To
Pamela A. Moffett
9 September 1874 • Elmira, N.Y.
(Transcript by Albert Bigelow Paine: CU-MARK, UCCL 12806)
Dear Sister:
Do not take my letter too much to heart. I couldn’t be otherwise than warm on the subject, for it does seem so prodigiously important. I don’t want to be unkind. But Sammy’s brain must be rested—& thoroughly rested, too. It must not be frittered away, overstrained, destroyed & lost to his generation & his country.
I was glad indeed to hear of Mr. Tucker—I remember him well, & especially his sermons. They were usually 65 pages long. I always counted them, & whenever he “rung in” an extra one there was one member of his congregation that cordially resented it. But I liked him.
We are getting along well. The picture is pretty good.
Sam.
P.S. Pamela, just reflect, for a moment, that Webster, Grant, & nearly all the other great men, were dull & slow, in boyhood—it was all that saved them from overtaxing & destruction [by stupid] by parents & teachers— over-indulgence. But just think! What became of the bright boys, the brilliant intellects that headed their classes? Gone!—destroyed—over-indulged—ruined—lost to the world—lost to unborn generations of men!
Gone down to the grave, unknown & unhonored, & left their high places to be filled by men infinitely their inferiors—such as the Grants and the Websters. I tell you we don’t know what real splendid, magnificent greatness is—we kill it, [persecute ‸it‸] harry it into idiotcy or mediocrity before it can mature. Think of the mighty names you giddy mothers & unwise teachers have robbed the world of!
Textual Commentary
Source text(s):Previous publication:Newly published on MTPO, 2010.
Provenance:See Paine Transcripts in Description of Provenance.
Emendations and textual notes:
Elmira, 9th. • Elmira, 9th. ‸About 75 or 76 | [flourish]‸ ‸74‸ [added by Paine]
by stupid • [deleted by overtyping, possibly reflecting MS deletion]
persecute ‸it‸ • [‘it’ interlined by typewriter, caret added in ink]
