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[[newspaper clipping]]
Has life been all a failure—fruitless all
Its earnest efforts of unceasing toil?
Are there no triumphs which our souls recall—
No priceless treasure saved from out the spoil?
Have no sweet flow'rs up-grown to fill the place
Of those whose earlier bloom we loved so well?
Loves, hopes, ambitions—have these left no trace
On which our brighter thoughts delight to dwell?

With just compute, count all life's blessings o'er—
Weigh every joy in truth's unbias'd scale—
Bring every treasure from its secret store—
Write each, and all, as thou would'st make the sale
And to each item fix just estimate
Of what 'tis worth to thee—not more, nor less, 
Than sum, received, would fully compensate
Its utter loss to thee, beyond redress;
And when the strict account is fully made—
Each item fix'd at thine own estimate—
Add and compute the whole, and there display'd
Behold thy Fortune, in the aggregate!

Now that we're old, or surely growing old,
'Tis fitting we should count our treasures o'er,
With each intrinsic value fully told, 
And foot with scrup'lous care the truthful score:
To render, still, the fair account complete, 
Write all disbursements, count each precious cost
In toil, or pain, and let life's balance-sheet
Reveal, in full, what we have gain'd or lost.

Count that man poor who holds not, as his right,
What all earth's garnered gold could never buy;
As he is blind who holds not, in his sight, 
A World of Beauty, which can never die.
J.M. THAYER
Rochester, N.Y., Jan. 31st, 1880.
[[/newspaper clipping]]

Thursday Mar. 25 1880. We concluded the hanging  of the pictures at the Academy last night near midnight and I have been up there this morning to see the thing completed. The Harpers are there to photograph some of the pictures for the Weekly but it was doubtful if they could do anything on account of lack of light. This whole thing has been a severe tax on me and I wish I could have escaped it. I know we have done our duty carefully and without prejudice and yet we need not expect to escape without severe criticisms. I am ready to take what comes. Dined at Eastman Johnsons with Whittredge, Gifford and Charlie Coleman.

Friday Mar. 26. Tried to paint a little in my studio on a picture I have under way but was too much disturbed to do much. Calvert and I went to Rondout in the 4 oclock train.

Saturday 27. Sara, Calvert and I went to Kingston. Calvert to see Miss Forsyth and I to look at a picture of Theodora Burr by the elder Vanderlyn. Miss Vanderlyn came to see me in the morning to ask me to come and look at it as she had some hope of selling it. It was not one of his good portraits and the drapery was unfinished. I advised her to ask $500 for it and then to take what she felt willing to accept. Vanderlyns Panorama of Versailles which has lain in the hall of the house in two great boxes for many years is to be taken to the New Armory and unrolled and hung up with a view to selling it if possible. It snowed when we came home and continued until evening when it began to rain. The Literary Club was to meet at our house and Calvert was to read his essay on dress but it rained so violently no one came except Capt. Mr. Burl from Riverdale. Calvert read his paper for us. Cousin Mary Waldo arrived almost