348 Edward Livingston Youmans. 



over now. My going abroad will very much be determined 

 by your answer. It is quite out of the question for me to 

 go alone, for I am convinced, judging from past experience, 

 that if I did go I should be in a short time so weary of my 

 solitary state, relieved only by my work and walking about, 

 that I should shortly come back again. With you, however, 

 it would be different. I should enjoy the journey much, 

 and, I doubt not, derive great benefit from it. 



You will see that the Academy says that I am going to 

 Algiers, but this is a mistake. Algiers has been one of the 

 places I have talked about and which it appears has been 

 remembered by the gossips who circulate and publish these 

 statements ; but I have decided in favour of the south of 

 France, moving along the Mediterranean shore from place 

 to place, from Marseilles to Nice and Mentone. 



Pray come and join me. For once in your life resolve 

 to take a little pleasure and relaxation. You have not so 

 very great a length of life left that you can with wisdom 

 put It off. You should remember that you have not only 

 got to do your work^ but you have got to live ; and ever 

 since I have known you you have been thinking only of 

 the work and never of the living. 



New York, November 75-, i8j8. 



My dear Spencer : I have decided to spare two months 

 to be with you, and this is also the amount of time that you 

 proposed to me to spend in France. When I got your last 

 letter I at first thought I would telegraph you and then 

 take the first ship ; but I did not know when you would be 

 prepared to leave, and it might be some time yet. If you 

 wish to leave London before the holidays, telegraph me as 

 soon as this comes. In that case I shall try to take the 

 Germanic, December 7th. 



I must, however, say again, that I am in a miserable 

 condition for such an expedition, and will probably give 

 you as much occupation in dragging me around as you 



