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Bangor May 23 1853 Your welcome missive of love date May 2, was received last Sat. also Isaac's (for him) most commendably long letter to Mother. A letter from Samuel, a long one from Mother, and perhaps my latest to you, are on the way if they have not already reached you. I do not like to think that letters are so long on the journey, but so it must be I suppose. Lucy gains strength rather slowly but is comfortably getting on! She moved down stairs yesterday, baby, lounge, and all suitable appurtenances. The aforesaid baby is a very important personage in the family, to be sure; he asserts and well maintains, his claims to pretty constant mention. He is three weeks old today and looks and acts like a baby of five or six weeks. He is a thorough and determined little "Sucker" - be it his thumb, a rag or anything else he can procure. His eyes are neither blue nor black, but dark and bright, his forehead usually scowling, his mouth wide open most of the time, and his head black enough to indicate the complexion of the sunny South; nevertheless he is quite a handsome child of his age, and "right smart" too, for he smiled intelligently before he was a week old, and already manifests a great degree of acquisitiveness and a very persevering spirit. So much for our newcomer who is undeniably [top of page] Mr. & Mrs. Crosby were here about two weeks ago: yesterday Mr. C. & Rufus were up to our meeting. Margaret is better - they hope recovering. My reading of late has been quite limited both as to variety and amount. I should like much to read 'Littels' but doubt whether it is so pleas and elevated in character as the Eclectic Monetry? which it seems me furnishes as much reading of that kind as one can attend to improve. I am reading Upham on the Will and Campbell's Philosophy of Rhetoric. I read Villette a while ago. It is better I think than Shirley- is very natural and life-like, but perhaps hardly repaying the time of perusal.