I have hardly had time & repose enough to write to you before. I spent the afternoon of Friday (it seems some months ago) in Worcester, but failed to see Blake, he having “gone to the horse race”! in Boston;—to atone for which I have just received a letter from him, asking me to stop at Worcester & lecture on my return—I called on [Theo] Brown & [T.W.] Higginson, & in the evening came by way of Norwich to N.Y. in the steamer Commonwealth, and though it was so windy in land, had a perfectly smooth passage, and about as good a sleep as usually at home. Reached N Y about 7am, too late for the John Potter (there was’nt any Jonas) so I spent the forenoon there, called on Greeley (who was not in) met [F.A.T] Bellew in Broadway and walked into his workshop, red at the Astor Library &c &c—I arrived here about 30miles from N.Y. about 5pm Saturday, in company with Miss E. Peabody, who was returning in the same covered wagon from the Landing to Eagleswood, which last place she has just left for the winter. This is a queer place—There is no large long stone building, which cost some $40000, in which I do not know exactly who or how many work—(one or two familiar faces, & more familiar names have turned up)—a few shops & offices, an old farm house and Mr. [Marcus} Spring’s perfume privately residence within 20 rods of the main building. “The City of Perth Amboy” is about as big as Concord and Eagleswood is 1 ¼ miles S W of it, on the bay side. The central fact here is evidently Mr. [Theodore] Wel’d school—recently established—around which various other things revolve. Saturday evening I went to the school room, hall, or what not, to see the children & their teachers & patrons dance. Mr Weld, a kind looking man with a long white beard, danced with them, & Mr [E.J.] Cutler his assistant, lately from Cambridge, who is acquainted [with] Sanborn, Mr Spring—and others. This Sat. eve-dance is a regular thing, & it is thought something strange if you dont attend. They take it for granted that you want society!

  Sunday forenoon, I attended a sort of Quaker meeting at the same place—(The Quaker aspect & spirit prevails here—Mrs Spring says “—does thee not?”) where it was expected that the spirit would move me I having been previously spoken to about it) & it, or something else, did, an inch or so. I said just enough to set them a little by the ears & make it lively. I had excused myself by saying that I could not adapt myself to a particular audience, for all the speaking & lecturing here has reference to the children, who are far the greater part of the audience, & they are not so bright as N.E. children Imagine them sitting close to the wall all around a hall—with old Quaker looking men & women here & there. There sat Mrs. Weld (Grimke) & her sister, two elderly grayheaded ladies, the former in extreme Bloomer costume, which was what you may call remarkable Mr. [Arnold] Buffin with broad face & a great white beard, looking like a pier head made of the cork tree with the bark on, as if he could buffet a considerable wave;—James G Birney, formerly candidate for the Presidency, with another particularly white head & beard—Edward Palmer, the anti-money man (for whom communities were made) with [word] ample beard some-what grayish. Some of them I suspect are very worth people. Of course you are wondering to what extent all these make one family—to what extent 20. Mrs [Caroline] Kirkland, and this [a name] only to me, I saw—She has just bought a lot here. They all know more about your neighbors & acquaintances than you suspected.

  On sunday evening, I read the moose—story to the children to their satisfaction. Ever since I have been constantly engaged in surveying Eagleswood—though woods ravines marshes & along the shore, dodging the tide—though cat briar mud & beggar ticks—having no time to look up or to think where I am (it takes 10 or 15 minute before each meal to pick the beggar ticks out of my clothes—burrs & the rest are left—rents mended at the first convenient opportunity) ( shall be engaged perhaps as much longer. Mr Spring wants me to help him about setting out an orchard & vineyard—Mr Birney asks me to survey a small piece for him, & Mr. Alcott who has just come down here for the 3d Sunday—says that Greeley (I left my name for him) invites him & me to go to his home with him next Sunday morning & spend the Sunday.

  It seems a twelve-month since I was not here—but I hope to get settled deep into my den again ere long. The hardest thing to find here is solitude & Concord. I am at Mr Spring’s house- Both he & she & their family are quite agreeable.

  I want you to write to me immediately—(just left off to talk French with the servant man—) & let Father & Mother put in a word-to them & to aunts—

  Love from
  Henry