62 LETTER-FILES OF S. W. JOHNSON 



very incomplete without it. Again, very likely the best open- 

 ings for me at home will be in the way of Agriculture. After 

 my 2 1/2 yrs. at Chemistry, I want to spend a 1/2 yr. at 

 Agriculture more exclusively. For this Edinburgh is the 

 place. There is science, and in the vicinity is practice. I want 

 6 months in England. I won't say anything about how 

 inestimably valuable it would be to me to spend another year 

 in Germany. When I think of Heidelberg, and the great 

 Bunsen ; of Berlin, and glorious old Heinrich Rose, my heart 

 or stomach, something in that neighborhood, aches. I have 

 just got to be able to appreciate and enjoy Germany. I have 

 conquered its tremendous language in so far that it gives me 

 no trouble, and yields me great positive pleasure. Today I 

 am 24 yrs. old, old enough to know more and to be more. 

 My calculation would bring me at 26, another year in Ger- 

 many 27. That is pretty ancient for a young man. But 

 could I, I would spend my days till 30 yrs. in this glorious 

 old Europe. But I ought perhaps to go home and put a 

 shoulder to the wheels of progress in my young native land 

 with all her youthful stains vastly more glorious than the 

 monarchies of Europe. What shall I do? Shall I stay 2 yrs. 

 longer, or only 1 ? Of course I can 't very accurately estimate 

 the necessary expenses, but I suppose that $500. would pay 

 my way in Munich, take me on a visit to Paris, and bring me 

 home about a year from this time. Living in Paris and Eng- 

 land is far more expensive than here, and I should probably 

 need $7-800 to carry me through the 3d year. I need to know 

 before October whether I can stay 1 or 2 yrs. longer, because 

 if I stay 2 yrs. I shall study French here next winter so that 

 I shall get to Paris able to Parlez-vous a little. I am very 

 thankful that the French were not so badly confused at Babel 

 as the Germans were, their language is comparatively small 

 potatoes. Now my friends must make up their minds what 

 they can give me. I have no desire to impoverish the good 

 people and shall appear at Deer River in 6 months if so 

 ordered. If the tune is $500, I shall be home next spring. 



