Letters of Lydia Maria Child, with a biographical introduction by John G. Whittier and an appendix by Wendell Phillips.

LETTERS. 61
thoroughly ashamed, of those mean ideas, for the
thought "I 1 am poor and thou art rich " ought never
to enter to interrupt the free flowing, of human
souls toward each other. Nevertheless I did it as I
have done many other things that I regret and am
ashamned of.
Good-by, invisible fairy princess, dropping anonymous gifts from thy golden car in the clouds.
I am ever thiy affectionate and grateful subject.
TO MISS LUCY OSGOOD.
NEW YORK, March 26, 1847.
I believe the Quakers are right in supposing' that
a salaried priesthood are positive obstacles in the
way of human progress. I think, too, that the vocation impedes individual growth. Great, good, and
progressive souls there doubtless are among the
clergy; but I do not think they are as large, as free,
as expansive as the same natures would have been
if removed from the social pressure to which all
clergymen are obliged to submit. The most mettlesome horse loses his elasticity and bounding grace
after plodding a while round the mill-wheel circle.
You see how far apart we are! You always at home
amoug clericals, I at home only among poets and
artists! You reading Italian sermons of past centuries, I bothering my brain to prove to myself (I have
done wishing to prove anything to anybody except
myself) Goethe's theory of Colors, by a similar theory
of Tones
You know I always wondered why on earth you
were interested inl such a butterfly as I am. That I
love you very sincerely is a positive fact, and not as
unaccountable as your regard for me. Our friendship