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* One seems to be missing.
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Your letter of April came, as ever-more than ever, if possible--
full of kindness, and making much of our small doings and
writings, and seemed to drive me to instant acknowledgment; but
the oppressive engagement of writing and reading eighteen
lectures on Philosophy to a class of graduates in the College,
and these in six successive weeks, was a task a little more
formidable in prospect and in practice than any foregoing one.
Of course, it made me a prisoner, took away all rights of
friendship, honor, and justice, and held me to such frantic
devotion to my work as must spoil that also.
Well, it is now ended, and has no shining side but this one, that
materials are collected and a possibility shown me how a
repetition of the course next year--which is appointed--will
enable me partly out of these materials, and partly by large
rejection of these, and by large addition to them, to construct a
fair report of what I have read and thought on the subject. I
doubt the experts in Philosophy will not praise my discourses;--
but the topics give me room for my guesses, criticism,
admirations and experiences with the accepted masters, and also
the lessons I have learned from the hidden great.
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