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April 22d, Your Letter of April 14th etc. is received yesterday. I hardly know just what to write to you. Your letter troubled me very much, and I have been thinking of it ever since. To be sure the subjects you advert to are very proper for any one at anyone, or at any time. It is every one's duty to attend to their will & everything therewith connected. I shall attend to mine as soon as I have any property etc. I have been thinking for a year or two of certain final requests etc. I wished to be understood, in case of accident, or evil. But what do you mean by an "impression" that you are not to be much more an "actor in the world"? Have you any right to such an impression? You say you may have more reason that I suppose. If there is any ground, pray explain it. You have a constitution better than most even of those who live to Old Age; You have probably really injured it less than most of your age. by fewer irregularities & injurious habits. You are now suffering under an attack occasioned by some injury, which however I cannot see to injure your prospect of a long & eminently useful existence here. Your bodily health, I see no reason to think will not be as good as it ever was within a few months. As for Mental Health which you mention probably few ever enjoyed a greater share than do you. This is both hereditary, natural, educational, and cultivated. Yours is eminently a sound mixed race: the whole history of both roots of the family is conclusive. Metcalf's & Stevens's will uniformly be found both sound & strong, compared with those about them. In yourself centre these qualities in a rather unusual degree. Your mind is singularly well balanced. Among young men of my acquaintance there is no mind of equal practical wisdom. I do not say this in flattery, but in fact, the lessons of Wisdom which I am learning year by year from Experience, and I feel too learning faster than many around me are learning them. I recognize as your counsels, perhaps despised, long before. You should be the last one to permit yourself to be troubled by any thing like Hypochondria. I do not know as you are: but it struck me that perhaps the great change in your habits connected with leaving your usually engrossing business, and retiring to Milo, might to your active mind, make you low spirited. At any rate do not give way to any such feelings. Make up your mind to be, as you were designed to be, and deserve to be, abundantly active & influential in the world. Very much indeed I want to come home to Milo this Spring and see you, but I have a great amount of business on my hands, and am like to have. Whether I may be able to get away for a week or two in the course of the Summer is quite uncertain. At any rate you have now no excuse in lack of leisure to write to me. If I cannot come home, & you do not become engaged in business, I shall absolutely insist upon your coming on here and making me a visit. It would do you good, and really benefit me more than you can well imagine. I could afford to pay you pretty well for it. I should like my business compared with yours. Perhaps I might that it was best for you & Eliab to quit Mercantile life, and go to "Rail roading" in some form. It is a very extensive business, and shrewd men will prosper.