36 LETTER-FILES OF S. W. JOHNSON 



us also at that time. But I suppose your aspiring spirit will 

 be satisfied with nothing less than the Ph. D. from some 

 German University. — 



Profitable as the experience gained during this 

 \\dnter in Albany was, Mr. Johnson regarded it only 

 as an inevitable delay in his real work in life. In the 

 autumn of 1852 he returned to the Yale Analytical 

 Laboratory to finish his preparation for foreign study. 

 He cooked his food in his room, embraced every oppor- 

 tunity to earn or save money towards his European 

 expenses, and studied hard to acquire a knowledge of 

 the German language, which he realized was essential 

 to future success in his profession. Two letters to his 

 father, written in January and in March 1853, give a 

 vivid description of his occupations and ambitions at 

 this time : 



I am full of business, so much so that I can hardly find 

 time to write letters. — I always, however, find time to write 

 when I want money, which is the case just now. Instead of 

 hiring a furnished room which I had thought of doing, I 

 furnished one at an outlay of nearly $20. for bed and other 

 furniture, and consequently have that sum less than I should 

 otherwise have had for present use. I board myself at about 

 $1.50 per week. Wood and light cost high, wood $8.00 per 

 cord and some cold weather now uses it up fast. I shall make 

 ends meet in the spring, but shall be saved much trouble if 

 Pa will forward me $10. which I will repay when I am able. 

 Prof. Porter has given me opportunity to make analyses for 

 him for which he remits me 2 months' laboratory charges. 

 . . . Yours of a week or two since came to hand enclosing 

 X dollars. It was all very acceptable, although I was in no 

 pressing need. I have long had by heart the lesson that it is 

 hard for a poor fellow like me to acquire an expensive educa- 



