64 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



to my interest, and therefore I think it is clearly my duty 

 to pursue it until a return of health shall enable me to pros- 

 ecute that employment to which I have been educated, and 

 which is my delight. Think not, my brother, that I pay 

 no attention to books. As often as leisure and health per- 

 mit, I improve the opportunity in reading or writing, and 

 not unfrequently in wooing the Muses 



TO MR. STEPHEN TWINING. 



FAIRFIELD, May 13, 1797. 



..... SINCE Commencement I have continued at home, 

 and as the infirm state of my health would not permit me 

 to pursue any business which requires much application, I 

 have employed my time in attending to my mother's affairs. 

 This employment I at first assumed merely to keep myself 

 busy, not supposing that one half of rny time would be 

 occupied in it ; but so astonishingly have cares of one kind 

 and another increased upon me, that I find myself at the 

 age of eighteen involved in all the business of active life, 

 and in fact acting the part of a head of a family. But this 

 constant occupation has answered a valuable purpose with 

 respect to my health : it has kept me from thinking upon 

 those gloomy subjects upon which I had been a long time 

 accustomed to ponder, and has furnished me with abun- 

 dance of bodily exercise. Upon the whole, I find myself 

 much better in health and spirits than at Commencement, 

 and hope, by perseverance in my present mode of life, 

 before a long time, to be able to begin to make prepara- 

 tions for a permanent establishment in life. What this 

 establishment will be, I do not yet know. If I find myself 

 sufficiently firm in my health to pursue a literary employ- 

 ment, I think I shall pursue one of the learned profes- 

 sions. If riot, I shall choose some other business which 

 affords prospect of a decent support, probably agricult- 

 ure or trade 



