to our improvement of time. We should never find time to misspend it. Labor, then, in the proper time for labor; relax, at proper seasons; and associate with the best company within your reach. You will say this is only the vulgar, but you have no occasion to form any intimacy with them. You have acquaintances in Ipswich, which you may visit frequently with little loss of time. You have friends in Danvers, visit them as often as possible, and make it a point to see and contract acquaintance with the most respectable young people in the neighborhood. But resolution and exertion are indispensable. You must not wait for others to become acquainted with you. Find means to make yourself acquainted with them. This can be done. This can be done. I have known young men that would, and did, form acquaintance with whom they pleased without half the advantages you enjoy. Your family, and your acquirements are sufficient as far as they ought to go. By your own exertions you have it in your power to gain attention, respect, and esteem. Remember, too, that in this way you will enjoy the highest relish of society; too much familiarity often breeds contempt. Intervals of company increases the enjoyment.

You must be sensible; I have often expressed to you my wish that you should associate with good company, and as often as it could be convenient, but, in your situation, it can not be enjoyed every day, and you must submit to your circumstances. When I have endeavored to dissuade you from spending your evenings, in constant succession, with those whom I know could not improve you in manners, in language, or any thing else, but might greatly injure, it was not because I wished to restrain you from society. Those around you are not to be despised; a proper sociability and respect is due them. If you ever rise in reputation, if you become respectable in the world, you must gain the respect and esteem of this class of society; for it makes up the greatest portion of mankind. This, however, you will never attain by too much familiarity, nor by a haughty distance. Study the happy medium; gain their esteem, but let them be sensible that you are placed in that grade of society which is above their level, which they are to look up to with respect. In at

taining so important a point, you will find difficulties to encounter, you will sometimes be reproached, perhaps greatly abused, but rise above it, aud, above all, guard yourself against every vulgarity in conduct, in language, or passion. Resolution and perseverance will surmount all you meet with, and every step you take will render the accomplishment of your purpose easier and easier.

I have taken out of the Library of Congress a work which I much wish you could read. It is entitled the The Travels of Anacharsis the Younger, was written by M. Barthelemy, one of the French Directory, who was banished to S. America, but made his escape, and is now in England. It is the History of Greece, collected from all the Grecian writers, with great skill and judgment, and gives the history of that Empire from its most ancient date down to about 100 years before the time of our Savior. It is in seven volumes, and, besides being a true history, is filled with anecdotes of all their great men, their customs, habits, manners, government, and religion. Besides an improving and entertaining style, it is one of the most useful books for a young man to read I have ever met with. No nation has produced so many great characters as the Greek. Their governments, among the different republics, were a kind of democracy, in which every citizen had a chance to rise to the highest honor. Great numbers from the lowest rose to the highest eminence. He is particular in relating the ways and means by which they gained an ascendency; the difficulties they encountered; their astonishing assiduity and perseverance. This part is so interesting, that a young man of any laudable ambition, or purity of taste, must be fired with emulation. Every virtue was cultivated, every vice was guarded against, without which all their exertions were in vain. Virtue, probity, and honor, was every thing. I can not attempt to give you a description. I am sure you must be delighted with it. If possible, when I return, I will endeavor to procure it for you. I have cursorily run over the first 5 vols. But being on the Committee of Claims, and frequently on other Committees, I have not half the leisure I expected. My daily long walks to and from the Capitol, and other business, occupying much time.

I have written you a long letter, and in great haste, but will you, my dear son, read it, and read it again? Remember it is from a parent who feels all the tender concern and affection for you which it is possible for a parent to feel; whose comfort and happiness is interwoven with yours, who can sacrifice his own ease and every thing he has for you; whose expectations have been greatly raised and who dotes upon your respectability in life. I thank you for expressing yourself so freely. I hope, if I live to return, we may converse more freely and frequently on those subjects, which so much concern your future welfare and happiness, than we have ever yet done. There is often a false delicacy in parents and children in freely communicating their sentiments on subjects which intimately concern the happiness of both. It is wrong. Let us not indulge it.

Pray write as often as you can. No letter from your mother, my cordial love to her, and all friends.

To DR. CUTLER.

Your affectionate parent,

[From Rev. Dr. Morse.]

M. CUTLER.

CHARLESTOWN, Feb. 3, 1803.

My Dear Sir:-I have time only for a brief reply to your acceptable favor of the 14th ult., which came to hand in due course. The information it contained justified my own apprehensions respecting the Louisiana business. The obstinate denial of information is certainly indicative of "fear of exposing culpable neglect and imbecility in the Executive and Minister abroad." Accounts later than your letter intimate the probability of war with Spain. Would not such an event, more than any other, tend to increase Federalism, and unite the country? You have better means of forming a judgment on this subject than I can have.

The President's scheme of a Dry Dock at Washington, appears to me in a high degree visionary and ridiculous, and I can not suppose that he has influence enough to procure its adoption by Congress. So far as my information extends, this town is far preferable in every view, for the purpose of VOL. II.-9

erecting a Dry Dock, and if the interests of the country are consulted, I presume it will be fixed here.

To-day the legislature choose a Senator in place of Mr. Mason.

Feb. 4. I was abruptly broken off yesterday. Mr. J. Q. Adams is chosen in the House of Representatives in place of Mr. Mason. The Senate will probably concur on Tuesday next. It was the intention of some of the Federalists to have chosen Mr. Pickering. He had, the second trial, 79 votes; 7 more, which were given for Mr. Adams, would have made a choice. It was agreed that, if Mr. P. was not chosen the second time, to unite on Mr. Adams, which was done. It is hoped that Mr. P. will be chosen in place of Mr. Foster, as it is understood he intends to resign. Matters were not managed quite as they ought to have been, else Mr. P. would have now been chosen, and Mr. A. in place of Mr. F.; and this was intended, but old prejudices were suffered to operate. I hope they will operate no farther.

Yes, our brother Thacher is no more! His loss is felt. It will not be easy to supply his place. I wish they may get a good man to succeed him. I have my fears.

Yesterday week Mrs. Morse presented me with a fine daughter, which is our only one. All very well.

This town is considerably agitated, at this time, in consequence of an application from the pew-holders in my parish ▾ for an act of incorporation. The Jacobins dislike it, because it will curtail their power to do mischief. The prayer of the petitioners I expect will be granted.

I will write again soon. In the meantime, believe me very sincerely and respectfully yours. JED'H MORSE.*

* Jedediah Morse, D.D., was born, Woodstock, Connecticut, 1761; died, New Haven, 1826. He graduated at Yale, 1783; was tutor, 1786 to 1787; pastor of the First Congregational Church at Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1789 to 1820. Dr. Morse is the father of American Geography. He prepared, in 1784, the first work of the kind in this country, for the use of the schools in New Haven. This was followed by larger works, the more important of which were republished in England. Ebenezer Hazard, Jeremy Belknap, Thomas Hutchins, and Dr. Cutler, all furnished material for his work on American Geography, published, 1791. He was much occupied in religious controversy;

.

MRS. POOLE.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 1803.

My Dear Daughter:-I send you a thousand thanks for your good letter of January 9. I wish you had made it longer. You seem to have left off writing by the time you had got your pen well moistened with ink. Letter writing is certainly an agreeable and valuable accomplishment, which can only be learned by practice. You have nothing to do but to habituate yourself to it. The more you write, the more you will find to write about, and the more pleasant will be the task. I should feel it a pleasure, were I not generally obliged to write faster than I can think. The letters I am obliged to write while I am here, are so numerous I am compelled to write them as fast as I can drive my pen. This I find frequently very disagreeable. The most natural, and the most pleasing way of writing letters seems to be to write very much as we should converse with our friend when we are together.

I am under great obligations for the pleasing letters Mr. Poole has been so obliging as to favor me with since I have been here. I wished for more. The Doctor is so busy with his Ipecac, and Tartar emetic, I hardly get a line from him, though he can write with the utmost facility. Temple has not written so frequently this winter as the last; he has had his time more occupied. But I am much pleased with the improvement he has made, and the ambition he discovers to excel in this valuable accomplishment.

I can write you nothing particular from this city. The part of the city where I live is quite remote from any company, besides the lodgers in the house. I found myself frequently so unwell, and in hazard of taking cold, I have hardly

was prominent in establishing the Theological Seminary at Andover; was sole editor of the Panoplist from 1806 to 1811; and, in 1820, was commissioned by the United States government to visit the Indian tribes in the North-west. He was an active member of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and of other scientific bodies. Dr. Morse married Miss Breese in 1789. Samuel Finley Breese Morse, one of the inventors of the telegraph, was their eldest son.-See Drake's Dict. Am. Biog.