N. H., May 6, 1903.
Sweet Mary,—Although I wrote to thy mother this P.M. I can't refrain from writing to thee ere I go up to bed. I left Intervale at 3.30 under a cloudy sky and slight rain, passing through the gloomy Notch to Crawford's and then here, where I am lodged in a house full of working men, though with a good clean bedroom. I write this in the office, with an enormous air-tight stove, a parrot and some gold-fish as my companions. I took a slow walk of an hour and a half before supper over this great dreary mountain plateau, pent in by hills and woods still free from buds. Although it is only 1500 feet high, the air is real mountain air, soft and strong at once. I wish that you could have taken that four-hour drive with Topsy[51] and me this morning. You would already be well—it had so healing an influence. Poverty-stricken this New Hampshire country may be—weak in a certain sense, shabby, thin, pathetic—say all that, yet, like "Jenny," it kissed me; and it is not vulgar—even H. J. can't accuse it of that—or of "stodginess," especially at this emaciated season. It remains pure, and clear and distinguished—Bless it! Once more, would thou hadst been along! I have just been reading Emerson's "Representative Men." What luminous truths he communicates about their home-life—for instance: "Nature never sends a Great Man into the planet without confiding the secret to another soul"—namely your mother's! How he hits her off, and how I recognized whom he meant immediately. Kiss the dear tender-hearted thing.
Common men also have their advantages. I have seen all day long such a succession of handsome, stalwart, burnt-faced, out-of-door workers as made me glad to be, however degenerate myself, one of their tribe. Splendid, honest, good-natured fellows.
Good-night! I'm now going to bed, to read myself to sleep with a tiptop novel sent me by one Barry, an old pupil of mine. 'T is called "A Daughter of Thespis." Is this the day of your mother's great and noble lunch? If so, I pray that it may have gone off well. Kisses to her, and all. Your loving
Papa.
The next letter describes the Emerson Centenary at Concord. The Address which James delivered was published in the special volume commemorative of the proceedings, and also in "Memories and Studies."
To Miss Frances R. Morse.
CAMBRIDGE, May 26, 1903.