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I am very much obliged to you indeed for my share of your
kind letter which we received yesterday. I had been thinking before
that you must be anxious to hear how Mr. Smith passed through the
ordeal which seemed to be such a terrible one to him, and determined
to write you an account of his success myself, but I do not how
it happened that I failed to do so when the time came. I cannot let
him say a word about it now, for I cannot trust him to do justice
to himself, in anyone else I should almost be persuaded to think it
affectation to persist in thinking he has done badly when every one
else is so much pleased. I am very happy to tell you, and I hear it
from various and good authority that in his introductory he succeeded
better than his best friends had hoped he would. Dr. Cabell
and Mr. Broadus both came to tell me how well he had done while he
was yet in the lecture room. Both of them I know to be true friends,
and we can rely at least on the sincerity of their commendations.
Dr. Cabell said that all was in the best taste, and even went so far
as to say that he had never heard anything superior from Mr. Rogers,
but then it must be remembered that he is no especial admirere of
Mr. Rogers, and whatever Mr. Smith does at present we cannot expect
from him the finished eloquence of a practised orator. Mr. Broadus
said that in his soberest judgement he had succeeded admirably, and
indeed I cannot find room to tell you of the favourable opinions
expressed with regard to it by many good judges. They say all the
students were highly gratified, and some admired it extravagantly.
One young man said he didn't know what true eloquence was if that
were not, for it went right to the heart. Of course I would not
repeat all these eulogies upon Mr. Smith to any one but his own
father, but I think you will like to hear really what was thought
of his first effort as professor by his friends and the public generally,
and I do not think I have exaggerated in the least his
success. The number of his class is a little upwards of 80. I am
sorry to say that his cold has not yet left him, but the cough is
better and the soreness on the breast has entirely disappeared. We
are very glad to hear that Mother talks of coming with you to see
us in November. You must not let her give it out. We shall also be
very glad to see Summerfield and the Misses Clagett. Ask the young
ladies if they cannot stay with us, we can make room for them without
any trouble and shall be pleased to have their company.
I forgot to tell you what Mr. Smith told me to say about his
lecturing, and you may see how exactly I have obeyed orders. He says
he is getting along just tolerably so far, and that is the best he
can say for himself, indeed he is about the only person I ever saw
whom I thought was entirely too modest. However it certainly is
erring on the safe side, and must be more conducive to humility
than the opposite quality, let it be possessed in however moderate
a degree. One of my ideas has always been that it was unnatural &
impossible for a person of superior intelligence to be brought in
contact with others without perceiving his own superiority, but Mr.
Smith is a living refutation or at least an exception to my rule,
for I believe he really ranks himself very low among those whom
others think cannot compare with him. At the same time it seems to
me a full appreciation of one's own abilities and powers need not
by any means involve self conceit, for the knowledge of possessing
For while the native clearness of the mind may make one feel within
him the consciousness of genius or high intellectual endowments,
still while he views all this as a gift of God and himself as the
unworthy recipient of a kind Father's favours, he may at the same
time be the most humble and lowly of men. In the same way I cannot
believe a very beautiful person can look in a mirror and around
them, and be wholly ignorant of their attractions, but I can believe
that they may know it and be rather humbled than exalted by
it if they view it rightly. But I hope you will excuse me for writing
all this, it comes so natural to me to write just what occurs
to me at the moment, and then when I think of what I have said I
fool ashamed. I have not seen Edward for about a week. I suppose
he is very busy getting regularly to work. I shall see him tomorrow
however and deliver your message to him. Mr. Smith joins me
in much love to yourself, Mother & the boys. I hope that some one
of you will always find time to write to us once in a week, or two
weeks at most.
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