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must of course be interesting to me, and grateful received; but I should have been glad to hear more particularly about your own circumstances and prospects. Besides you did not even mention Eliab. I want to know how he gets along as well as yourself, in every respect. Why is it that the young Scamp does not write to me. I should like to know. I wonder how many letters I have written to him: I am thinking I'll not write him again, till after he writes me a good fair letter.

 I should think Lucy might write too. She appears to be growing rather remiss in that respect. Since this new Postage law come into operation, one ought to write about twice as many letters, to patronize U.S. if nothing else. 
  I have been off today & had a fine swim. We have to go mile or two, 2 or 3 to find the river here, or bog rather, salt water.

I swam today much a good way, off to an island perhaps, 50 rods and back; the water was very cold too, just after the great rain, but I felt all the better for it. By the way my health is first rate. I never was better, tougher or healthier, perhaps fatter, than this summer. You & Eliab must take care of your health. It is the most important of all things to young men. Take out of door exercise, if possible.

  I was to hear so much account of your business. I suppose you write most of the time, do you not? What else? How do you like? What are your Wages? and prospects? and fixité? ?

What do you mean by your reflections upon the Athenaean Society? Please to consider that they are decidedly personal. Besides what do you know about the aforesaid board of officers? or other members of said Soc? Please to consider it hereafter as the greatest and best of all literary Societies, always excepting a certain secret 'triangleKE' , or Delta Kappa Epsilon, the badge of which you may perhaps sometime see!