JET. 75.] TO SIR EDWARD FRY. 779 



TO W. M. CANBY. 



CAMBRIDGE, November 19, 1885. 



MY DEAR CANBY, Many thanks for your felici- 

 tations. There is much I want to write, and to say 

 what a surprise we had, and how perfect the vase is. 

 But my arm is worn out with note-writing. 



Yours affectionately, ASA GRAY. 



Two poems and a poetical epigram came among 

 the rest ! 



TO SIR EDWARD FRY. 



CAMBRIDGE, January 31, 1886. 



MY DEAR FRIEND, I am a laggard correspond- 

 ent, I fear. Here are your two most friendly and in- 

 teresting letters, as far back as November, one of which 

 crossed, and one which announced, the reception of 

 my long letter which gave a sketch of our journey ings 

 which began almost a year ago. For we are now al- 

 ready in the middle of another winter. I doubt if we 

 shall flee from this one, although it has shown some 

 severity. In the first place, we may thankfully say 

 that neither Mrs. Gray nor I can say that we require 

 it ; and I cannot bear to lose the time : I seem to need 

 the more of this as the stock diminishes ; for, some- 

 how, I cannot get as much done in a day as I used 

 to do. Moreover, it is no good running away from 

 winter unless you can go far. For our southern 

 borders have been unusually wintry, and they want 

 our guards and preparations against cold. . . . We 

 were glad enough to get back to our well and equa- 

 bly warmed house, where, indeed, we are most com- 

 fortable. 



You called my attention, I believe, to Professor 

 Allen's book on the " Development of Christian 



