384 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 
Here I think she is entirely mistaken. The whole 
history is a story of failure, — a failure which makes 
the volume in the Harvard Library containing John 
Eliot’s translation of the Bible into the Indian tongue 
one of the saddest sights in the world. One of the 
noblest and at the same time one of the most futile 
efforts to Christianize and civilize a savage people, 
it ends in a volume that no man can read, which re- 
mains a curiosity. Now and then some one asks to 
look at it, but only from that point of view. I do not 
think it has ever been used in the religious instruction 
of the Indians except by John Eliot himself. 
January 21.— The children came today; much 
enchanted. When after lunch they said, “‘ What shall 
we do this afternoon?” I answered, “‘ You like to help 
Amelia about her work; she may have something to 
unpack.” They were enchanted — especially when 
they dived into the boxes and found dollies and beds 
and chairs and washstands, etc. They quickly ar- 
ranged a bed chamber for the new children, and had a 
lovely afternoon with them. I begin to find the con- 
venience of a telephone. I sent a list to Schwartz for 
what I wanted, and had the whole set before the 
children arrived, to my great joy as well as theirs. 
February 1.—I think the children are very ad- 
vanced in their music — they write it very nicely, 
drawing their Jines and making their notes neatly 
and their intervals correctly. It is a very good begin- 
ning. 
February 3. — The children left me this morning. 
It has been a lovely fortnight with them, and I hope 
