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[[]]r remarks upon a Mexican Great Man are pretty good, perhaps somewhat ?tured with "Carlyleism" You look upon Europe as requiring a great ? Where? It has now at least one Great Man. Nicholas [[]]ur ideas upon Sea Shore scenes versus summer landscapes are well expressed and perhaps good, but I cannot rce? with them fully. The warm bright meadow glittering in sunlight, the happy [[]]ve enlivened by the music of birds & breezes, the quiet river bank, ar not all deceitful? shine, deceitful show They are true pictures. They are the hand writing of him who cannot lie. This world is not all a gloomy prison house of mind. It? is a bright & a beautiful world, full of objects of gratitude and contentment. To? be sure the roses have thorns, and the meadows have thistles & briars, but shall I not enjoy the sweetness of the rose because I may prick my finger with the thorn? Shall I not walk the meadow because I may, if I go barefoot, hurt my foot with? a thistle? I say it is man's duty to be happy in this world. He is deating? the designs of God if he is not. He should, it is true, be careful of the thorns, but he should go confidently forward to gather the roses. To understand Drawing would certainly be great apistance?. A knowledge of perspective must be requisite in drafting buildings especially. I think I must endeavor to acquire such knowledge, though very many engineers do not. An engineer is not necessarily a real Draftsman, or a Draftsman an Engineer. As for politics; I "read the papers". As an American I am interested in the political affairs of U.S.A. as a man & a scholar in those of Europe & the world. You say my December prospects seem shaded. I do not know. It is hard times to be sure; but them? feel it, not I. I have gone steadily onward in prosperity: my wages, my responsibilities, my prospects constantly increasing and brightening. My success (spite of Mental Indolence) has been perfect, beyond my expectations or even hopes. Sat. eve. Feb. 12th. Well we have got back from Brattleboro. It has been a very cold week, and people have complained bitterly of the cold. I have been extremely comfortable and laughed at the rest about "Down East Weather". The fact is I am tough. I have the coldest business too as instrumentalist, standing still about all the time. The day though I pulled off coat I showed Casy Seamfes? how to cut trees.