am sure it
will please them to know, that on account of the increased expenses
of living, and the failure of some stocks, this gift is especially
convenient to me, and will help to smooth--for the steps now, perhaps,
but few-my remaining path in life.

I am, as ever, with great regard,

Your friend,

ORVILLE DEWEY. To the Same.

ST. DAVID'S, March 30, 1874.

DEAR BRYANT,--I send you enclosed my formal answer to your letter on
behalf of my kind friends in New York and elsewhere, but I must have a
little private word with you. . . . That speech of yours at the Cooper
[A meeting at the Cooper Institute] was one of the best, if not the very
best, of the little speeches that you have ever made. But good gracious!
to think of your undertaking a Popular History of the United States! The
only thing that troubles me for you is the taskwork of investigation.
Supposing you to have the whole subject in your mind, nobody can write
the story better than you can. Put fire into it, my dear Senior; or
rather do what you can do,--for I have seen it,--so state things in your
calm way as to put fire into others.

[323] This is a great work that you have in hand; everybody will read
it, and will be instructed by it, I trust, in sound politics, and
stirred to holy patriotism.

Ever yours, faithfully,

ORVILLE DEWEY.

To the Same,

ST. DAVID'S, Aug. 6, 1874.

WE have had a good deal of conference together, you and I, old friend,
but I do not know that we ever discussed the subject of bores. You have
raised questions about it, both for the next world and this, which,
though I said nothing about them in my book, as you facetiously remark,
it may surprise you to know are quite serious with me. Thus, if there is
to be society in the next world, what can save it from the weariness of
society in this,--save it, in other words, from bores? The spiritists
say that Theodore Parker gives lectures there to delighted audiences.
And, truth to say, I do not know of any other social occupation that
would be so satisfactory as that of teaching or learning. What is
all the highest conversation here, but that by which we help one
another--teaching or being taught--to higher and juster thoughts? That
would shake off the yoke of boredom under which so many groan now. If,
instead of eternal surface-talk, we could strike down to reality, to
something that interested our minds and hearts, fresh streams would
flow over the arid waste of commonplace.