LETTER TWENTY-SIX.
Sydney,
My Dear Sister,—
I received yesterday your letter dated February 22nd, together with one from Mr. R. Varney, making the third and fourth since I left England. This will make the sixth letter I have written to you. I wrote Mr. J. Varney last March, and to Mr. W. Hornblower June 3rd. A letter to my father I shall post with this. I have received nine newspapers in all. The papers you sent with this last letter were not likely to reach me, as it appears they came by a ship bound to Port Phillip, the overland mail bringing the letters on to Sydney, a distance of six hundred miles. Our dear little girl has been at death's door since my last, at which time she was not well, though I did not write to that effect, thinking she would soon get better. I am happy to inform you now that she is regaining her health very fast, so fast that I have included her in 'all very well' to my father, but she is not able to walk at present. We have been able to obtain medical aid, with which Clarinda was quite satisfied, and the dear little sufferer has wanted no comfort. I was sorry to hear of the death of my brother's wife, but hope he will be comforted. Was much rejoiced to hear that my mother's health was continuing so good. I hope you will not apprentice our nephew for some twelve months to come, by which time I should be able to advise what best to do with him (if you think my advice worth having). In the meantime I think he should be employed. Suppose you got him into a printing office for a short time. He would be attaining a knowledge of printing as a business and of book-making altogether, which would foster his taste for reading at the same time, as he would be getting a little money. (Nothing like getting money; nothing can be done without it. I know the value of money now! Money! money! money! is my watchword in future!) But do not neglect his education. Attend especially to that branch which may fit liim for business. On no account suffer him to neglect arithmetic. Drawing is very well in its place—a very beautiful acquisition, but it must not become a mere childish passion, to the subversion of that which may make him a gentleman, an intelligent and useful member of society. Drawing will be of no use to him in the merchant's counting house, and I do not think Birmingham the place for his future existence. What is his age? Does he read much, and what kind of books? Give my love to him, and tell him to be a good fellow—to begin to be a man!
I have little more to say at present, and as little time. I am quite happy now in Australia, and I am sure this will add to your happiness. I have got together a good many books, with other comforts, since I have been here, among which are the following: 'Plutarch's Lives,' complete; Smith's 'Wealth of Nations,' complete; Dr. Lang's 'History of Australia;' 'Sturt's Expeditions into Australia; ' 'Hugh Blair's Lectures;' 'Poetical Works of James Montgomery,' complete in three vols.; 'Oliver Goldsmith's Works,' complete in four vols.; 'The Works of Shakespeare,' complete; 'The Spectator,' complete; 'Sir William Jones' Letters;' and many more. You will see I have some reading now under my own roof, though I was obliged to sell every book I had when I first arrived to buy bread. There is a great fall in the price of this article lately. The 4 lbs. loaf is now only eight-pence. There is some difference between this and 2s. 6d., and almost everything in Sydney except rent is very reasonable. I bought a carpenter's hand-saw from a broker's shop, quite new, and as good as the one you sent me in London, for 4s. What do you think of this?
Yours affectionately,