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ages when I am no more, as well as while I live to 
afford me relaxation from less pleasant cares. Do 
not think I mean to oppose it to my medical views ; 
I have always meant them to co-operate.” 
Mr. Smith to his Son. 
My dear Son, 
The pursuit of science you say shall co-operate 
with practice—that is the idea I wish to entertain, 
to answer all your views ; and I hope they will unite 
to raise you to a very high degree of eminence. 
I am proud of the light you stand in; and every 
advance you make to fame lifts my heart with trans- 
port, and I want only to give you an independent 
fortune to make me perfectly happy: but as I can- 
not do that, nor any thing like it, I must repeat, my 
dear James, that a determination to depend upon 
yourself and to be your own master is so consonant 
to my own disposition, that it gives me great plea- 
sure. I believe it springs from a better principle 
than pride in both of us, the love of dear Liberty, 
which is the birth-right of every individual of man- 
kind, and has my strongest affection. I wish to see 
her universally enjoyed, and therefore must most 
earnestly desire it may be the portion of each of 
my dear children. Would to God I may be able to 
leave every one of them in a condition to possess 
it in a rational, virtuous degree! 
J. SMITH. 
It is probable his father saw more clearly than 
