Oh, wella-day, friend Merwin ; these were the days of our youth and folly ; I trust we have grown.wiscr and better since then ; we certainly have grown older. I don't think we could rob John Moore's fishing canoe now. By the way, that same John Moore, and the anecdote you told of him, gave me the idea of a vagabond character -- Dirk Schuyler, in my Knickerbocker history of New York, which I was then writing.

You tell me the old school building is torn down, and a nice one built in its place. I am sorry for it. I should have liked to see the old school-house once more, where, nfter my morning's literary task was over, I used to come and wait for you, occasionally, until school was dismissed ; and you would promise to keep back the punishment of some little tough, broad-bottomed Dutch boy, until I should come, for my amusement-- but never kept your promise. I don't think I should look with a friendly eye at the new school-house, however nice it may be.

Since I saw you in New York I have had severe attacks of billious intermittent fever, which shook me terribly ; but they cleared out my system, and I have ever since been in my usual excellent health -- able to mount my horse and gallop about the country almost as briskly as when I was -a youngster. Wishing you the enjoyment of the same inestimable blessing, and begging you to remember