362 Edward Livingston Youmans. 



NEW YORK, March 18, 



MY DEAR SPENCER : I am back again safe, sound, and 

 satisfied. My return was even finer than my passage over, 

 the sea being like a lake the whole distance. 



I find all well here and enjoying the opening of the 

 spring. The sky is clear and the sun bright, although it is 

 still cold. My brother has improved a great deal as a con- 

 sequence of taking responsibility, and I mean he shall get 

 still further benefit from it. I found the Appletons in a 

 very pleasant mood, but have not yet had time to broach 

 business. There are many things to attend to, some of 

 which have been neglected. * 



NEW YORK, June j, 1879. 



MY DEAR SPENCER : To-day rounds me up to fifty- 

 eight, and I am making a holiday of it, which gives quite a 

 new sensation. It amounts to little practically, as I am 

 good for nothing to work anyway, being again crippled, 

 confined, and suffering a good deal of pain by a rheumatic 

 relapse of my right foot. I had been better for some days 

 so that I could get about comfortably, though unable to 

 wear an ordinary shoe. 



The Chicago Times printed my reply to Van Buren 

 Denslow and I sent you a copy. 



You are of course aware before this of the " strike " 

 Fiske has made with his new lectures in Boston, and which 

 has led to a repetition in London. If he succeeds there it 

 will be a great card for him. 



3<? QUEEN'S GARDENS, BAYS WATER, W., June 20, 1879. 

 MY DEAR YOUMANS: That was a capital letter of yours 

 in the Chicago paper. The points were all admirably 

 grasped and clearly put. A better expositor I cannot im- 

 agine. It is clear to me from this letter, and from all the 

 various things you have from time to time written, that the 

 lectures you have been scheming would be admirably 



