Lincoln July 31st 1849.My dear sister -
I trust you receive the letter I sent in the early part of May ere this, & I hope too that something is on the way here from you, though I would not have you do too much for the sake of writing me. I believe I can tell you something how you feel, & I do not want you to take time to write me that ought to be occupied in other duties.
In your note of March 29 & 30th you spoke of the trial you had taken whether it was duty to go to meeting or stay at home & write. Though I would very very gladly receive what you would have written then, I feel happy that your time was otherwise employed. I hope your presence at the meeting did some Nestorial soul far more good than any letter could do me. You know that I always am very happy to receive your communications, but I say to you again, what I said before you left, don't work too hard!! I hope you have not, but I cannot but fear that in the intensely interesting season you have been witnessing, you have done more than nature could bear.
Have I not reason for some slight apprehension in this respect knowing as I do your ardent & enthusiastic nature? You & I are so much alike in some respects that I feel that I know how to judge you. I do as well as you "know what tornadoes of feeling are," & I would that always after the storm there might be a sweet calm, but often the billows are long in subsiding. I have thought sometimes how I would like to see Susan now!! I know she would be glad to tell of a kind Father's goodness & love, & my soul would sympathize with hers a little I would hope.
But I want to say one word more about working too hard. In the latter part of June, Mr Stoddard spent a sabbath at Amherst, & preached in the morning from the words, "we can but speak of what we have seen & heard," & gave an acct. of the revival in -46- &c. He was very interesting - in the afternoon we had him at our little missionary prayer meeting. He gave us advice, & we asked questions &c. He spoke of working hard, & told of his own experiences, & said, "It is of no use for missionaries to go out for a year or two & die. They should husband their strength," &c &c.
Now, Susan, here are the words of one of your own number, speaking from experience. You may think it strange, but I feel like praying that you may be more lazy!! No I will not say that, for I hate laziness, but I do pray that you may be kept from laboring beyond your strength.
The way I do to keep my health is I study Botany, Minerology & Geology so that my leisure time is occupied in something interesting. I have spent a great deal of time among flowers this season, some days half of the time. But you will think this enough on Laziness and its Opposite, so now for a word on something else.
When I heard that Mr. Breath was to return in June as there was a daguerreotype miniature taker in town, I went & had a poor likeness taken, which, for want of a better one, I got & enclosed in a tight tin box, & sent to Boston with a copy of the "Encyclopedia of Religious Anecdotes," a book I thought you would like to own.
These I trust you will receive when Mr. B. arrives. The book will need no recommendation, but as the miniature is a poor one, & of a poor looking person, I thought it would hardly pay to send it, but if it gives you any pleasure I shall feel amply rewarded. The reason why it is no better you will learn when you receive it.
I am now at home you perceive, & you may expect another sheet full of home news, but I am not capable of giving it now, as I have been here only a few days & leave this week for at least 3 months. I may get a little to say before I seal this, & will leave thta for the present to tell of my whereabouts since my last date. That you will receive by Mr. B. & was about the 5th of June I think. From that time till the close of the Senior Examinations (June 25th) my time was occpuied with my college duties & Botany, &c. Mr Stoddard was in Amherst the 24th & preached as I have before said. I could say more of his visit but for want of room & time, pass it.
The week previous the saddest occurences of all my college course took place. On Sunday P.M. while we were at meeting the room of the treasurer of one of the College Societies was broken open & the money belonging to the Society taken. A similar thing had been done the term before, when $35 was stolen, in this instance $25. There were circumstances such that we felt it must be some student that did the business. The winter's [?] bills were examined to see who were absent, &c. The business was pursued by the Pres. & officers of the Soc., till it was clearly saddled upon a member of our class as the thief &c. I cannot stop for details as they would fill sheets, suffice it to say, his named was Washburn, whose father was minister in Amh. till his death & a very Godly man. His mother has since married Dea. Nash of Amh. & he has always had a home in A. & been brought up very carefully so much so that it spoiled him. He has run a dissipated course nearly all his 4 years, leaving out a few weeks, when he indulged a hope Freshman year to run well for a little season. He soon gave up & I fear forever, though he may alter now, & be a new man. His parents knew but very little of his bad career, & his guilt & subsequent expulsion from Coll. almost broke their hearts. He roomed with one Clapp, of my class also, & one that indulged hope at the same time, but has always been a professor that has not weel adorned his profession. He was believed to be a partner of the other though they denied it, but was glad to confess some other things so as to be sent away from Coll. & get out of the hands of the Faculty. He stole a [...]ntal Philosophy, & was guilty of other things. His sentence was not expulsion, but "sent from Coll. in disgrace."
These things are sad. They had only one week more to behave themselves before their course of study would be finished, but here we see, "the sinner shall not go unpunished." It is vain to try to escape justice. I hope it will be a good lesson to all Coll. & that they may be wiser for it.
The next Sabbath P.M. Mr. Bates of Granby preached from the words, "Keep back thy servant from presumptious sins" &c. It would seem as if some improvement might be made of the discourse, but the deceitfulness of the heart is almost infathomable by us.
Well I got through Coll. & rec'd my appointment, &c. & I have only to get the sheep-skin next week. But of Com. b7 & by. Thinking you may wish to know how I stand in my class I will tell you what Mrs Hitchcock said the Pres. told her. They do not tell the exact rank of each one by all the appointments, & I should not have known my rank but for her desire to please me - she said, "Mr Hartwell stands 5th in his class." This is better than I deserve, for I know that I have not done as well as I might. I have been a bad boy for the year past, & I often ask myself, why has God suffered me to live thus? I can only answer, that so it seems best, that I should be tried. My Sen. year has been one that I shall long remember. I know I shall be a holier man if not more learned, for the course
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Since my Senior vacation began I have spent some time in Amherst, & about two weeks have been out with the Pres. travelling & making measurements for biological purposes. Most of our work was in the Conn. Valley, & we went from Greenfield on the north to Middle Haddam on the south. If we had had the time we should have gone to the source of the river and among the White Mts. I enjoyed the journeys much. Next week on Thurs. is Commencement. Then I get the sheep-skin, & B.A. We anticipate some fine exercises - Taylor Lewis, Prof. of Greek in N. Y. University gives us an address, & a Mr. Thatcher of N.Y.C. addresses the Alumni. We have the best band in the N. S. to give us music. biz [?] The Brigade Band from Boston. The subject of my Oration is The Influence of Missions on the Literature of the [...]. It seems to me that I have mentioned this before to you. My object is
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Aug. 2. Thurs. Morn. I am going to Boston I have only a minute to tell you that yesterday I called at Esq. Fiske's [...], Lucy & Cornelius &c. Lucy teaches in Lexington. C. has entered Cambridge College - no room for comments. Capt. Fiske's weston [?] I also visited. Well as usual. Called also on John & James Farrar, & Uncle Amos's folks. Dea. F. has been very unwell, but is more comfortable now. Cousin Orilla is going to Amh. with Mary Ann to spend commencement. A nice time we will have - ie [?] hope to. Goodbye for the present.
In much Christian love
Charles