Creator
Joseph Leggett
Recipient
John Muir
Transcription
[letterhead]
December 20th, 1895
John Muir Esq.
Martinez, Cal.
Dear Sir,
Your letter of October 18th, 1895, though so kind and courteous, gave me and the other members of our Lecture Committee a pang of disappointment. Mr. E. A. Denicke since then had the pleasure of hearing you speak before the Sierra Club, and at the next meeting of our Committee he exclaimed: "Oh if we could only get Mr. Muir to give that talk to the members of our Institute!" I have felt all along as though I could not give you up. Many years ago I read your delightful articles as they came out in the Magazines, and a few weeks ago I took out your "Mountains of California" and read it over again. And I can say to the credit of our members that the book has been largely read by them. But if you would only come before them in person and talk to them as you write, I know you would largely increase the number of the readers of your books and contributions to the periodicals. And, after all, is not that what you write for, to give instruction and pleasure to as large a number of persons as possible? Will you not please come down and help us start a Muir revival in San Francisco?
02053
Your writing is so strong, and beautiful and healthful. It is like the bracing balm laden breezes of your beloved mountains. Come and inspire us all with your love of nature. I assure you we will appreciate the privilege of hearing you. Our course of lectures this season has been very successful, and attendance and the appreciation of the members have been gratifying beyond precedent.
It will not be necessary for you to prepare any set lecture for our people. Just give us a quiet, sociable talk about those glorious things you have seen and heard in those wonderful journeys you have made. Such a talk will elevate and refresh our minds, and give us a yearning for higher and better things. If you knew how much good you will do us all, I know you would come.
Will you not allow me to announce that you will talk to us on the 18th of January, 1906, or on some other Saturday evening between that date and the 1st of March?
Yours truly
Joseph Leggett
Location
San Francisco [Calif]
Date Original
1895 Dec 20
Source
Original letter dimensions: 28 x 21.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Leggett, Joseph, "Letter from Joseph Leggett to John Muir, 1895 Dec 20." (1895). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 3174.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/3174
Resource Identifier
muir08_1301-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 08, Image 1301
Collection Identifier
Online finding aid for the microform version of the John Muir Correspondence http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0w1031nc
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
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Pages
2 pages
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
