exactly like yourself that it excited a smile all the
while I was reading it. I should have written long
ago, before receiving your's, but for the great press
of business which has occupied my time so exclu
sively ever since I left Watertown. With regard to
your question about our place, I would say, Fabius
has given you a more correct description of it, and
the country round about than I could as I have not
been four miles from the shanty since I arrived here
one year ago last September ; and I have a very
imperfect idea of the looks of the country when I
came in, as I was very much fatigued when I left
the railroad, at Marshall. As to our particular loca
tion, I think it is quite pleasant, aside from all the
inconveniences necessarily connected with it, which
I presume you have seen enumerated in some of
Fabius's letters to your folks, the one-half of which
you cannot realize until you are placed in a like
situation. Our nearest neighbors have been from a
mile to a mile and a half off, until within a fortnight ;
we have now got one within fifty rods, and I think
a pretty good one too.

We have not kept a cow since we lived here until
now, and we have had neither milk nor butter for
the last six months ; except occasionally a little milk
for the babe, this spring. We have had no eggs this
spring, and I have been entirely out of sugar for
six weeks. We should hardly thought we could live
as we do, when we were in Watertown ; but I\ is
bending all his efforts to build the mill, and until that
is completed, he will buy nothing that we can pos
sibly get along without.

You must not think these things are not be had.



260 PERSONAL SKETCHES

Provisions are as plenty here, and cheaper generally,
I should think, than they are there, but it is not
quite as convenient to get them, as it is there where you
can go out and get any thing you may happen to
want, at a minute's notice. Now, I have told you
all. I hope you will come and see for yourself. I
have been to meeting but three times since I lived
here. F.'s zeal in the cause, is about the same as it
used to be. Good night.

BETHIAH MILES.

Lansing, Mich., Jan. 9th, 1859.

DEAREST SISTER E. I presume you will accept
an answer to your letter of some time ago, though
delayed till this time. I therefore shall attempt to
write you a few lines from the capital of the Wolve
rine State. I have had the misfortune to be elected
a member of the Legislature. Here I am, sitting in
an arm-chair, in the State House, with the assembled
wisdom of the State around me, prepared to modify
and amend our statutary code, with such additions
and improvements as past experience would seem to
dictate. I left home last Monday morning, and
arrived here Tuesday night, and our session com
menced Wednesday ; so far we have done little else
than elect a United States Senator. We completed
the election yesterday noon, which resulted in the
choice of Kinsley S. Bingham, our former Governor.
It has been a very exciting time here, on account of
this Senator question. There were four candidates,
all of whom pressed their claims very warmly.

The State have a very fine situation for a capitol,
but the building they now occupy is an old wood
building, constructed for the purpose, but only a
temporary thing. The governor, in his message,
recommends an appropriation to purchase materials




AND RECOLLECTIONS. 261

for the commencement of a new capitol building,
but we, legislators, are of the opinion that it is too
hard times to levy any extraordinary taxes for that,
or any other purpose. The spot on which the capi
tol will eventually be built is a square lot, of about
ten acres, with a gentle eminence in the centre, on
which the building is to be erected. The lot is
fenced with a good substantial fence, and walks are
laid out, and ornamental shrubbery is being planted,
and everything is planned, so that when the whole
is completed, it will be as fine a situation for a capi
tol as there is in the Union. Michigan, everything
considered, is really one of the finest, and must,
eventually, be one of the richest States in the
Union.

We have four children, all healthy, and ordinarily
intelligent. The oldest is a girl, fourteen years old,
more nearly resembling her aunt Eloise than any other
person living ; frank, open hearted, honest and unsus
pecting ; speaks out freely the impulses of an un-
contaminated nature. All she needs is the advan
tages that education under favorable circumstances
can give. Those advantages, we are, of course,
in some degree, destitute of, as all new countries
must necessarily be, but for a new State, we have a
very good system of schools which we are constant
ly improving. Mr. Mayhew, our old county super
intendent in Jefferson County, New York, has been
our State Superintendent here, nearly half the time
since I have been in the State, and he has, most cer
tainly done much for the improvement of our

schools

From your brother,

FABIUS MILES.



262 PERSONAL SKETCHES

Watertown, April 2d, 1847.

SISTER E. I have got my spelling-book nearly
completed. I have worked at it most of the time
since November ; and now expect to publish it in
July or August, next. For the purpose of getting
some counsel on this subject, that I wish for, I shall
go to Geneva, to the New York State convention of
county superintendents, which commences its session
the last Tuesday in this month. If convenient and
agreeable to you, I would be glad to meet you there,
as it is no farther from your place of residence, than
from here. My time is so much occupied that I
know not when I can see you, unless it be then.

C , Jefferson Co., JV". T. June 4th, 1853.

I have been " schoolmaster " in this place for the
last five weeks, with an average of about thirty
pupils. There is great lack of ambition here about
attending school, and some of the patrons think the
expense is a great item ; so, on the whole, my school
is not as pleasant as many others I have taught. My
weekly average has constantly increased, however,
and I am prospering somewhat

The railroad running through this place, makes it
geem like more stirring times than formerly, but
there is less business of some kinds than before, for
instance, tavern keeping. Many small places are
injured the same way, though the mercantile, lum
ber, and fishing business are better than before.
Enclosed, I send you an embossed palm-tree of my
own manufacture. If it is not pretty, send it back,
and see if you can make a better one by trying twice.
Yours,

JOSIAH MILES.



AND EECOLLECTIONS. 263

Leeds, JZngland, March 20th.

MY DEAR SISTER : Your letter, and father's,
came to hand yesterday, and I need not say how
very glad I was to hear from home once more. The
number of births, marriages and deaths in our
neighborhood, shows the great change that is con
stantly going on in the world. In a few short years
the then busy world, will occasionally drop a word,
or at least some of our friends will, about ourselves,
and we shall be in the " house appointed for all liv
ing." "We have been, comparatively speaking, a
favored family. I was grieved to hear of the death
of sister Roxanna's second child. I have never
found time to write to her since, but intend to be
fore long. You will see by the perusal of my letter
to father, that there are good, weighty and sufficient
reasons, why I should not write many, nor long let
ters to my numerous relatives, and friends. Like a
thousand other " sins of omission," I can swamp that
in the one excuse, " hadn't time." Let it go. We'll
meet some day I hope, if not here, we undoubtedly
shall in that bright land beyond the skies, where
flowers never fade, and sorrow is never known. * * *

One day last week, I left Manchester, passed
through or over England, Wales, Ireland and Scot
land, all in about sixty hours. Passed through
North Wales, across from Holyhead, (Island of An-
glesea,) to Dublin, and from there to Belfast, by
railway and coach, and after tarrying there a day,
took steamer for Androssan in Scotland. I then
came south through Dumfries, and saw " Ellisland,"
the farm that Burns cultivated, was in the house
where he died, the little tavern where he used to go
and drink,

" When chapmen billies leave the street
And droitly neebors, neebors meet- ' '



264 PERSONAL SKETCHES

I also went to his tomb, and gathered some leaves
there ; I send you one of the beautiful golden holly,
If you are fond of relics,' keep it. It came from the
tomb of Robert Burns ; I plucked it myself. I also
had half an hour's conversation with Robert Burns,
the oldest son of the poet. He is an old man, about
the age of our father, and looks considerably like
portraits of his father, the poet. I called on a man by
the name of Smith, who showed me a letter that
Burns wrote. It was a love letter of course, but writ
ten for another, who copied it and sent it. It was ter
ribly full of love. I saw three verses in the window
of the tavern spoken of above, which Burns had
written with a diamond. I copied one, here it is :

" 0, lovely Polly Stewart

0, charming Polly Stewart,
There's not a flower that blooms in May,
That's half so fair as thou art. "

The landlad} 7 - of the house, said she had been of
fered five pounds for one of these panes of glass,
and she would not take it. Mr. Smith had been of
fered fifty pounds (over $240) for the letter ; such

are imaginary values I enclose you a sprig of

the beautiful heather in bloom, that covers nearly all
the wild land in the mountainous parts of Scotland,
and considerable in England. Is it not pretty ? . . .

Albany, N. Y., March 13A, 1853.
L. has been writing to you on this sheet, and puts
the paper before me on the table, and says "write,"
but I have written you so recently that I have noth
ing to write, only that I have been wandering around
considerably since ; have been to Washington, to
old Virginia, and various other places. Have not
lectured any since I was at Watertown, only I read
a paper on the History of Iceland, which was re-




AND RECOLLECTIONS. 265

ported in the New York Herald, as a lecture. I

have been to see E in Middletown, Conn., and

to Boston, one day only each ; you see my visits are
all short. L. is spending to-day with me at my
room, with one of her school-mates. I go to New
York on Tuesday, to read a paper before the Geo
graphical Society in the University ; where I go
from there is uncertain. Write, and direct simply
to New York.

Scarborough, England, Oct. Vlth, 1860.

MY. DEAR SISTER. I am lately in receipt of
your very welcome letter r of September 12th. The
successive shocks I have experienced in the two
afflicting deaths in the house where we were born,
have really gone far towards making me indifferent
to. any future visits to our old home. I deeply sym
pathize with poor A., and know he must feel deso
late. He must, and we all must bear up under it.
I think, with you, that I have endured a shock and
grief which I never can again. I am glad to hear
you bear testimony to the cheerful faith with which
father looked forward to another state of existence.
1^ have not seen a paper containing a notice of the
death of either him or sister Roxana. I should like
much to see the obituary you speak of. My Lon
don address is always as you addressed me, 43
Great Tower street. I came up here to Scar
borough, last Saturday, 13th, to stay a week, to get
the sea air, and have some recreation. My life is
spent in writing. The hard-working resident of a
great city, has one long battle to fight against the
fates in the shape of hard toil, bad air, care, anxiety,
&c., &c., and he gets a new lease of life every time
he goes out of town to breathe the country air.

23



266 PERSONAL SKETCHED

"

Here is a most beautiful place, and capital bathing.
To-day, I have walked sixteen miles in a long, cir
cuitous route, through a beautiful country ; a feat
I have not performed before, for years. I accom
plished it easily. I was in Ireland two or three
weeks in August and September, and since that,
twice in France. My health is good the most of the
time, at least as good as a slave to toil can expect.
I return to London in three or four days.
Affectionately your brother,

PLINY MILES.

No. 139 Franklin St., Buffalo, \
October, 27th, 18 j

DEAR SISTER IT. I have not yet been here quite
a month, and have had several letters to write, and
some running about to do, which is my reason for not
writing before. If you were to peep through the key
hole, you would find me snugly ensconced by the side
of the stove, which imparts its cheering warmth un
sparingly to the inmates of the room, (myself and my
canaries), defying the bleak breezes from off Lake
Erie to enter this quiet, comfortable apartment. In one
corner of the room may be seen a cherry table, mount
ed by a book-case containing sixty or seventy vol
umes, among which are the Poetical Works of Byron,
Shakspeare, Grey, Milton, Beattie, Collins, Joaimie
Bailie, &c. On the top of the book-case, is a vase
of wax flowers, the handiwork of our deceased
cousin . . . , I have attended church every Sun
day since my arrival here, Rev. Stephen R. Smith's,
except last Sunday.

Yesterday, I went down to the lower part of the
city, to see the ruins of the buildings after the gale,
Friday evening. You can have no idea of the de
struction without being an eye witness. A great



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 267

maiiy of the inhabitants were drowned, or crushed
by the falling of buildings ; ^nd those that escaped
were many of them strippeir of every thing they
owned, and are now travelling the streets, with
hardly clothing enough on to cover them. How
much misery there is in cities that people out know
nothing of. .... I have been to see Niagara Falls ;
and what do you think were my sensations? It
would not be easy to describe one's feelings on be
holding such a majestic scene. Travellers may de
scribe the width of the river; the height of the
banks ; the fury of the waters, and the brilliancy of
the rainbow ; but they can never describe the lofti
ness of the inspiration on viewing that magnificent
scene : here we look through Nature up to Nature's
God. The nearer I approached, I only admired the
more. I could not feel satisfied until I had stepped
within a few feet of the rushing waters ; and even
then, I felt an inclination to leap over the profound
abyss, and " enjoy it all." There I could gaze for
hours in speechless admiration. In that hallowed
spot I could not withhold a prayer of gratitude to
Him who has united such beauty and sublimity.

We are naturally religious beings Near the

Horse-shoe Fall, is a Museum filled with beasts,
birds, fishes, insects, and reptiles, without number ;
toys manufactured by the Indians, birch-bark bas
kets, embroidered with moose hair and the quills of
the porcupine, making splendid ornaments ; some as
high priced as ten dollars. When we went to the
Falls, we took the steamer "Emerald," and landed at
Chippewa, on the Canadian shore ; from there we
took the cars, drawn by horses three miles. We in
tended to cross the river, and visit Goat Island ; but it
was not deemed advisable, on account of the stair-case
being removed. We reached home about six o'clock



268 PEESONAL SKETCHES

in the evening. When we entered the harbor, it
was so filled with vessels, that we were obliged to
go through a schooner, steamboat, and canal-boat,
before we could reach the wharf. The steamers on
Lake Ontario are nothing to be compared with those
on this lake, in beauty, size, and convenience. The
" Empire " has a cabin two hundred feet in length,
and furnished with princely splendor

Nov. 19.

Thrice welcome was your kind epistle, which
found us happy in our usual health and prosperity.
With what eagerness did I break the seal ; for there
is nothing that I enjoy better than a frequent and
punctual correspondence with loved friends ; and
could I be certain that my friends would take half
the pleasure in reading my communications, that I
do in writing them, or reading theirs, I should feel
abundantly rewarded.

I told aunt that you spoke of deferring your journey
until summer ; so that your visit to roaring Niagara
would be in a season that all of its beauty and love
liness would appear to the best advantage. Mr. S.
says that in winter it is even more beautiful than in
summer ; the contiguous trees and shrubbery are
covered with the purest crystal. In speaking of the
Falls, you say : 'Vln such a place, how sensibly a
person must feel his own nothingness." I have seen
that idea advanced before ; but it does not at all cor
respond with my feelings. I am not, as Addison says,
" afraid of being overlooked in the immensity of God's
works." Immortal man is the noblest of all God's
works ; and the beautiful and grand in nature are
created expressly for the use and gratification of his
intelligent beings.



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 269

Jan. 3e?.

Another year has drawn to a close, another
dream of time passed away, even as those which
have gone before it ; and its events are recorded in
the great book of time, with the long list which fills
up the eternity of the past ; some few we would
wish blotted out, and others we would cherish in the
memory, as long as that principle survives. Many
fervent thanks to the Great Giver of all good, for
the health, happiness, and prosperity that have
attended me during the past year ; may I never be
unmindful of these invaluable blessings.

Your warm-hearted, welcome epistle came Christ
mas noon a rich holiday present, besides, Santa
Glaus called and left me a beautiful mahogany work-
box. I use it to keep my letters in ; it is almost full.
It is really a treat to sit down in my " sanctum sanc
torum," and read them over occasionally. They
exhibit a pleasing variety of genius and feeling ;
they are mostly effusions of hearts overflowing with

kindness I have been reading a work

which has interested me much, which I presume you
have read Paley's Theology.

Christmas eve we had our church trimmed splen
didly ; the ever-greens were arranged so as to
resemble cord and tassel trimming ; near the roof it
appeared like a dense forest. The chandelier, with
forty-eight sperm candles, was completely enveloped
in wreaths and festoons of evergreen. In the back
ground, rose the " Star of Bethlehem." The bril
liancy of the scene was heightened by one of Br.
Smith's best sermons, and soul- thrilling music from
the choir

Last week, I attended another one of Madame De
Bonne ville's lecture on Phreno-Magnetism, at the
Eagle Street Theatre, to a crowded room ; her man-



270 PERSONAL SKETCHES

ner was pleasing, and the matter instructive. After
the lecture, her husband magnetized a young man
by the name of Burnett. While in that state, he
performed the piece called the "Female Maniac"
If I ever had every sympathy of my nature aroused,
it was then. The whole audience turned pale with
terror ; my heart beat as if it would burst its con
finement. The mental anguish that he appeared to
feel, was indescribable ; he tore his hair with the
most poignant grief ; his limbs were convulsed, and
his features distorted. De Bonneville was obliged
to stop him at the beginning of the last verse, be
cause he had not power to control him. The whole
scene produced an immense excitement. . . .

Poplar Hill, Watertown,
April, 10th, 185-.

Although you said you had nothing to write, your
letter contained much that we read with interest.
You seem to think, now that we have met with the
loss and disappointment of having our school-house
burned, we shall have to do without. What made
you think we should not have a new one ? You
must think we are as energetic as Fanny Fern's
44 Mr. Smith," that a snail is an express train to us.
But, as strange as it may seem, the building com
mittee have about completed arrangements for a
nice building on a new site, nearer the lower part of
the district. So you discover that we are not such
drones as you took us to be.

You ask me to send you some flower-seeds. My
variety is very limited, comparatively, for at the
time they should have been gathered an unusual
press of business caused me to neglect it. However,
I have some that I can send you. I shall be obliged
to put them in helter skelter, to save room, and you



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 271

can assort them. The double yellow marigold blos
soms at the same time that dahlias do, and are
almost as beautiful. The large round brick-colored
seeds are lady's slipper, that came in a letter from
St. Louis. The brilliant black ones, wild honey
suckle, the small dull black seeds are dew-plant,
also from St. Louis. The large black seeds are a
new variety of cock's comb ; the small light brown
seeds are crocus. The tufted seeds are asters. The
melons, etc., came from the office of the " Rural
New Yorker," Rochester. The muskmelon seeds
are said to be extra fine.

If you have border-pinks, divide them, and they
will spread rapidly. I covered mine slightly last
fall, and they have not been winter-killed at all.
And my tulips are doing finely ; I like them much
better than dahlias. . . .

Dec. 9^, 1855.

The Friday following the United States Conven
tion, father and myself started for Connecticut :
Staid the first night at Albany. And at Springfield
met Mr. "W. on his way to Utica, and only saw him
a few minutes. Sunday, we heard Rev. Theophilus
Fiske preach in Middletown. Monday, brother P.
came, and we visited the curiosities of the place,
and they are quite numerous. We went all over
the Wesleyan University, and to the top of the
Observatory ; it is filled with curiosities. Middle-
town is a most beautiful city. Tuesday we visited
Portland, a village on the other side of the river,
where there is an extensive quarry of Connecticut
brown stone. At 4 o'clock, P. M., we all (father,
P., and myself) took passage on the steamer " Gran
ite State," for New York, where we arrived early
next morning, and took rooms at the International



272 PERSONAL SKETCHES

Hotel. We spent that day as advantageously as
possible. Went to Brooklyn, Crystal Palace, Bar-
num's, etc., and started for home next morning,
on the Hudson River, by way of Albany. Again
got home at six o'clock, P. M. We had a very
pleasant journey and enjoyed it much. Brother
Pliny brought with him from Panama five girls'
hats, three for Emily's girls, and one each for
your's and mine.

Affectionately your sister,

ROXANA M. BLOUNT.*



Worcester, Mass., Aug. 15tfA, 185-.

MY DEAR SISTER E - : Your letter of Aug.
3d, was the first that I received from you since I
left home, though not the first that I had heard from
you. I shall leave here about the first of Nov.,
when I shall probably go West, perhaps by way of
your place. How different every thing is here
from things about Watertown ; the face of the coun
try, the inhabitants, the trees in the forest, the flow
ers, both wild and cultivated, especially the wild ;
the beasts, birds, fishes, and insects, are all some
what changed, and probably would be much more
BO by going South.

It appears to me that a person must be rather
dull, not to enjoy such a tramp as I have had. I
spent four or five hours at Mt. Auburn Cemetery,
rather agreeably ; when I see you I will tell you all
about it. It is worth a great deal to go into the
museums at Utica, Albany, New York, and Boston.
The Lowell factories to me are a great curiosity.
The prospect from the top of Bunker Hill Monu
ment is good, beyond my powers of description.
I think you have been to Trenton Falls. That is
the handsomest waterfall thatLl have ever seen, not

* Died, June 1, I860.



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 273

excepting Niagara. Be sure and visit the museum
at Niagara, when you go there. . . . As for
church, I have not been settled long enough to go,
as yet ; the last church I have been in was at Port
land, Me. I am getting quite heathenish, though
the people here are more piously inclined than in
York State ; all go to church every Sabbath, re
gardless of the weather. And I have staid at home
and have lately read the Orthodox creed, for the
first time ; and such a medley of stuff for any mortal
man to believe, I never saw. Further comment is
needless.

You ask if I have visited any Odd Fellow Lodges.
I have several ; and prefer spending an evening
that way, where I am acquainted, or even where I
am a stranger, to almost any other. There is always
a general turnout at the Lodges of the most enter
prising fellows in the place. I saw some splendid
Odd Fellows' Halls in* Boston. I have several