42 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 
ulation are so unfortunate as to have no refuge for 
the holidays in the country, they can scarcely go 
through the streets in safety for the firing of crackers, 
the shooting of pistols, playing with fire balls, and 
other mad pranks of the negroes. 
It is odd that just when you wrote to me to read 
Carlyle’s life of Sterling, I was deeply interested in 
another life of him by Hare, which you must try to 
get now that you have finished the other, and which 
includes a large selection from his writings. The two 
lives will go well together, and I mean to get Carlyle’s, 
who was induced to write his, as explanatory of 
Hare’s, who though most friendly to Sterling, is a 
tremendous churchman and represents every intel- 
lectual process in his friend’s religious views after his 
health obliged him to leave the active ministry of the 
church, as a sinful and much lamented fall, to be 
spoken of, however, with pity rather than condem- 
nation. His language with respect to these spiritual 
errors, is so ambiguous that one is almost in doubt 
whether Sterling had really committed some crime, 
or merely learned to differ from Hare’s religious views. 
I hope you will read it, if you have not already com- 
menced it. 
Sullivan’s Island, January 2 [1852] 
I sHoutp have answered your letter, which was so 
very welcome, earlier, but I wanted to write from 
our new home, and have been waiting till we should 
enter upon the honors and responsibilities of house- 
keeping. 
