Letter from J[eanne] C. C[arr] to John Muir, 1869 Mar 28.

Creator

J[eanne] C. C[arr]

Recipient

John Muir

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Transcription

San Mateo, March 28th, '69.Dear John Muir,The "Lord is risen indeed"; the Universe is singing anew the Easter song of the ages, sung long before "the visible church" had an existence, -- the sweet assurance to all the future that God is in His world. My thoughts are unto you ward, dear Shepherd, and there is no other soul with whom I would prefer to keep this spotless day sacred to the holiest memories and hopes. I have not been to church to see the crosses of white callas, and the wreaths of spirea and myrtle - nor yet upon the hills, but the day has nevertheless been blessed -- and I doubt not the blessedness has reached and filled you also. Dr. Carr came down from the city and both the boys have been spending Sunday with us. Tomorrow Dr. Carr will leave and spend several weeks in the mines -- at Virginia City and perhaps as far as White Pine. I shall remain here for the next two months, and then as far as my own plans and purposes can 'prepare' we shall be ready for the Yosemite trip whenever it can be arranged.My days here "go on" in a girls' school -- where I teach a class of thirty in Botany, and am of a little use in other ways to the friend who insists upon making a home for us until we have one of our own. I begin to feel the homeless influences of California interfering with my plans, but I have learned to feel willing to have Our Father choose in which of the many mansions he will have me abide.How do you study Botany without any work which includes many of these plants? I study the flowers. I am "drunk" with their gorgeous colors and rich profusion; last week I thought I found a treasure in a snowy white ' forget-me-not', I should think either a Heliotrope or Myosotis -- now they carpet the roadsides. The Cal. Dodecatheon pleased me. Ned, who rode across from Mission San Jose Friday, says he rode through miles of D. Media. I have not seen Media here. Some of the Portulacas are interesting to the colorist. We shall have a festival here of one of our Literary Societies the last of April. (I shall send you the Programme), and should it not interfere too much with your plans and work I wish you could come about that time. There will be nothing to offer in the way of performance but the event will be sure to fix me and I am rather uncertain between S. F. and San Jose. You and I are of those who must leave the spiritual laws to bring us together as they surely will -- if not next week or next year, in some better, riper time. I hear your voice in the undertones of life, it does not matter about your home or family, whether they are biped or quadruped. But you must be social. John, you must make friends among: the materialists, lest your highest pleasures taken selfishly become impure. Only at moments am I permitted to be alone with my mind. I could envy you your solitude, but there may be too much of it. I find my truest society among the most and the least cultured. To every soul God gives some precious special grace, to the nettle its color, the thistle its fine firmness of growth. While we read their secret, dear Shepherd, we may keep our own, and not throw our pearls away.Perhaps I am getting too 'preachy', so we'll sing a hymn together and good night. With Dr. Carr's love and the boys,J. C. C.[Jeanne C. Carr]Direct to San Mateo. Your letter was forwarded from Los Angeles.450

Location

San Mateo, [Calif]

Date Original

1869 Mar 28

Source

Original letter dimensions: 27 x 20.5 cm.

Resource Identifier

muir02_0063-trans.tif

File Identifier

Reel 02, Image 0063

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 3