Almost every day, instead of going to school when I ought to have gone, I usually made for the fields, where I spent the day.

During all these years there existed within me a tendency to follow Nature in her walks.

Never give up listening to the sounds of birds.

In my deepest troubles, I frequently would wrench myself from the persons around me and retire to some secluded part of our noble forests.

I discover that my friends think only of my apparel, and those upon whom I have conferred acts of kindness prefer to remind me of my errors.

On landing at New York I caught the yellow fever by walking to the bank at Greenwich to get the money to which my father's letter of credit entitled me. The kind man who commanded the ship that brought me from France, whose name was a common one, John Smith, took particular charge of me, removed me to Morristown, N. J., and placed me under the care of two Quaker ladies who kept a boarding - house. To their skilful and untiring ministrations I may safely say I owe the prolongation of my life.

The fact is I am growing old too fast, alas! I feel it, and yet work I will, and may God grant me life to see the last plate of my mammoth work finished.