BLACKWELL FAMILY George Blackwell Blackwell, Elizabeth 1895-97George W. Blackwell Steamer Gallia about mid ocean Sep. 10. 1895 Dear Elizabeth. We were glad to receive your “God Speed” at Queenstown. But I cannot help being a little amused at your drawing conclusions concerning the “Divine Institution of Marriage “ from me and from the effects that you attribute to it in my case. It is true that I have a good little wife, intelligent and affectionate children and that my marriage has been a happy one. But it shows how difficulty it is to judge of human institutions by their looking in individual cases, that you in my case, intimate as you are with the parties, mistake the cause for the effect, and think that the qualities that made my marriage a happy one, are the result of the marriage; whereas the happiness of the marriage results from the previous possession of those qualities. Now I attribute the satisfaction of my married life to the fact that I possess large patience, am slow to anger, can easily and without regret forego pleasures & indulgences and can feel good will to others even when I do not approve of their course. These qualities are not inherent, but were largely developed in my by our early poverty. From mychildhood and until after maturity, it was a matter of course that my tastes were not regarded; it was a matter of course that my wishes and hopes should be disappointed that I should not do that which I wished to do, and that I should do as I did not wish to do; no irritation followed, for I fully realized our poverty and that self denial was inevitable and no ones fault. Another cause personal to myself, tending to happiness is that when I married I had reached an age when some measure of wisdom had succeeded to the crudity of youth; so that I had more reasonable views of life and more quiet self control than most young people have at the time of marriage. Then Emma came to me, young & inexperienced, it is true, yet trusting fully to the wisdom of my greater age-affectionate and confiding and with a most unusually honest and conscientious nature; so that in spite of her inexperience, I could not do otherwise than respect, honor and trust in her. Now given two persons who love and honor one another, having the wisdom to recognize that human nature is imperfect, and the patience to bear with such defects, may you not expect them to live together in harmony? I really think that marriage, except as the formal uniting of our lives in society, has had less than usually is the case in developing our characters-a union of many years has of course bound us closely together in feelings, in fitness and in mutual ties, and mutual love and trust is fuller and deeper than in the beginning. But had we been less balanced, of more stormy and exacting natures, had we been lacking in patience and less accustomed to self control; had we been self indulgent and and wanting in the succor of duty; I can well understand that marriage might have proved a great evil, have intensified all our defects, have resulted in misery to both, have caused us to live together like snarling dogs or to part as enemies. Does not this show how difficulty it is to form any thing like a science based upon the investigation of facts in connection with the affairs of everyday life? You were inclined to say that marriage, as evidenced in the union between Emma & me, developed certain qualities. Whilst the fact is that, given individuals of certain characters, they may hope to live happily in marriage; which is quite a different thing. Had the relation of marriage been in law, in religious opinion and in social usage, ever so different from what it actually is; yet would Emma & I have felt and acted towards one another just as we now do. In other words I believe that institutions grow out of character far more than character grows out of institutions. As a further instance of the different conclusions drawn by different people from the same facts, I may say that Emma & I have in marriage the same experience, yet Emma advocates rather early marriages; I late ones, especially for the man. Emma thinks quite young people, though they may jar, will yet grow together. I think that age gives wisdom, patience & self control, and that these qualities being especially needed in the man, he should be decidedly older than thewoman. Emma thinks 22 & 25 good ages respectively. I think 25 & 35 much better. Had Father been 35 and mother 25 at marriage, Father would probably have been a successful business man & have lived to see his children all grown up, instead of dying at 48 from anxiety. I can hardly bear to think of Father, for I realize so vividly what a hopeless, worried life his must have been. It was painful to trace his steps in Bristol-the hopefully commencement of married life in Kingsdown Parade, evidently a handsome street for the Bristol of those days; The steady descent as cares & expenses increased, to poor little Wilson St. & finally to miserable Nelson St; then the attempt to drag himself out of the wretched surroundings by flight to America, & the final desperate plunge to Cincinnati where a reserved & sensitive nature succumbed to dispair. His life is a tragic comment upon a too early marriage. Think of it; a man of 48, a foreigner & stranger in a distant western city, a helpless family of 12 dependent upon him, not a friend nor a business acquaintance, not a dollar of money or of credit-proud, reserved, sensitive what was there in life for him. Sept 15th we reached Boston this morning, found Emma and Anna waiting for us & Henry & Alice expecting us. All well and glad to see us. The return voyage rather tedious. The vessel an inferior one and very much overcrowded. As Howard is sending you a diary of the journey I will not repeat it. Your photograph for Lovina is much admired. If you could get a few copies they would be valued. Affty G.W.B. 11 Quincy St. Cambridge, Mass. July 10th/96 Dear Elizabeth, What is the "Humanitarian League," that a sensible M.D. should share it? Is it possible that you have got hold of some unwise medium through which to present your lectures? That would be unfortunate, for a cause like a man, is known by the company is keeps. It would be very well, could your lectures stand upon their own merits, and be entirely unconnected with any cause or set whatever. Then you can appeal to the adherents of all sects & have an unprejudiced hearing, but the moment you attach yourself to any one, that moment the opponents of that set are also your opponents.Church of England or Dissenter, Catholic or Protestant, Armenian Reform, Woman Suffrage or Temperance, it matters not what, the moment you are openly taken up by any one, at once you are condemned by all the rest. Appeal to all belong to none-is your true course. I am glad to know by your last, that Anna's friend Miss [Gold?] is visiting her, it shows that she still has strength & vitality enough to keep up friendships; I wish she could also make new ones. Sometime next week, I think we shall get off to the Vineyard. So perhaps it would be well till further notice, to address me at Squibnocket Mass (Dukes County). The children are eager to be off. As soon as Henry & Alice have set the day for their return please let us know. As far as Alice is concerned, apart from the cost, she can just as well as not remain indefinitely. She is not at all needed either for the paper nor for the Armenians Both will get along just as well without her. Indeed, I think her articles in the Journal are often unwise & injurious. Nothing is gained by personality, by vituperation nor by mere faulty finding. Calm unexaggerated statements of fact, backed up by clear reasoning, is the only way to convince reasonable beings. Those who you can only reach by appeals to prejudice & misstatement are not worth reaching. I very much wish she could have her interest enlisted in some cause in which she could work with the sympathy of all about her - she has been all her life in an atmosphere of antagonism & opposition to the community- imagining herself much more prominent in the eyes of the Community than she really is, and fostering in herself a feeling of resentment for imaginary injuries, and slights - that do not exist. There is no opposition nor ill will amongst men & women, as the suffrage agitators insist upon & try to make out; quite the reverse; Men are quite inclined to attribute to women a preeminence in virtues & excellencies that they are really hardly entitled to - If Alice could only be brought into contact with men & women working hand in hand for a common cause without rivalry & with the good will of the community enlisted in favor of their ends, it would have a most happy influence upon her. Affy G.M.B.11 Quincy St. Cambridge, Mass. Jan’y 3, 1896 Dear Elizabeth. Herewith I send Brown Bros. &c. check on Loudon for proceeds $240.00 int. owed 1st inst. — We were glad to have yours of 22 Dec. with favorable report; also the sketch from your terrace, which is very natural — Have you been able to do anything with the little adjoining bit of land? especially that outside Howard’s window. I am very glad that you were able to repay your Loudon trip. Our xmas passed very quietly — a table full of presents, & Henry & Alice & Mr & Mrs Lawrence to dinner, was the extent of it.We all Keep well, except Howard, who is not quite what he should be - Emily is still reported very weak - she has been ill now some two months and this very slow recovery, if recovery it be, is suggestive of failing powers. Ellen spent Xmas with Sam. She has not yet returned to Washington - She seems much taken up with her Lawrence house where she now is; it is possible that she may spend the winter there. I wonder whether Marian has been able to eat rennet curd; if she finds it of any value, I can send her any amount of fresh salted rennet. This goes by the Lucania tomorrow & should reach you the 14th. I hope you may have several pleasant visitors at Hastings before spring & also pleasant trips to London - Love to Kitty - Afty G.W.B. - East Orange, N.J. July 2, 1899 Dear Elizabeth Herewith I send Dft. for £49.2.7 proceeds of $240. sent on July 1st- I am for the moment keeping bachelors hall, the family being in Gardner- I have some unfinished business that keeps me here-- Howard has graduated & is now a Harvard A.B.- Well!- It seems but yesterday that I was considering what college to prepare him for. There was a week of great doings in Cambridge- Edith & Ethel from Sam's family- Henry & Alice and all my own little family were on hand, with other of Howards friends making 36 who attended his spread- The Commencement exercises were to me the most interesting part- Some 660 degrees were Conferred- of which 446 were Howard's Class- the others representing as many as tenvarious graduate Courses-- Amongst noted guests present were Rear Admiral Sampson, General Wood (Governer of Santiago) Jules [?] French Ambassador, Governor Wolcott of Mass. & others The honorary degree of L.L.D. was Conferred on the first three of the above-- Well! it is all over now-- Ethel seemed well + bright + happy-- I have no late family news. He keeps well-- I hope you are all thriving in Hastings-- I expect to rejoin the family in garden[?] in a few days-- I shall hope to hear soon that you have had some pleasant summer change-- Could not you + Anna go somewhere upon the water, where you could without climbing slopes or stairs step right out upon a sandy beach? I should think that would be a pleasant change--affy G.W.B. East Orange N.J. March 30, 1899 Dear Elizabeth Enclosed I send if for £55.10.0 being the proceeds of $270. int. due 1st April-- The various family [?] on this side of the water are well as far as I know-- The only noticeable change is the sudden marriage of Emilys [?]--of which you doubtless have heard before this. I cant think highly of a Marriage that Commences with a separation for years. I hope your various meetings have proved interesting.The Woman's Hospital; the Internation arbitration Meeting & the fresh air Consumptive treatment are enough to keep you occupied through March at least. I hope your eye Trouble has passed ere this-- Kitty's note shows quite a variety of home interests, Baby, Wedding, visitors etc. You must have had occupation & Change. I am glad you can keep the house & alive with varied interests I wish poor Anna had as much going on about her-- Don't get rid of your surplus furniture too soon--Zora Can almost always use more from time to time-- Perhaps in considering the treatment of incipient Consumption, it would be well to consider the effect of deep, not violent breathing, systematically carried out -- Say a dozen full, deep inhalations, taken deliberately without haste, Say every [an] hour--andin time, increased very gradually in number & speed--The effort being to fill the whole lungs to utmost capacity, so as to leave no part unused-- It is doing carefully + without excitement--what the youth does has had violent exercise of running, Jumping etc.-- You will be surprised to see the effort required in [?] be [pressing?] to take even a dozen such breaths consecutively by one unused to it. Try it. -- Fill the lungs Calmly to utmost Capacity then quickly least not violently expell the air to the utmost It requires habit to do it Afters & with ease-- Affy G.M.B.Squibnocket, Mass. Aug. 2nd 1898 Dear Elizabeth, We are having hot, damp weather & the longest continuance of foggy days that I can remember to have had anywhere--We continue well, but I can hardly say that I enjoy it. It is the quiet season & little takes place to report--Henry & Howard spent a few days with us, then Anna had a young friend for ten days, now we are alone again-- Sam is expected this week to join Nettie, who with Edith & Agnes are in their house in Quitsy -- Howard is enjoying his summer course in Ecology.which keeps him scampering about the New England coast-- I enclose [?] for £ 10.4. I procured Shepard's [?] $50. Our 1st instant-- I am always glad to think of you at Rock House--It is I think as suitable place as you could possibly have, I only wish the last steep little pitch of street could be avoided-- I suppose there is no change in the ownership of the one or two adjoining bits of land-- All goes on quietly so far this summer, I shall look with interest for the result of our autumn elections--The result may change the character of one or both houses of Congress. Affty G.W.B. East Orange N.J. Nov. 25, 1898 Dearest Elizabeth, I enclose gift for £ 18.9. of being procured of $90. [?] [?] 23 c unit. There is not much family news to communicate-- Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day, and we had the family here to dinner -- Sam & Nettie with Edith & Ethel ; Grace was on a visit to Somerville, so did not join us; Ellen, [?] (Emily thought it best not come, it being stormy, & her knee not well), Dr Brown, May & Cliff, with ourselves made up the company. It was a dismal day, rain & sleet, stirring to snow [?]. Evening & this morning it is bright & cold with almost 3 inches of snow. Thehouse however was warm and the dinner good & all went off well--The whole family was weighed & Ellen bore off [?] [?]. She weighed 185 lbs, after dinner all were weighed again & had gained from 1 3/4 to 6/2 lbs apiece. Howard was not with us, for he had only the day free; he & his room mate spent it in Auburndale (read Cambridge) with a mutual college friend. The last quick word from you was your postal of Oct. 15th but we take no news for good news, and have heard individually from [?], that Anna seems able to be out again -- Today is our first snowy day -- I hope there will be last few this winter-- Affy G.W.B. 13 Follen St. Cambridge, Mass. June 30, 1898 Dear Elizabeth I enclose [?] for £ 49. 6. 8 proceeds of $240.00, interest [?] July 1. I have little family news to tell -- Anna & I are keeping house in Emma's absence, she with Alice and a Mrs Bowne, went to Denver, Colorado, to attend a biennial meeting of the Federation of Womans Clubs, taking advantage of low rates & for change & to see a new country -- I expect her home in about ten days-- I think she is enjoying herself, though as it takes letters 3 to 4 days to come we do not keep veryfully posted. The past week has been a busy one -- Ethel came ten days ago & has been attending College doings with us & making excursions & c with Howard & Anna -- This afternoon they are boating at Riverside-- Next Saturday she joins Ellen at Dorset, where Ellen with Miss Carroll now is-- Nettie with Edith & Grace are at the Vineyard, where we shall probably go next week -- Emily is at York Cliffs -- We are having lovely Summer weather though rather warm. All on this side the water are well to last advices-- Affy H.W.B. 5 Follen St. Cambridge, Mass. Jany 29th 1897 Dear Elizabeth. Yours of 9th & 12th inst were duly recd, & whilst I think of it, I will answer the questions in your postscript first. I have placed in Sam's hands two mortgages, each for $3,000 in place of the $6,000 [?] that I had to withdraw. The property covered by the mortgages that Sam holds for you are all fully insured. You say, "If not, I think I would arrange to reinvest over here, on lesser but secure" "interest". Now, if you really wished to have your money in England, I could at almost any time, upon very short notice, send you part or all of it. But, I greatly doubt your being able to invest it any more securely than it is here, & I feel sure you would be obliged to take much less interest, if placed upon as good security-- The fact that Sam holds these mortgages for you, makes no difference in respect of choice of investment, I am perfectly willing, at any time to resume the mortgages & pay over the amount in money-- I have of your money as follows-- $8,000 upon which I pay int. Jany 1 - 240 July 1 - 240 9,000 " " " " " Apl 1 - 270 Oct 1 - 270 3,000 " " " " " Mch 22 - 90 Sep. 23 - 90 $20,000 $1200 (over)As security for this sum of $20,000 Sam holds assigned to you Wallace mortgage 3,500 Butterfield mortgage 4,500 Bruen mortgage 5,000 Compton mortgage 1,000 Wadsworth mortgage 3,000 Moore mortgage 3,000 These are all first mortgages & well secured. $20,000 I feel pretty well assured that you cannot put this out in England on thoroughly good security to pay more than 4% int if even that - at 4% if would yield you only $800 instead of $1,200. Would this be wise? In addition to the above Sam also holds for you Shepards mortgage for $2,000. This also, I should be perfectly willing to take off your hands. I have asked Sam to let you know what mortgages he holds for you. I have just written a long letter to Kitty, hoping that with full facts She may be able to satisfy Anna that she had the ￡20.10.5. that I sent her a few days before Christmas - Do you know whether Anna has made a will, & if so its provisions. She has so little to leave that it is best she should not- I believe Blyth's annuity ceases with her life. She formerly had a little gas & coke stock, I think, but not much, & Howard's estate, I think was all turned over to Blyth. On 1st Feb, Marian will have int. $136.50 coming to her & you will have $50.00 Shepard int. I have thought it best, not to send Marian's int. direct to her, because when it reaches England she may not be alive to receive it, or if living may not be in condition to endorse & receive it intelligently. I have therefore ordered Fuller & Wilson to send to your order a 1st Exchange for proceeds of $186.50 being the total amount coming to you & to Marian on the 1st Feb., of this draft 50/186 1/2 part will be yours and 136.50/186.50 will be Marian's. Until I receive the 2nd of exchanges, I can not tell exactly how much will be for each, but it will not vary much from £10.4 for you, & £27.19. pounds for Marian. As soon as I receive 2nd of Exchange I can let you know exactly. It is quite possible that the Bankers may send separate drafts for the $50. & the 136.50 as I have always kept them distinct. In that case you will understand why you receive 2 drafts.When you know just what Marian's is I will ask you to draw it and let Marian know that to save her trouble I have sent to you + asked you to draw + hand it to her -- It is just as well that it should not pass through Anna's bank account as it would only give her trouble + perhaps confuse her--If Marian should have gone before this reaches you then please hold the money for me--Its clear that some method other than that followed in the past must be followed hereafter in remitting to Anna + Marian--I don't quite know what is best-- I dont wish to make such a change as shall hurt their feelings--yet I want them to have no doubt as to what they have-- It is too bad to have to pester you + Kitty with these details--what a pity you are all so far away! Afty, G.W.B. [*Geo Blackwell*]11 Quincy St. Cambridge, Mass. July 3d--1896 Dear Elizabeth, Henry must now be nearing England + will have been with you a week before you receive this. I hope he will be recuperated by the voyage--I have never seen him so worn out as he was before sailing. He must Change his way of life + take more heed to the limitations of age than he has done, if he is to endure long. We are having lovely, warm, summer weather; summer fruit + vegetables coming in freely--This house is so pleasant + convenient that it seems foolish to leave it. Yesterday Ellen set out to Dorset. Emma + Anna + Frances to Gardner; Howard + I stay, with Lovina. Howard will run up to Gardner soon for a few days; then we expect all to set off for the Vineyard. Emily writes enjoying York Cliffs--Sam's family well + the girls now that Ethel has recovered strength, expect to camp for a while in Alice's Vineyard Cottage--I should be very glad if you could awaken a living interest in Henry + Aliceupon other subjects than Woman Suffrage & Armenians -- They have harped so long on W. S. that it seems to them as though there were no other aims in human existence than to have women vote at elections-- as though, that accomplished, we should at once be in the Millennium -- They can't realize what a trifling, & wholely insignificant matter it is & what vastly larger and more interesting & important problems are to be worked out by our race. Now, whilst I think of it, I had intended to suggest before this, had I not been so preoccupied with other things, that it seems to me you would do well, in connection with your "Science Lectures" to bear in mind two things--First, you want to interest those who have not yet given much thought to the matter presented by your lectures-- It is useless to decry vivisection & innoculation improper surgery &c. to audiences already heartily in sympathy. You wish to bring, not just mercy but sinners, to repentance-- Therefore your lectures should be by such persons & upon such topics as will interest intelligent people, not yet converts, + also present the subjects as to also elucidate the evils + their remedy-- 2ndly you don't want to enlist Cranks, nor one idea enthusiasts as lecturers, for the Class whom you wish to influence avoid such, and also the very excess to which such lecturers go, tends to prejudice + disgust right minded people, who would be otherwise sympathetic-- The quiet presentation of a subject, by a man of recognized ability, esteemed in the Community and in no way identified with any fad or one sided ideas; would interest and have weight with a class whom you could not reach by another-- A crowd may go to hear a notoriety simply as to a show + predisposed to differ from + reject the views presented, simply because they are advocated by such a man. The Cause so presented is injuredinstead of benefitted by being presented + advocated by that particular [?]. I refer to this at this time thinking that you may be looking out now for lecturers for next Autumn. We are all waiting till the Convention at Chicago shall have made its nominations, which will meet July 7th--Though I have no faith in either the intelligence of the people or in the integrity of the political Leaders, yet I hardly can believe we shall come to a Silver Standard--Whilst this convention will fairly set one foot the contest for this summer, we shall not know the result till the Novr elections--Meanwhile there is time for a good deal of effort to be made on each side--I look with interest, + with some degree of apprehension, for the result. I hope to hear from you fully as to Henry's + Alice's [?] + health + hope to hear of some pleasant summer interests for yourself-- Afty G.W.B. 11 Quincy St. Cambridge, Mass. April 5, 1896 Dear Elizabeth, On rereading your last I see a reference to the "Mathematical Argument about the" "Laws of Thought" by which I suppose you refer to Mrs Boole's address called "Modern Logic", which is not nearly as good as her "Intellectural aspects of" "Vivisection"-- Her "Modern Logic" seems to me hopelessly vague + Confused--I have seen Mr Boole's book called "The Laws of Thought" and though not Mathematician enough to follow out all his processes, yet I am sure he claims no such result as Mrs B. states. The last Chapter of his book, on the Constitution of the Intellect, is on the whole good; but in the last two sections of that Chapter nos 10 + 11, he distinctly disclaims any such position for Mathematics in the investigation of the action of the mind as Mrs B. claims--So far as I haveever seen, the laws of thinking, not only are not regulated by Mathematical Formulae, but on the contrary, Mathematical formulae are rules and laws deduced from thought, and therefore in harmony with it, and useful in some of its processes. But it is putting the Cart before the horse to try to deduce the laws of thought from mathematical processes. They may be used to carry out abstruse trains of thought and to assist thought and to verify its Conclusions, but no more. We may observe facts and apply mathematics to deduce conclusions from them, and, natural laws being consistent, Mathematical laws and laws of thought as of everything else, if rightly stated, will be in Conformity with one another--more than that we cannot say. There is a little book lately published by a Mr Scripture who is at the head of the Psychological Laboratory in Yale College, which though very elementary + imperfect, is suggestive; + is an attempt to obtain facts by Carefully and scientifically conducted experiments to form a basis for the true study of Psychology. The Germans have of late years made attempts in this line + the study of Psychological phenomena under Scientific management and conditions has been brought thence to this country very lately. Von Helmholtz, Fechner and Wundt - set the experimental method on foot in Germany; Yale has followed hopefully + even here at Harvard it begins to be set on foot, though not yet fully cut loose from the incubus of Philosophy - However, it will surely develope and we may hope in time for a new system of Psychology, ounded upon experiment, accurately observed and carefully tested facts; ree from guessing and from unscientific assumptions, and foolish confusion of words - or as scripture calls it, "multitudinous syllabifications and" "frangomaxillary combinations" that pass for philosophic English. April 6th. Yours of Mch. 26 is just at hand. I return the memorandum sent. I don't quite like the word "bulk"; it seems to me too wholly material in its meaning to be used even figuratively; Some other word, as scope or extent, would I think be better. Would it not be well to have a double set of lectures, one addressed distinctly and wholly to investigators and men of a scientific turn of mind; the other popular; courses parallelto one another, upon the same subjects but differently treated. I don't think you can appeal to both in one lecture without weakening the effect upon each- In fact it would perhaps be better to drop the popular side and appeal solely to the trained scientific minds- Plenty of subjects occur to me at once- for example innoculation including vaccination, in all its forms. Vivisection- Surgery & its abuse in mutilation, excessive or made up for curiosity or experiment The improper use of drugs; as passing novelties, fashionable remedies, deleterious in experimentation - in after effects. Dietaries in Medicine - Novel, experimental, &c Bacteria - Foolish dread - usual harmlessness, some very useful, some deleterious - all insufficiently & unscientifically investigated Contagion - Its true [?] - Its proper prevention. Manufactured food, Drinks, &c - the [?] & adulteration stimulated by chemical processes - Chemical flavorings & colorings Improper use of Chemical processes in Dress & other goods, in wall papers &c. Pedagogies & Falacies in popular Education The folly of any system of Psychology not deduced from wide & careful, accurate experiment on a wide scale. The folly of superficial popularization of imaginary, scientific possibilities. The folly of Science pursued from unworthy motives, as Desire for Notoriety. Desire for gain merely Desire for mere novelty or the gratification of Curiosity-- I am not sure that well written tracts, avoiding all taint of philosophical treatment, would not do better than lectures- Popular lectures are merely an amusement for the multitude & have little weight with serious minds- Well! I've filled my paper, I fear with rubbish- Affty G.W.B 11 Quincy St. Cambridge, Mass. April 3d 1896 Dear Elizabeth Enclosed I send 2nd Exchange for £55.2.0 - Int for 1st inst. 1st Exchange went some days ago. I send by same steamer with this, 3 photographs for you, Anna & Marian. I have looked over the two addresses by Mrs Boole with some interest & some amusement. I don't know why, but it always rather amuses me to see people tangle themselves up. I take Mrs. B. to be bright, opinionated, and somewhat self convicted, not a clear reasoner. I never heard of Deep Breathing, as a cure or preventative of Consumption. My feeling is, that it to some extent takes the place of the active play of youth. I no longer race & scamper, jump and climb: exercises which induce deep full breathing in children. I therefore breathe deeply at frequent but quite irregular intervals, to keep all parts of the lungs pliant & active, as they would be kept if three or four times a dayI should indulge in active, strenuous exertion of some kind. It keeps the lungs in the habit of full activity, instead of allowing them to shrink from lack of use: just as I take long walks & saw & split our wood, that my muscles may not become flabby and shrink from lack of use. I really think it a useful & desirable habit to acquire, that of, whenever it occurs to you, to throw back the shoulders, protrude the chest, draw in the abdomen & take half a dozen or more long rather slow, deep breaths filling the lungs in all parts to their utmost capacity & then allowing them easily & naturally to empty; to empty fully, but not exhaustively. It is also a relief from any confined or long continued position. In such breathing the nostrils alone should be used. Try it! You will find it easy & agreeable & soon acquire the habit as a relief to the monotony of ordinary breathing. As to your proposed lectures - I think I can foresee that they will be really limited to Scientific investigation from a Medical standpoint. Even so limited it would be applicable to criticizing present fallacies in many directions. I fear however, it will be practically limited to vivisection - Try to avoid that - The Inoculation Craze; the Surgical Mutilation Craze; The everlasting and all pervading drug craze; The Fashionable Medicine; The ever varying fanciful Dietary Systems; etc. The tendency to run off into vagaries, put for the sake of novelty, is a wretched characteristic of the present time; not in Medicine only, but in every phase of life - In all ranks, in every individual there seems a rooted discontent with what is; a restless seeking for novelty, a desire for change. Not the reasonable wish to remedy defects, but a desire to try something new - A certain recklessness that is to me very repugnant. The whole vaccination-inoculation-bacteriological hallucination of the present time seems to me to threaten the greatest danger of any form of pretended scientific discovery. Vaccination for small pox is at the bottom of it & therefore deserves the first & mostthorough overturning. That this is so, is shown by its being always instanced to support all other forms of inoculation, so rooted is the belief in its efficacy in spite of statistics and facts innumerable proving its inefficacy as a preventative and its injurious effect otherwise. Things have reached a point where the Law should step in and make it a Criminal offense for anyone to in any way [to] introduce into the system of any human being any secretion or excretion of any diseased creature. We have laws against selling diseased meat, but what is the danger of flesh that will be first cooked & then digested, before entering the circulation, compared with the danger of the direst introduction of the most diseased portion of the diseased animal? What more Criminal, than to poison the blood of confiding patients with the virulent emanations of diseased Creatures; producing present danger & suffering and an almost unlimited train of evil future developments? Well! Success to your endeavor, whatever lines it may follow, though I wish it could be wide enough to embrace all Common Sense and not only a corner of it. You must send me a copy of any lectures published. Affly G.W.B. East Orange N.J. Oct 2, 1899 Dear Elizabeth Herewith is enclosed Draft for £56.11.1 being proceeds of $270.00 int. due 1st Oct. on $9,000 for 6 mos. We are all as usual. Howard returned to Harvard yesterday. Your note to him arrived today & is forwarded. He is now in 40 Thayer Hall Cambridge with his friend Blood-Blauvelt, his former roommate, is now in Tech. & rooms in Boston. Friday & Saturday last, were great days in New York.Friday was a Naval parade of some 80 warships of various Classes, fine yachts &c & a multitude of miscellaneous craft loaded with sight seers, in honor of Admiral Dewey who reviewed them in his Flagship the Olympia. Saturday, a great land parade. Dewey, a lot of admirals & Captains of warships, most of the leading generals, the Governers of many of the States &c, & some 36000 marines, soldiers &c. Enormous crowds of people had come to N.Y. from all over the land. It was certainly the largest parade & the largest crowd I have ever seen. It seemed to me very much out of proportion to the occasion, for Dewey was forced to do as he did, not being able to remain in Chinese ports after war was declared with Spain; being obliged to attack the Spanish fleet, he did so, & had a complete but certainly an easy victory - for it can hardly be called a "heroic" victory, where not one man was lost or even wounded in our fleet & where the attacking fleet were so completely the masters that they could lie by & cease firing to quietly take breakfast. Whilst Dewey is doubtlessan able commander & did his duty, and obtained a complete victory, there certainly does not seem to be any thing "heroic" about it. Well! It is over now - I am glad to know that you so much enjoyed your Scotch trip - I hope you have both returned invigorated in mind & body as well as pleased by the change & the beauty of the scenery. I know of no family news of interest, except that Agnes is laid up with a mild attack of Typhoid, but seems to be in no danger & improving. Afty G.W.B.