[Letter of 1876 February 1]

[Letter of 1876 February 1]

1876-02-01

Father and child

Reading interests

Christian life

African American families

Anderson, Caroline Still, 1848-1911 [recipient]

image/jp2

Correspondence

This material is made available for private study, scholarship, and research use. For access to the original letter, or high-resolution reproduction, please contact the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection (blockson@temple.edu; 215-204-6632).

Temple University Libraries, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection

William Still Collection

Blockson manuscripts

William Still Collection

Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Libraries

blockson@temple.edu

BMS010X0111

Phila Jan Feb. 1, 1876/ Dear Caddy:/ Your letter of the 29th inst./ Came to hand yesterday but the perusal of/ it was about all I was able to find time for./ In it I perceive that you are making some/ important discovery. You are beginning to find/ out your “imperfections,” and in this “puzzled”/ state, you feel “continually as though you/ need the companionship and confidence of/ an older scholar &c &c./ Although you are somewhat late/ in finding out these mysteries I trust & believe/ that you will profit by them- You know my/ views on these points./ Of course it will do no good not to/ worry & fret, but just be calm and let pat/=ience have her perfect work and you need/ not fear what others may think; and espe=/=cially if you are resoled on [joining?] The Christ/=ians race. I would advise you to give/ more anxiety and consideration to the/ all important knowledge and studies, which/ will [ripen?] your mind and strengthen your/ purposes, not so much to shine in fash/=ionable circlesulars whose reading & delights/ are more in harmony with this world/ than they are with Christ & his Kingdom./ Very many read a great deal to no purpose./ Just as same as very many drink & smoke to ex=/access[sic], and delight in so doing while it is/ really injuring them all the while./ Therefore while it is right to store the mind/ with useful knowledge it is quite necessary/ to make good selections./ If you had turned your attention a/ little more to new paper correspondence/ an essay composition, you might have/ easily shone as you was adopted, to such/ work. Indeed had peculiar faculties for such/ labor. You have always needed a little/ more individuality. You could then con-/=tent yourself to pursue studies whether/ you had other scholars to lean on or not./ After lamenting the daily lost half/ hours and admitting that you have no/ excuse of or but a “lame excuse”. You/ straightway try to consoul[sic] yourself by/ adding; “I suppose I was born to do/ just as I have done.” This is a delusion./ Let us acknowledge our faults, repent/ of them and do better for the future./ Now I would be very glad to renew the/ Thursday evening readings, and would only/ be too happy to have Willbur and Ella,/ take an interest if they could only be persuaded/ to do so. But for the solid, useful, & practical/ kind of reading Ella has never evinced much/ tast[sic] as I am aware of. And as to Will,/ I think he has shown less appetite than/ E. even. How often I think of their neglect/ and want of knowledge in this respect./ Indeed I have often thought that/ it is a great deal harder to induce/ those who have been favored with school/ priviledges[sic] all their lives, to learn some/=thing practical than it is to get those/ who have never had advantages, to learn &c./ I would be more encouraged so far/ as [music?] is concerned if I saw either/ Will or Ella occasionally eager for a good/ book, and interesting paper of somethings/ by which they would be storing the mind/ with useful knowledge. But I have been disappointed and have felt that I/ have thrown away money. They/ seem not to take my advice for a mo/=ment [I am astonished?]. She is very fond/ of light fashionable society. In this circle,/ hard study, much reading and some con/=siderable thinking is not called for./ Chit chat and frivolous talking is about/ all that is needed in this circle./ Now you will agree with me that/ this is not a letter to let [?] loose around/ as the complaint might if seen by strangers,/ look worse than they really are./ Well now about the money. You will/ find check for twenty two dollars. As to our/ account let that stand untill you come/ home I guess. Willie is quite well, but/ dont want to go to Washington at all./ He is right./ Your affect. Father./ WS/