_Oct. 18_ letter from T. Whittlesey characteristically filled with a burlesque translation of one of Horace’s Odes—introducing Bantam’s river which flows gently along making eddies as it goes & says that Taylor has been refused by Miss Swift of Windham, Taylor of Canandaigua (afterward Chancellor Whittlesey living in Rochester N. Y. E. P. Childs) * * * * * _Oct. 21_ A painful day this. Small infirmities vex me severely at times—I don’t sit down with saint like patience—but an ague in my face causes more grumbling & groaning than an age of real misery would—Yet I study quite as much as when well.... _Oct. 22_ (Draft of a letter to a lady.) Take care of your health—take exercise—attend to the affairs of the house—rise early & cultivate your appetite—I hope to see your waist larger when I next have a view of your otherwise charming-person—My complaint today is an ague in the face, it is a cruel one too. I once all but died with it at Litchfield; to cure it I go without food & take my usual remedy. Laudanum—it is a rheumatic disease. I wish you were here to kiss my cheek & make me well I know you would do it—would you not? I am very sorry to hear you say a word about depression of spirits! Be careful not to indulge yourself in repeating such things as will excite no interest in those you may be addressing, but who will perhaps ridicule your troubles; do not talk about the wearisomeness of life & say you wish yourself out of the world. if such things must be expressed put them in your book—there they will incommode no one & you can scar them out at your leisure. I have never met with four persons who were willing to listen to such details. When such sensations oppress you fly from yourself, seek society, go abroad, walk or ride, take up some hard work or read the first book that comes in your way—or do them all—in short put your mind into a different train of ideas.—... run to this letter if you please—when you are in your next fit—read over this part of it, & then fly about the house until you are much fatigued & see if your tone is not altered. _Oct. 24_ A mineralogical compliment from Dr. A. S. M. in return for a box of stones sent him—which I collected from the neighboring stone walls, etc. “horizontalizing them” to use his expression, much to the disadvantage of the agricultural interests in this part of the country. (Evening) was pleased to see in the Journal the marriage of Nancy Hotchkiss [notes the death of] Elias L. Townsend, a school mate of mine at Wolcott & a classmate for a while at College—a fine mind he had. he wrote good poetry. _Oct. 26_ Made my debut at pleading before Squire C—opposed by Phelps of Woodbury in 2 cases—lost one of them—liked it on the whole. _Oct. 27_ The name Seymour—very common among us—should be spelt Seamer—meaning one who uses a needle.