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so many periodicals when by your own confession you cannot read them? A worse consequence is that they crowd out other & more valuable reading. Periodical publications in general are allowed to be the lowest kind of literature except indeed Reviews, Quarterly's. The people here, have six newspapers come regularly every week, & not one pretends to read any thing else, consequently they have no font of relish for such books as Voices of Nature Macauley's history & Essays - not to speak of others of a higher character in fact to minds accustomed only to newspaper reading nothing is acceptable that requires continuous attention or the exercise of the reasoning powers consecutively The longer we live the more we realize that our time is short and precious and that much that we would like to do must remain undone or a higher good be neglected. As to 'Villette', - I think it as well, perhaps better worth reading than any of the stories I have seen, of the Emmas' the Alice Casey; & the Mary Irving, &c. the tribe of modern female scribblers it is remarkably natural & life-like in its scenes, & neither mawkish nor commonplace but it is very little time I think I ought to spend reading such books. I expect to go to Milo in a week or so, to Bangor by 1st of Aug. & start for Chicago about the middle of that month: Mother will probably go on to Warwick with me & I am in hopes Charles will go in Oct. to return with her. Lucy hopes to come to Milo in a few weeks I wish we could all meet there again this summer but it is hardly probable we ever shall again. I suppose you are as well or better informed about Lucy & baby Eliab & wife as I am. Your baby will be a month old tomorrow give much love many good wishes & kisses to him & his mother Sister Anna