B-255-13
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It may seem very strange in such a place s New York (which is very much like Athens of old times) when the People were always employed in having and tellings some new thing; that I should be at a Loss to transmit something hard to my dear friend; but such is the fact, for since I recd thy very estimable favour of he 10th month I have thought of thee a great deal more than one hundred times, and rummaged over my vocabulary & ideas to see if I had not some of sufficient Value for my friend, but every attempt has hitherto failed, nor does my mind feel more fertile at this Moment; but have taken up my Pen, to fill a sheet of paper by some means or other; and who knows, perhaps in the research having the 'scattered fragments of broken thought" something worth exhibiting may come to light; for this I have sometimes known to be the case, should this be the case doubt not my dear friend shall earnestly lay hold of it for thy participation, I don't know how it is with others, but it is strangely the case with myself; that my Qualification for writings are remarkably versatile, there are times when I can take up my pen, and run off a sheet of paper in a little nook of time quite too my own satisfaction, and of those to whom I unite as some of CR's acknowledgements testify. there are other seasons again when if I was to be three days writing the same Quantity, I could not acquit myself to similar satisfaction. I mean this to apply either to sentimental or religious subjects. I note thy very friendly invitation to pitch my tent, in your vicinity, as also the inducements which thou holds up, nothing terrestrial
