'Till yesterday I could not dispense with my mufflings,
and yesterday we kept Theo.'s birthday. The Laights and half a dozen
others laughed an hour, and danced an hour, and drank her health at
Richmond Hill. We had your picture in the dining-room; but, as it is a
profile, and would not look at us, we hung it up, and placed Natalie's
at table, which laughs and talks with us.
I do not like the boy looking pale so early in the season. It argues
ill; but I like much his heroism and his gallantry. You can't think
how much these little details amuse and interest me. If you were quite
mistress of natural philosophy, he would now be hourly acquiring a
knowledge of various branches, particularly natural history, botany,
and chymistry. Pursue these studies, and also that of language. For
fifty dollars you may get, in Philadelphia, a chymical apparatus, put
up in a small box, with which more than one hundred experiments may be
made.
Your idea of dressing up pieces of ancient mythology in the form of
amusing tales for children is very good. You _yourself_ must write
them. Send your performances to me, and, within three weeks after they
are received, you shall have them again in print. This will be not
only an amusing occupation, but a very useful one to yourself. It will
improve your style and your language, give you habits of accuracy, and
add a little to your stock of knowledge.
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