Letter from John H. Boyes to John Muir, 1877 Jan 22.

Creator

John H. Boyes

Recipient

John Muir

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Transcription

[Letter of John H. Boyes, Jan. 22, 1877, to John Muir, continued]A little higher up the stream than the old mill stood, stands another mill - a grist mill. It has not the same charms to me as the old combined sawmill and rake factory had. One reason, I suppose, is that the same people are not there, so though it roar never so loudly, the same music is not pealed from its rattling wheel, as [it] shuddered 'neath the old mill. You requested me to send you some mosses and flowers from the old sequestered hollow. But they have spent their beauty and fragrance through another summer without my sending you any; and now they lie hidden under a mass of snow, sleeping in solitude, and their beauty slumbering in secret, ready through a spring's sunshine to appear again in a summer's glory. I am sorely vexed that I didn't gather some and send you. But if I hear from you again and I am living here next springtime, I will take a trip to the old hollow and tell you how it looks, and gather some flowers and other relics which I think will be pleasing to you. Though I am no botanist and cannot analize them, yet I am fond of flowers, and it will be delightful for me to pluck some and send to you. I frequently think about you as you are wandering through the forests or climbing some craggy cliff. I dread lest I shall never hear from you again. But I have this hope, believing you to be a Christian, that we shall meet on the other side of Jordan, and there we may walk midst an eden of flowers, where there shall be no element to consume their fragrance, no winter's snow to conceal their variegated colours, and where they will not only bloom all 'round the year, but all 'round eternity. And as we soar and live in higher regions, and move in a loftier circle, with thoughts more expanding, shall we not have higher and broader senses and tastes to appreciate their beauty, and as the heavens are higher than the earth and purer, will not the flowers and everything else be the same. I pray God that no matter how many and great the difficulties we may have to wade through, how great the mountains we may have to climb, how gigantic the enemies we may have to battle with that His grace may be a sufficient power unto us to make us conquer all, and so be crowned with his glory above.I cannot express my gratitude toward you for your congratulations of my composition. I don't think that it was worthy of such remarks. I have been to school but very little since you were here, and I have struggled to master a little of the English language; but I think that I have accomplished very little. My occupation has taken up too much of my time, and I seem to be so constituted as to be capable of doing only one thing at a time, while giving my whole attention to whatever I am laboring at. But your congratulation has cheered and comforted me considerably. For I know that your abilities are great on this subject. And I ask you to pardon any mistake or blunder which I may make, and anything which you may see wrong in any sense, I shall take it as a kind action of you to tell me of it.I hope that you succeeded well in the writing of your book last winter. I should like to see it very much and know of what it treats. You have had another summer of travel, and no doubt have seen many strange and pleasing things, and perhaps many grim scenes. But I hope it has been a year of success, instruction, and joy, and that this year may be likewise. I hope this will find you well and happy. I am pretty well at present. Farewell my friend and brother. Please answer as soon as possible and oblige,Yours,John H. Boyes,Meaford, Ontario, Canada.211

Location

Meaford, Canada

Date Original

1877 Jan 22

Source

Original letter dimensions: 18 x 22 cm.

Resource Identifier

muir03_0503-trans.tif

File Identifier

Reel 03, Image 0503

Copyright Status

Copyright status unknown

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 8