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Tues. morn. Yours of Sat. just rec'd. It seems very favorable. I think others will be no trouble about getting the appropriation through. I will see Mendel before the day is out.- You are right about the [[underlined]] Century [[/underlined]]. Stupidity could go no further than it does in their editing. I've no doubt, too, you all night about my letter. Modify it as you see fit,- or suppress it altogether. I am constitutionally pugnacious, and am too old to outgrow it, now.- The fact that such stupidity is in the editorial chair of such a magazine as the [[underlined]] Century [[/underlined]] is one of the numerous considerations which give [[underlined]] me [[/underlined]], at least, a feeling of habitual depression; as if ability, faithfulness, good work count for very little in this world and inferior qualities count for a good deal. I hope I am wrong about this; but a good many observations of mine, in the last 50 years, have gone to confirm it.- Well, things will be as God pleases & we can't help ourselves, if we wanted to. I saw an extract from one of Lowell's letters in a review of them in the last [[underlined]] Nation [[/underlined]]. It was too this effect: "I take great comfort in God. I think he cannot be greatly amused with us sometimes; but I think he rather likes us and would not let us get at the matchbox as carelessly as he does, if he didn't know that the frame of his Universe is fire-proof." That is more consoling than all the machine-made sermons of all the D.D.s in the country.- By the way: I saw High Mass on Xmas Day, with an Archbishop in Mitre & Crozier & gaudy tinseled robes to preach a commonplace sermon & give the Papal benediction & a [[?Plenary Indulgence.

Give my regards to Miss Gay & to Francis.

Yours as ever
J.C.F.  

Transcription Notes:
needs careful editing; hard to read handwriting