My Dear Emerson,--The day before yesterday, I heard incidentally
of an unfortunate Mail Steamer, bound for America, which had lost
its screw or some essential part of it; and so had, instead of
carrying its Letters forward to America, been drifting about like
a helpless log on the shores of Ireland till some three days ago,
when its Letters and Passengers were taken out, and actually
forwarded, thither. By industrious calculation, it appears
probable to us here that my Letter to you may have been tumbling
about in that helpless Steamer, instead of getting to Concord;
where, if so, said Letter cannot now arrive till the lingering of
it have created some astonishment there.
I hastily write this, however, to say that a Letter was duly
forwarded a few days after yours [of January 23] arrived,--
enclosing the _Harvard Catalogue,_ with all necessary _et
ceteras;_ indorsing all your proposals; and signifying that the
matter should be authentically completed the instant I should
hear from you again. I may add now that the thing is essentially
completed,--all signed and put on paper, or all but a word
or two, which, for form's sake, waits the actual arrival of
your Letter.
I have never yet received your Book;* and, if it linger only a
few days more, mean to provide myself with a copy such as the
Sampson and Low people have on sale everywhere.