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[Letterhead in blue ink Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Supreme Judicial Court, Court House, Boston.]

[Top right, handwritten] Thursday 10 ¼ am Sept. [16 crossed out in blue ink] 17 [written in blue ink] / 96

My heart gave a jump when I saw the corner of your letter in my box 10 minutes ago, for I thought it was from you before I saw a letter of the handwriting. How long it takes to get a reply. I was thinking it would be time on sat. to get an answer to the one you are to answer or rather to have answered, and only now hear from my Sea[letter?]. However, realizing that, as the Governor of North Carolina said to the Governor of South Carolina according to our old army diction, it is a long time between drinks, I intended to dispatch a slight skiff by the Saturday mail.

[Written above] Please don’t swagger over me on the strength of superior irrationality - I too can be inconsequent - unexpectedly.

With yours came a long letter from my Virginia friend that brought tears to my eyes - He is a noble soul and I love him and wish you knew him. Is the same true of the “substance” whom you mention? - answer this - and why substance [crossed out: and why substance] There is so much that I wish I knew. At this moment I ought to be writing a decision and you interfere with my duties! Sadly - which I knew will give you pleasure. [written above in blue ink: Today (I got my date wrong)] [crossed out in blue ink, written in black: Tomorrow] Is the anniversary of the battle of Antietam at which [stacked on top of eachother] “96 “62 / 34 years ago! I was shot through the neck and had a close squeak for missing Doneraile.

[Written vertically across the left margin]

Leaving a ½ page blank to prevent reading through the envelope. I wonder how old you are. I have but a dim idea. Oh dear maiden with rose scented hair I wonder if you know how you delight me? But there are wonders about so many things - So Eustace was with you. I can’t read his last name in my book. What was it? How I chuckled over my trigging? your invitation? to him. However it was not I who was sent to shoot rabbits. This is the irregular letter - write at once and tell me that you still _ _ . I shouldn’t wonder if I saw you again before I am an old man if we both live and are well. What a terrible thought of possible tragedies when/where one is absent. Shall I get another letter in a few days? I wish I got one every day. Goodbye. I think of you enormously [initials?]

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This morning (and many others) at a little after 7 I was thinking she is perhaps now in the Conservatory. It is 12 in their premature Country - possibly she is remembering a party that once sat there with her. Of my friend I don’t want to uproot you - on the Contrary - nor could I if I tried. (I wonder how one tries!) I even, when I permit myself a departure from teetotalism at my dinner order Irish whiskey in memory of Doneraile! You think of the double point of view as a doubtful good - every advance in thinking is open to that question. But the process of thought is inevitable and there are no steps backward. Moreover the recognition of the other side is not inconsistent with a resolved taking of sides in practical affairs. One recognizes that the criterion of significance may be a mark of the finite. The cosmos may be too great a swell to condescend to have any meaning. Meaning may be confined to beings that have ends outside themselves. But we can’t get beyond it. As a fact of natural history we see that man is driven to action, action means the affirmation of the worth of ends, and so the framing of ideals. The fact that we can imagine other ones substituted is not a significant reason for despising those of society. To do that you must go further and believe the existing one bad. Man is an idealizing animal and the mere fact that certain ideals exist entitles them to some respect and deference, as the existence of some ideas is the social bond and manifest destiny. The ironic reaction is good for the moment of leisure - for Sunday afternoon - and keeps one from being a philistine, but it doesn’t count for much while you are busy. And on the same ground, one is wise ^in those moments of leisure to fix in ones mind what is worth sticking to, on the whole and to bar debate while under fire. Then, if you allow yourself to regard all questions as open, the superiority of a live dog to a dead lion becomes too painfully manifest, our fate is to fight, so we must take sides - but we are free to believe that the other side is equally necessary (as I did in our war) on condition of not letting that prevent us from killing it if we can. I won’t apologize - as you do - I shall assume that you won’t be bored by anything that interests me enough to make me write it down - as i hope you really believe in the [c-] [ca-] [written above: the mere fact that it is your writing makes it interesting if it ever depended on that, mock modest one!]

It is true that at least until we have got accustomed to each other and perhaps always, the thing one is looking for is assurance and reassurance that there has been no change, that one is still as dear as ever or a little more so (you are) but the suspense of rational discourse is an agreeable titillation if the other comes [above in blue ink: later] in sufficient quantity. How much do you want? I have a large stock on hand drawn fresh daily from the heart. Of if I could see you if only for an hour. Already confidence has grown so much. Is it not so? What do you mean by speaking as if it were no good? Is it no good to know it - and to know that soon and again and again we will read words of delight! Away foolish woman, you know better. Really I must pause and do a little duty.

8 ½ pm I have worked hard til 6 ½ and then dined at a hostel - (I am alone in town) Since I wrote my last word am [illegible] I have discovered my error of date and tonight I always think of the dead - my friends - why did I not love them better - and drink to the

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memory of brave men. I ordered Irish W. but they brought me Scotch - so I took another true Irish to you - dear early Norman?, as you called yourself. You must have some Micky in you - as I have, and appropriately you directed your envelope upside down. I hope you don’t carry one Irish characteristic too far. I mean that of thinking one a curly headed boy one day and a black hearted monster the next. However think it as you like, I also flatter myself that I have come to stay - variety is [illegible] - perhaps it will add to your interest, I am quite aware that what I said above as to ideals is not strictly responsive to yours - The complex generally means uncertain views as to the relation between the sexes - but thought it worth saying and it expressed the dominant aspect in my mind. What lots of self revelation remains to come out gradually as we write. There are some facts which I wish I knew but which I would not ask about when we talked. - To return to your letter for a moment I think the conflict of the two [illegible] is due in great part to the fact that what we love and reverence is determined by our earliest associations. Then comes reason and inward war. Tonight I ought to go to work on a discourse on legal education - but I like it a might better sitting here at home with you looking at me and your eye breaking all over your face. I will stop however, [illegible].

[original cover 1]

The Lady Castletown Of Upper Ossory

[crossed out: Doneraile Court Doneraile Co. Cork]

Ireland

Left margin: Castle Bernard Bandon Co. Cork]

[Top Left: 26 Sep. 1896]

[Stamp in black ink] Boston, Mass “Sept 18 11-30A 1896”

Stamp of American Flag in black ink the letter “A” within the stripes

[Postage Stamp: United States Postage Five Cents]

[origianl cover 2]

4 stamps in black ink

“Doneraile” and “Cork”