To the Same.
ST. DAVID'S, March 30, 1874.
DEAR BRYANT,--I send you enclosed my formal answer to your letter on
behalf of my kind friends in New York and elsewhere, but I must have a
little private word with you. . . . That speech of yours at the Cooper
[A meeting at the Cooper Institute] was one of the best, if not the
very best, of the little speeches that you have ever made. But good
gracious! to think of your undertaking a Popular History of the United
States! The only thing that troubles me for you is the taskwork of
investigation. Supposing you to have the whole subject in your mind,
nobody can write the story better than you can. Put fire into it, my
dear Senior; or rather do what you can do,--for I have seen it,--so
state things in your calm way as to put fire into others.
[323] This is a great work that you have in hand; everybody will read
it, and will be instructed by it, I trust, in sound politics, and
stirred to holy patriotism.
Ever yours, faithfully,