Creator

Abba G. Woolson

Recipient

John Muir

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Transcription

[4]I propose to take life easy "and then to begin again my trade in the "journal" I have not yet written upon the Yosemite. I dread to do it, lest I should fail; and then there was so much of my family to write that I grew tired of it, and wound off when I reached San Francisco. One of these days, however, my audacious pen will proceed to desecrate the glories of you valley. I have had for some months thousand's "Walden" and his "Excursions", as also [Ja?] Ingdon's] last poems piled up together on my book case for you, and have long ago lost all patience with my husband and Prof. Runkle that they give me no chance to send them. They are yours, and shall reach you sometime, but I regret that you [will?] not have them these long winter months. This hastily written letter will go where its writer would gladly follow it, even if she had to plunge through snow-drifts as high as those on the Glacier path; for the sight of all those splendors on which you, almost alone of all men, are privileged to look. Seems to be worth any hardships to obtain. Write to us when you can, and tell us all the great news about yourself and the valley. [1][in margin: With kindest regards, [illegible] Your friend Abba G. Woolson] Boston. 64 Boylston St. Feb. 4, 1872Dear Mr. Muir: Your letters produced a [illegible] in the Wo[illegible]son family yesterday, and the little sprig of cedar, so fresh and green, looked as [illegible] in their eyes as if it had just fallen from the [battlements] of Heaven. What great tales you tell of the forty cataracts pruning over the walls, each larger than Nevada fall when we behold it! It made me impatient of all things about me, and set me to longing more f[illegible] then ever for the wings of a dove, that I might drop down among them and hear and see them for myself. One of these days I pray that it may be my portion to spend a summer and a winter, - a full year; in the Yosemite. Nothing else

Location

Boston

Date Original

1872 Feb 4

Source

Original letter dimensions: 20.5 x 25.5 cm.

Resource Identifier

muir02_0671-let.tif

File Identifier

Reel 02, Image 0671

Copyright Statement

Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Owning Institution

University of the Pacific Library Holt-Atherton Special Collections. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.

Page Number

Page 1

Keywords

John Muir, correspondence, letters, author, writing, naturalist, California, correspondent, mail, message, post, exchange of letters, missive, notes, epistle

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