Creator
D. W. Dimers
Recipient
John Muir
Transcription
[1]P.O. Box 609Manaos [diacritic] Brazil 6th August 1912My dear Professor,I was, indeed, charmed to receive, a few days ago, your long and interesting letter of the 20th June and was quite astonished to hear that you had penetrated into the very heart of the dark Continent. I knew you were going to the Zambesi, but the source of the Nile must have proved a later inspiration. How I should have like to have been with you!Why did you not sweep me away from the Amazon and let me accompany you as a devoted secretary and auxiliary? Probably, you know better!Well, I did not go to Africa with you, but stayed on in the steamy valley, where, I am glad to say, I have prospered in business and kept well in05242
[2]in health.I am looking forward to getting your book on the Yosemite. I enjoyed the others, especially "Stickeen."Whenever I can obtain really suitable photos, I shall send them with pleasure. Would you, however, like me to sketch a few trees for you?Have you spoken yet to Mrs. Harriman about putting a few scratches of a pen in my favor in her Will? I really must arrange a windfall somehow in order to arrange that little farm in California. (Not very Scotch this!)If all goes well, I expect to be in New York for a couple of weeks in October, as I have to go there on business on my way to bonnie Scotland, where I shall spend a two months holiday.05242
[3]Old Mr. Duff has left Para and is now retired in Inverness. Mr. Ross of the Bank is now on leave in Edinburgh. Mr. Cole is still in Para.Well, enough about ourselves! I am so gald to hear you have got safely back. What a fund of glorious information you must have this time! If I had you on a steamer for a few days, I would extract it in all its fullness. How fondly I look back to those three days, going down river, when I had you all to myself and heard all about the "wooden clock" and your nocturnal rising in order to escape your father's sternness, filled all the time with a series of smaller anxieties, lest the paternal wrath should descend upon your handiwork05242
[4]and bring about the destruction of what, I am sure, was the expression of genius in mechanics.I simply loved to hear all those stories, so full of Scottish sentiment and character. If only I could have basked longer in the sunshine of your great companionship! I may not see you again, Professor, but I will never forget you. Often I reproach myself with the thought that I did not do enough for you down here, but I feel sure that, in your kindly wisdom, you made allowances for the shortcomings of a boy, whose head was full of business in the straining after the firm establishing of his career. Not being able to afford to be a Water-colourist, I have to stifle my artistic tendencies and do my next-best in Commerce, trying all the 05242
[5]time to be as smart as the best and smarter than the rest. This getting of our daily bread is a more serious thing than the words of the well known prayer would lead many to imagine.Now, dear Professor, I close, sending you my kindest remembrances and regards,Yours very sincerely,D. W. DimersJohn Muir Esq.Martinez,California05242
Location
Manaos, Brazil
Date Original
1912 Aug 6
Source
Original letter dimensions: 28 x 21.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Dimers, D. W., "Letter from D. W. Dimers to John Muir, 1912 Aug 6." (1912). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 6321.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/6321
Resource Identifier
muir20_1155-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 20, Image 1155
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
5 pages
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
