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Williamsburg July 28^th/67

Dear Miss Mary

Forgive me for daring to
get sick, when you wished to
hear from me, and excuse thie
bad spirits caused thereby.

Your two sweet letters were
greatly enjoyed, as I could see
therein, from a kind and gentle
nature a true type of the
noble heart. Many bad
thoughts oppress me - and at
times I am weary of life. -
but when such dismal ideas
come, I seek comfort in your
kind words. They cause the
star of hope to continue burning,
although the dark clouds hover
threateningly.

As does music
tranquilize the soul - As does

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poetry refine the mind - As does
religion purify bothe, soothingly
comes from your kind expressions,
the blam for discontent.

My Sweet Sister Pattie, upon
whose gentle face, peace, love,
and holiness, lie blended, in
affections closest union ; begs
that you remember her sometimes,
and as a reminder, sends with
her love, a true picture of
happy marriage, and the
dearest wish of my heart is,
that the beautiful spirit of
her guardian angel, may hover
round you, and belong to you.

My dream you seem to
consider an idle effusionof
a weak mind. A Sentimental
affectation, or a moody, and
distorted idea, which had better
never been remembered - but
unfortunately it is remembered

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and though a dream, must
portend somehing. Sister Eliza
intends to write to you soon,
she has taken the wonderful
fancy of gazing long, and
earnestly at your beautiful
likeness, and thinks as she
turns it in various lights,
new charms may be discovered,
which were never seen before.
I disagree with her, and
think in the face of the
original, expressions play,
which art and science, can
never fully justify.

There is a misery in
physical pain, and there is
misery in mental pain, and
there is pain in life - but
the deepest of all miseries,
is the heart bowed down
with grief. But why

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should I speak of pain who -
know it not? I have some
secret sorrows child, which in
time will be revealed. Pain
is natural, and every man
must bear his burden.