Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 37.djvu/347



Fort Vancouver 1st February 1830

My Dear Boy,

I have to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 27th last April and am surpris'd after the refusal I gave your Request to come and join me you should again make it. You ought to know that if I conceived it to your advantage I would have acced'd to your wish and I have written my friends to consider what Business you are qualifi'd for and to place you accordingly. But of this they will judge as I am afraid you are not yet sufficiently advanced in your education and if they leave you at school I Desire you will particularly apply yourself to study the English and French Grammar so as to be able to write in both languages correctly. I am happy to see the great improvement in your hand writing since the date of your preceding though I must say (as you are now of age when the truth should be told you, to enable you to judge correctly) that your hand writing is not such as it ought to be considering your age and the time you have been at school (it is very inferior to your sisters writing) which is certainly owing to yourself and shews you did not apply as much as you ought. Recollect that any Man can Accustom himself to write a good hand and that while learning you are working for yourself and at the very best and most profitable kind of employment) you can have and that a school master may be as able and exert himself as much as possible still his scholars will only improve in proportion to their own exertions and their own Real Anxious Desire to Learn. Men form their opinion of young people (And it is correct) from the real with which they see them Apply to their Studies and the progress they make and there never was yet a person of a Good Disposition who did not give proofs of it (when he had an opportunity) by his application to his Studies. you are now a Man and ought to be able to perceive what I state is correct and if you feel that pride and ambition (which I hope you have) to Rise in the world, you must see that the only way you can succeed is by Applying yourself Mont diligently to your Education. You must employ every Moment that you have to spare from your meals and sleep to improve yourself and take pains to do with all care imaginable As well as you possible can. Education May