4634. LETTER-WRITING, Drudgery of.—
From sunrise to one or two o'clock, and
often from dinner to dark, I am drudging at
the writing table. And all this to answer letters
into which neither interest nor inclination on
my part enters; and often from persons whose
names I have never before heard. Yet, writing
civilly, it is hard to refuse them civil answers.
This is the burthen of my life, a very grievous
one indeed, and one which I must get rid of.
Delaplaine lately requested me to give him a
line on the subject of his book; meaning, as I
well knew, to publish it. This I constantly refuse;
but in this instance yielded, that in
saying a word for him I might say two for myself.
I expressed in it freely my sufferings
from this source; hoping it would have the effect
of an indirect appeal to the discretion of
those, strangers and others, who, in the most
friendly dispositions, oppress me with their
concerns, their pursuits, their projects, inventions
and speculations, political, moral, religious,
mechanical, mathematical, historical, &c., &c. I
hope the appeal will bring me relief, and that
I shall be left to exercise and enjoy correspondence
with the friends I love, and on subjects
which they, or my own inclinations present.—
To John Adams. Washington ed. vii, 54.
Ford ed., x, 71.
(M.
1817)
