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Mrs. Gibson
March 20, 1838

but one such person, that is - who said that he would, and I believe he spoke without reflection. I should have written to you before, but I could not bring myself to the task, and even now it is dreadful to me to write such melancholy intelligence to those, who loved the sweet little innocent as much as we did. I have begun a bust of him and I am working partly from notes which I took before he died and partly from the cast and my memory, and it is with great satisfaction that I assure you of my perfect success. Indeed how could I miss the likeness of one so [[strikethrough]] da [[/strikethrough]] dear to me, and whose every feature and expression is engraved upon my very heart and soul. I shall send it home to you when done in marble - this is - if I have a safe opportunity.

The other little fellow is so fat and saucy as you could wish to see him, and I pray that God in his mercy may long spare him to comfort us. He does not know that his "Dummy" is gone for we thought it would afflict his little heart to be told of it. We have procured a faithful trusty old woman to take him out walking every day, and we shall watch his health carefully and have timely advice from Dr. Playfair (who if there could be - is a second Dr. Cobb) - should he fall sick. He grows finely and talks quite plain and is really pretty.

For ourselves - we are quite well, and I trust with care shall continue so after having endured so much without falling sick. Mr. Greenough and his wife and sister have been very kind to us - and so has Mr. Wilde (once a member of Congress from Georgia). Indeed we have several excellent friends here, who if either of us should become ill - will not allow us to suffer for want of attention.

My works have not yet arrived from N. York, but I expect them soon and as I have already modelled several busts here, I have procured a person, who will soon commence roughing them out in marble. We have taken a house, which answers both for our residence and my studio or work shop - and I have reason to believe that we shall get along very comfortably. Elizabeth I find has a ??? on her account, for she has had a trial as severe as almost any thing could present of which I can imagine - an she has sustained it like a philosopher, tho' it has cost her a world of agony. The worst is past,