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Christmas eve. 1847 Dear brother Joseph brought me your letter yesterday - which I was very glad to receive, I had begun to wonder much at your long silence and to feel somewhat troubled lest you were sick, or some accident had happened. I suppose your time is much taken up, but I should think your evenings would be your own if not once in a while a day: I fear you take too much upon yourself, more than you need to, which would be poor policy either physically or mentally: As to want of society I have thought of that, in the business you have chosen and it seems to me a disadvantage; one that must be counteracted or it will lead to serious injury: not a necessary result, though perhaps a more common one of the mode of life of the engineer. Mr. Williams who surveyed the route through Warwick [unclear] three years ago this winter, and whom I met at Uncle Joseph's, was a finished gentleman, conversing with ease and in a most agreeable manner upon every variety of topic, and variety of persons too, easily adapting himself to all, and showing a large acquaintance with men & things as well as a liberally cultivated and refined mind; unlike most persons, seen only for an evening, he left a vivid impression on my mind of his agreeableness and varied information, - he had travelled extensively over the Union, in the way of his business, & was a many of piety. I think you are formed to enjoy social intercourse and to be made better as well as more useful to others by it, and who is not? if your brother Joseph would commune with his fellow beings, open the stores of his accurately well-filled mind, impart and diffuse the just sentiment and kind feelings of his heart, if he could easily and gracefully act upon other minds with his strong, common sense and moral worth how much good might he accomplish, and how much enjoyment he would receive in return! Constituted as he is, there must be a void felt by him a lack of communion with other minds for I know he is formed to enjoy it with kindred spirits;

Do you stand erect nowadays? As long ago when you attended the high school here you had a fine form and I see no reason why you should not now