<hi rend="bold" TEIform="hi">Letter from Richard H. Lewis to Emma Lewis, August 20, 1825:</hi> Electronic Edition. Lewis, Richard Henry, 1806-1857 Erika Lindemann Funding from the State Library of North Carolina supported the electronic publication of this title. Text transcribed by Erika Lindemann Images scanned by Mara E. Dabrishus Text encoded by Brian Dietz First Edition, 2005 ca. 13K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2005

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 <hi rend="italics" TEIform="hi">True and Candid Compositions: The Lives and Writings of Antebellum Students in North Carolina</hi> written by Lindemann, Erika John Francis Speight Papers (#3914), Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Letter from Richard H. Lewis to Emma Lewis, August 20, 1825 Richard H. Lewis 2 pages, 3 page images 1825 Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Call number 3914 (Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

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Transcript of the personal correspondence. Originals are in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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 Library of Congress Subject Headings Erika's vocab English Education/UNC Curriculum Examples of Student Writing/Letters Travel and Entertainment/Vacations Personal Relationships/With Family Members 2005-05-12, Brian Dietz finished TEI/XML encoding. Document Summary

Lewis regrets that he was unable to visit his sister during the vacation, but he tells her what he is studying in the new session.

 Letter from Richard H. Lewis to Emma Lewis, August 20, 18251 Chapel Hill N. C. August 20th 1825 Dear Sister,

You cannot, indeed I know you will not be displeased, when I come to tell you that it was utterly impossible for me to come to farmwell, during my vacation, to see you. The day that I had set aside for that purpose and almost on the very eve of departure the horse that I intended to ride was taken sick, and by that means placed it beyond my reach to pay you a visit. You may rest assured that want of love to you was not the cause of my not coming: for you know that I have always cherished for you the most lively affections which a brother could cherish for a sister.

I spent the whole of my vacation at Mount Prospect and went no where save to Sisters Elizabeth's and Mary's and to Aunt Powell's. Indeed, Sister, there was no need of going any where. For where could I find a place more delightful than Mount Prospect, or company better than that of our parents. With them I could spend every hour of my life: for where can kinder parents be found. I answer no where.

I returned to the University about four weeks ago since which time I have not heard from home. I fear very much that either Papa, Mamma or both of them are sick, as it is about this season of the year that sickness is very prevalent in that part of the country and if I do not hear from them soon I shall be very uneasy.

My studies are much more laborious than what they were last session. They are as follows: Geometry, Logarithms, Plane Trigonometry, Cicero de Senectute, and Blairs Lectures. In addition to these we study Paley's Theology2 on Sunday. Altho you are unacquainted with any of these studies, yet you can easily judge, from the number of them, that they are very laborious. Six studies pursued at one time are enough to confuse almost any person's mind. Yet we need not complain: for they serve to exercise and improve the mind the more. And this is what we all aim at, viz. the improvement of the mind. (Excuse me for mentioning my studies to you, since I consider it unpolite in the extreme to talk to a person about any thing, of which3 that person is ignorant).

I shall expect an answer to my letter soon. You must write me a long letter. and tell me all the news that you know. Write me what your studies are. what improvents you have made and whether you expect to go to school any longer: than this year &c &c &c. Accept, dear Sister of my best love and believe me as ever your affectionate Brother

Richard. H. Lewis Saturday evening Min. of oclock Augt 20th

1. John Francis Speight Papers, SHC. The letter is addressed "Miss Emma Lewis/Sycamore Alley Mount Prospect/ Halifax County/ No Ca." The postage endorsement is faint; "Chapel Hill" is legible in the upper left corner but the date on which the letter was mailed is unrecovered. The amount of postage written in the upper left corner is "12 1/[2]"; below the postage someone has written "forwd" and added "6" cents to the postage, for a total of "18 1/2" cents.

2. William Paley, Natural Theology; or, Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity (London: R. Faulder, 1802).

3. Lewis wrote "of which" on top of several unrecovered characters.