NAWSA GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE CRANE, S. A. [*1842*] East Greenwich June 18. 1842 [*RI*] My dear Henry Your letter of Feb. 14 came at hand in due course, & gave me much pleasure. I was glad to hear that you have been able to do as well in the way of salary, & the whole spirit of your letter was such as I could wish. Of course I am sorry that any circumstances should make it necessary for you to appropriate the proceeds of your labor for the comfort & convenience of the family, but if God in his providence has made it necessary, it is a pious use of your earnings & God in his own time & way will reward you for it. Such a use of what you can save tends directly to improve & strengthen the best affections of the heart, - to form the character on a noble & generous model, - it is truly a better preparation for future usefulness than the inheritance of thousands. As it respects your studies I hardly know what advice to give. I believe you have both talents & perseverance enough to ensure you success in a profession, & also to enable you to make your way to it. The Law is what you look to I suppose. In some of our New England Colleges you might pay all your expenses including clothes for $200 a year. You might do this at Brown University. And also you may so work yourself onward by application to your studies as to enter two years in advance, which would both lessen the expenses & save time. If you are resolved to strive for this I will use any influence I may have with Dr. Wayland, at Brown University, or at any other College which you may prefer, to help you in effecting your purpose. I cannot promise all the assistance I would be glad to afford you, for my residence at the West was to me very expensive. In regard to the languages, you ask whether you had not better leave them for the present & attend to other studies? If I were resolved on a College course I would be careful to be advancing all the time in my Latin & Greek even though it were slowly. It will be wise to attend to the other studies also. By industry, & saving time, & keeping away from places of amusement, you can do almost any thing you desire. At any rate learn all you can on every subject. In the course of life you will find use for all you know, & you may now be little aware what part of your knowledge will in the end be most useful to you. I will only add let me know your purposes & progress from time to time, & whatever aid I may be able to give you either in advice, influence, or encouragement you may be sure to have. From what I learn respecting affairs at Remper I am more and more satisfied that I am away from it, & that you did well in not accepting Mr Corbin's offers. By letter a few weeks since I find they have only about thirty scholars in all. Mr. Caswell is to leave soon. Mr. Hutchinson I have no doubt is an eloquent man, & a pretty fair scholar, but his position is anything but desirable. There is no reason why the College may not flourish except the false-heartedness & selfishness of some of them who profess to be its friends. In all other respects it has every advantage & means of rapid growth. My present situation is a very pleasant one. I have a small church among our old acquaintances and friends. Our residence is open to Narraganset Bay and its beautiful Islands, & within a short distance of and in full view of the Providence of Stonington Rail-Road. John is well, grows as fast as ever, & is doing pretty well in his studies. He sends his love to you & says he knew all the time that lies were told to you about him. Lucy is at my father's, but spent a few weeks with us recently. Edwin is studying Law. Mary & Robert are well, & often talk of Missouri - Henry - [?] Your letter with $25 was received. Give my kind regards to your mother & sisters, & especially to Anna. Write to me often & frankly on all matters of interest to yourself, & never forget that he who is truly wise for time is wise also for all eternity. Your affectionate friend S. A. Crane Dear Henry - Mr. Crane has given me your letter to fill up & I gladly avail myself of the opportunity Why do you not write me. I have rec. no answer to my last. How is your dear Mother's health now? do write me something about the school in Dayton where Anna is - & tell me of Marianne's health I hope she is better & able to assume her duties, but one must feel very well to keep [??] I am glad Eliz. is able to take care of her pupils & I do think she has the most arduous task in teaching music - how are the younger ones? Grown I suppose a great deal since we saw them as to John's letters, they will for many years I fear be few & far between, you know he does not like to write & has never written his Aunt Cary - Lucy pass'd a few weeks with us in April & I hope she may be over again soon - She wd send love if she knew we were writing - We hear some queer things of [?] though & one of our friends. for we have some where still & warm ones - [*25 S. A Crane 1842*] East Greenwich R I June 20 Henry B. Blackwell Cincinnati Ohio Tell Sam I think he has made a wise choice. I had rather John wd be a farmer than any thing [?] he could be a educated clergyman There is no man so independent as a farmer Did you know Henry was married - & Ann who lived with us last is dead- Katherine is also married & the [?] has bought Aunt Sally & old [?] for the college!! To much for his principles - With best love to yr mother & all the family I am dear Henry yours aff MAC Have you heard of A Mayward's misdemeanors cannot but rejoice that his abominable sin is found out. He has defrauded W. P. Knuth his employer of 20,000 dollars - this Sullivan wrote to Edwin - I could write you a great deal more but as you have correspondents there you will probably hear enough there - Miss Wead & her mother are still with Mrs Shreve & very happy there - Margaret is in ?? ?? short but unless she sh? happen to get to get married she will not remain there very long - Daniel seems determined to have you there the season if there were no other why I sh? not go Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.