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PF2.2.82
Date
12-25-1839
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Kenyon College Christmas day - 1839
Dear Father,
I wrote you some 6 or 7 weeks since, but as I have [reed] no answer, I suppose you never got the letter. I [reed] yours of Sept 23, containing a draft on Sheldon L. Phelps for 40 dolls. I thank you for it indeed, and will take your advice and make it go as far as I can. In that letter you mention having [reed] a letter from the Faculty, stating that my mark was 38. This is hardly fair my mark should be 39 or 40, and it would have been so, but I was absent from one recitation through sickness; and forgot to hand in my excuse. This session I try for the 40. My studies are rather more laborious than last session. I have to write 2 and sometimes 3 or 4 compositions in a week, which is much harder than getting lessons, but the art of composing easily is north every exertion, and I am determined to acquire it. You mention in your letter that times are hard in N. Y. I presume from the tone of the newspapers that they have not grown much better since. Yet I assure you it is worse in Ohio than in the Eastern states. What had been sold in may places for from 45 to 50 cents a bushel - rye 27 a 45 - con 20 a 35 oats 20 a 25. Hour about 2.50 a 3.00 a barrel whole sale and 3.75 a 4.00 at retail. Hard times these for farmers but I am glad of it they will now laugh the other side of their mouth from what they did 2 years ago and the merchants and manufacturers if they cant get rich can at least live. By the way port in Cincinnati is only 2.50 or 3.00 a hundred.
The boarding houses here still stick to the old price [?] 1.75 but there are a dozen or [further] of the students boarding themselves as we call it. I am among the number. My board costs from 1.25 to 1.37 a week. I do not think it will average under the first or over the last. It is some trouble but not enough to ballance the difference of price. Things in other respects are much the came as last session. We have had very little cold weather only 2 or 3 days of [sleighing] this winter. The climate is in fact several degrees warmer than in Con. I [reed] a Yale catalogue 5 or 6 weeks since from [L. Stoddard]. It mentioned the number of students at over 600. This is larger than it ever was before so in spite of hard times Yale keeps up. Even here notwithstanding the gloomy prospects for farmers the students steadily increase. The society of which I am a member has also determined upon publishing a Literary magazine like the one at Yale. Proposals are out for subscribers and already (that is in 2 weeks from the first trial) they have obtained 500 or 600. This will make a grand opportunity to practice in writing for the students here and I for one am determined to improve it. My health has been in general good this winter and I have been obliged to be absent from only one recitation during this session. I hope I have improved my time as well as I could since I came here; at any rate I have tried. Now whether it would be better for me to stay during the next summer I very much doubt. There will be a vacation of 4 weeks in the Spring and then the summer term will be only 16 weeks long. On this account it would be as well to come home. My clothes also by that time (by Spring) will also be worn down so that I should probably be obliged to obtain a new supply. On the whole I think it would be as well to have here in the spring. If I could find anything to do such as a school or academy, then I should like it. It makes me feel uneasy when I think how much I am costing you. But if I could not I may as well commence my law study then as to defer longer. I think in New Haven my expenses would not be greater than here in anything but clothes and my law studies could be [camed] as much better. If I come to N.H. and study law during the summer I might also find a select school to teach during the winter which would pay my expenses. Please let me know what you think of all this and also what your wishes are on the [?]. I beginto wish to see my old friends. [Malis Wratham] are named in [?] from my letters. Well I knew it before I came on here for he told me how it would be -- but until 2 mistake makes will upset this bargain most bitterly. Let time determine. Why do you not send me the papers oftener I have had very few this term. If you have time please send me as many as you can. If you write on them I can make them out very easy. I send you a paper occasionally do you see [ceve] them. If you see grandmother tell her that alfred is well and that I had a letter from him a few days since stating that he thought of visiting Conn. in the spring. Give any respects to all enquiring friends and please tell Charles P. that I thank him for his paper and hope he will follow it up. Tell [Wales] I expect a letter from him and have expected it these 6 weeks. Write love for I have been waiting impatiently since I wrote any last which I suppose is last.
If you take the Courier and [?] now. If so please send me the copies when you are done with them.
I noticed an advertisement in the register which [Chas. Prough?] that me Rouse was about to set up a select school. Does he get along well - Indeed how does all these come on in Con. There descends to be a general stoppage of all communications from that quarter to me. There are few days now without recitations as christmas time. I suppose you are all in the [?] of [?mation]. I have let down to spending Christmas in writing home. It is dull I assure you when I think of the many times [?] and it makes me fell almost home seek. My Christmas dinner consisted of a few things spread out on my study table and eating as Senator Benton set the ball in motion “solitary and alone” I am truly glad that mother made out to fill part of a sheet to me. I hope she will not forget to send me few more at next time. Once in a while I think I should almost like to hear her scold me as she used to do. I had a letter from Gallmadge the other day stating I [?] sons [Leverance] and the two you must had gone to Illinois and were there making preparations to settle. See the world bushes west here as much as they do in Con. and if I ever get my education finished I will do as far as the farthest distance with the country. Do not fail to write some to your absent son.
Luc G Peck
Recommended Citation
Peck, Lucius G., "Letter from Lucius G. Peck to Levi Peck" (1839). 19th Century Correspondence. 76.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/correspondence_19thc/76