I wrote mother last week mentioning incidents in my visit to Skaneateles. There is a lady there who says she knew you—in the way of shopping I suppose, twenty years ago—Mrs. Clark. I don’t remember her maiden name—something not common in Connecticut. The scenery about S. is perfectly beautiful, nothing else. The long sweeping roll and easy slope of the hills is charming. They run off into the Lake. There is no flat land or marshes about it. Farther up, the hills grow bolder and descend with more abruptness into the water, till at the head of the lake, sixteen miles south of Skaneateles, they are mountains a thousand feet in height and the lake is probably of equal depth—the features changing to grandeur. It is a pleasant day’s excursion there, either by boat or carriage. A ride around the lake—about forty miles—with a dinner at the cascades is the common pleasuring there.

I have been looking for a letter from you and the Monthly Journal for two or three days. I am anxious to hear about the Head farm. If the Farmer’s Library can be had separately at half subscription price, I would drop the Monthly Journal—though it is very good—in favor of Drs. Emmons & Prime’s Quarterly Journal of Agriculture and Science, a very able, practical scientific periodical-$1.50.

I have thought of writing an article about Fuller’s farming, &c for the Cultivator but have given it up because I have not myself sufficient reliance on the correctness of the statements.

All our grain has been a good deal lodged, most of it mowed and much made and stored in bulk—like hay. It does not make much difference, when it is to be machine thrashed. I have not worked much during harvest—cradled till my hand was horribly blistered. The fact is I have not had but very few hard days work this summer. But I think my time has been as profitably spent as it would have been any where else. You will have noticed the article on Judge Van Bergen’s farm in last Cultivator.

I have trimmed all our grape vines.

Mr. Geddes leaves Saturday. Leaves his mother to visit friends in Rochester, goes on to Lockport—mineralizing—and Niagara. Has given up going to Detroit. Returns in about a week—say 10th prox. After the October fairs (say the 10th), he goes with Mrs. Geddes to New York and Boston.

I was disappointed in not seeing or hearing anything of Uncle Owen & Co.

Captain Smith’s furlough has been extended 30 days.

I have two copies of Elihu Burritt’s “Christian Citizen” sent me from the publishers. Though like every newspaper of pluck it will look at [272]

Abigail Anna Hull Brooks

I am at war with all sectarianism and party trammels. The tyranny of priests and churches is as great a curse to the country and the world as Negro Slavery. I very much doubt if I shall join or array myself under any communion that is not open to any “follower of Jesus Christ.”

I have been reading Sartor Resartus. It took me about three weeks, but I was intensely interested before I finished. And now if anybody wants to set me down for an insane cloud dwelling Transcendentalist, because I like Carlyle, I hope they’ll gratify themselves. I do think Carlyle is the greatest genius in the world, with a greater intellect than Scott, Bulwer, Dickens, Hemans and all the lady writers of the age together. I perfectly wonder and stand awe-struck as I would at a Hurricane. Have you read his Cromwell?

A letter was advertised for me in the Syracuse P.O. Of course it was from Cheshire—and has been there—let’s see—dated June 10th but post [273]marked July 18th—from ’Lib. It seems then A. Anna Abigail A. Anna A. Abagail—came home to—get married. I congratulate her heartily and still more—the Rev. Mr. Le Conte. He’ll have an excellent wife or a kitten won’t make a cat. I suppose they’ve been engaged some years. She’s a sensible girl.

What have you done, or what’s proposed about the Seminary? Give it up—I, say—to Miss Thatcher. Private enterprise, better than trustees. You can’t make a college of it. Send the girls to Abbott’s or the Rutger’s—somewhere where all the energies and skill is not to be bent and devoted to getting up a new or reviving an old reputation. The science of education has made great advances in ten years and Connecticut is behind the world.

The new tariff, I hope, will give us a Northern President at least.

War with Mexico has saved us from war with England.

Texas with slavery, will I hope give us California as well as Oregon without. If we can but secure that before the lines are irretrievably drawn, then at least I hope it will be North & freedom vs. South and slavery. And then Hurrah for gradual Emancipation and a brisk trade with Africa. Senator Niles ought to have a coal medal with a steam-boat just cast off and a man jumping overboard at the wharf, in bold relief—motto, “Better late than never.”

I hope you will come on as early as you can, and go by way of Oswego. The sooner the better.