FROM A NEW ENGLAND HILLSIDE. 303 



sleeve. Any one could see from your last 

 note that you had been going through deep 

 waters.&quot; 



Ah, but suppose you must ? 



Longfellow says, 



Look then into thine heart, and write ! 

 and Lowell : 



&quot; I consider every poem I write (whether 

 I publish it or not) as a letter to all those 

 whom I personally hold dear. I feel that I 

 have made a truer communication of myself 

 so than in any other way that is, that I 

 have in this way written my friends a let 

 ter from the truer and better J. R. L., who 

 resides within, and often at a great dis 

 tance from, the external man, who has 

 some good qualities, but whose procrasti 

 nation is enough to swamp them all.&quot; 



Shall we write the things that we feel, 

 or the things that we do not feel ? I pray 

 you, let us not fear to be honest. Do not 

 be a cry-baby if you can help it, but if you 

 love your friend, tell him so ; if he is in 

 trouble, put your arm about him ; and if 

 you get nipped between the upper and the 

 nether millstones, do not hesitate to let 

 him know the fact. 



