DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | Bean family letters, 1845-1860

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1845-12-28 Page 01

[At head of letter]:-Read the contence first Yourself and then Submit to Such other Inspection as you choose, bearing in mind at the Same time that what you would Read with pleasure might not be pleasure to others 
[Main letter:] New York Dec. 28th 45. 
Well Mary I Am at this Holliday time taking a walk Now and Then about the city Visiting Various Business places Viewing Different Kinds of Scenery that are Strictly Interesting & to Me, are Strictly Novel - was In at the printing office from which the Medical Work that I Have been taking for the Last 3 Years is Published; the Superintendant Had the politeness to Invite Me to see the press which was In operation worked by Steam a Lady Being Employed in placing the Blank paper on the Machine by which it was Instantly Recd and carried onto the type to Receive There Impression. printing Sixteen Leaves in about 2 Seconds as the Machine was operating when I Saw it. The type ar Stereotype. and composed of an alloy of Lead & Zinc - Was In at Several Bookstores. I purchased Rollins History thought I. Could not Lay out a Little Money to Better advantage or at Least More to please You; Bought the work for $1,75/100. There is But two Volumes & they are about the size of My Large Medical Works or near the size of Walkers Dictionary They Had it in two other forms. first for 2 1/2 Dollars & in form Similar to the Volumes I purchased for $4,00 I was of opinion a Little Money could not be better Disposed of I. Think I Shall purchase Inmans Treasury of History & a few numbers of the penny Magazine. I Have Not purchased Many Medical Works. & Thought I Should not untill I Heard from Butler for If He Sends Me Money or Draft for Money which of course He will Do to Some Extent I Shall Then Buy some Medical Books and if You wish any Book or Books in particular purchased You will please Name Them & if prices & funds will permit I will purchase I. Have Been Thinking per Haps I Might conclude to. shorten My Stay Here a Little and Invest more capital in Books particularly if There should be Sickness 
[Vertically, at left-hand side:] 
to any considerable Extent During the Months of February and March I Had better be at Home to attend to a Little Business Than Here after the More Interesting part of the course Has passed You will Justly appreciate My Views when You Reflect that the most Sickly part of our ordinary Seasons is in February & March & if it should not be Sickly I Should be Home with a fresh Supply of Reading 
[Upside-down, between the lines of the original letter:] 
Perhaps You May feel to accuse Me of not writing often Enough, but; on this occasion it will be like the man said by His Dinner; when He was Drove into the House from the Harvest field about 4 oclock by a Rain Just as They Had Done Eating and his wife asked Him if his Dinner was good - His answer was yes and that it would Have been if He Had not got it till this time - taking it for granted that anything that comes from this city as an Exotic will not be looked upon with a Jealous Eye. but that all Imperfections will be passed by - it is getting quite Late and I must soon close; not for the want of Room but My Eyes are feeling the Effects of Hard usage. Just now - one thing farther You Mentioned in your Last in that portion written the 14th that You Knew that I would feel Verry anxious to Hear from the children! That is quite true; but You should not Have Stopped there for my anxiety Does not can you for one Moment Suppose that they are uppermost in My affections: No No, Mary that is not the case although I. May seem a Little neglectful Sometimes; Reason teaches Me that You are of priceless worth and ought to be and are prized above all other treasures - and if I Expressed a stronger Desire for the welfare of the children our little children it was because I considered them more Exposed to the Common Dangers particularly at this season of the year - You may consider Many of My Remarks out of place but I trust You will Make Due allowance for Errors - I Have purchased a good Looking Moleskin hat almost Expressly on your account so that when I went to Visit The professors I. might Look to please you

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[At head of letter]:-Read the contence first Yourself and then Submit to Such other Inspection as you choose, bearing in mind at the Same time that what you would Read with pleasure might not be pleasure to others [Main letter:] New York Dec. 28th 45. Well Mary I Am at this Holliday time taking a walk Now and Then about the city Visiting Various Business places Viewing Different Kinds of Scenery that are Strictly Interesting & to Me, are Strictly Novel - was In at the printing office from which the Medical Work that I Have been taking for the Last 3 Years is Published; the Superintendant Had the politeness to Invite Me to see the press which was In operation worked by Steam a Lady Being Employed in placing the Blank paper on the Machine by which it was Instantly Recd and carried onto the type to Receive There Impression. printing Sixteen Leaves in about 2 Seconds as the Machine was operating when I Saw it. The type ar Stereotype. and composed of an alloy of Lead & Zinc - Was In at Several Bookstores. I purchased Rollins History thought I. Could not Lay out a Little Money to Better advantage or at Least More to please You; Bought the work for $1,75/100. There is But two Volumes & they are about the size of My Large Medical Works or near the size of Walkers Dictionary They Had it in two other forms. first for 2 1/2 Dollars & in form Similar to the Volumes I purchased for $4,00 I was of opinion a Little Money could not be better Disposed of I. Think I Shall purchase Inmans Treasury of History & a few numbers of the penny Magazine. I Have Not purchased Many Medical Works. & Thought I Should not untill I Heard from Butler for If He Sends Me Money or Draft for Money which of course He will Do to Some Extent I Shall Then Buy some Medical Books and if You wish any Book or Books in particular purchased You will please Name Them & if prices & funds will permit I will purchase I. Have Been Thinking per Haps I Might conclude to. shorten My Stay Here a Little and Invest more capital in Books particularly if There should be Sickness [Vertically, at left-hand side:] to any considerable Extent During the Months of February and March I Had better be at Home to attend to a Little Business Than Here after the More Interesting part of the course Has passed You will Justly appreciate My Views when You Reflect that the most Sickly part of our ordinary Seasons is in February & March & if it should not be Sickly I Should be Home with a fresh Supply of Reading [Upside-down, between the lines of the original letter:] Perhaps You May feel to accuse Me of not writing often Enough, but; on this occasion it will be like the man said by His Dinner; when He was Drove into the House from the Harvest field about 4 oclock by a Rain Just as They Had Done Eating and his wife asked Him if his Dinner was good - His answer was yes and that it would Have been if He Had not got it till this time - taking it for granted that anything that comes from this city as an Exotic will not be looked upon with a Jealous Eye. but that all Imperfections will be passed by - it is getting quite Late and I must soon close; not for the want of Room but My Eyes are feeling the Effects of Hard usage. Just now - one thing farther You Mentioned in your Last in that portion written the 14th that You Knew that I would feel Verry anxious to Hear from the children! That is quite true; but You should not Have Stopped there for my anxiety Does not can you for one Moment Suppose that they are uppermost in My affections: No No, Mary that is not the case although I. May seem a Little neglectful Sometimes; Reason teaches Me that You are of priceless worth and ought to be and are prized above all other treasures - and if I Expressed a stronger Desire for the welfare of the children our little children it was because I considered them more Exposed to the Common Dangers particularly at this season of the year - You may consider Many of My Remarks out of place but I trust You will Make Due allowance for Errors - I Have purchased a good Looking Moleskin hat almost Expressly on your account so that when I went to Visit The professors I. might Look to please you