Springfield Oct 31/42.
My dear Friend.
I must inform you sans delai,
in order to remove from your mind” your “wondering-
-where-I-am-“doing,” that I am still remaining
here and in good and constant employment.
Before I proceed saying about my business, I must
assure you, my Kind friend, and your truly exceptional
lady (God bless her!) of the uninterrupted
excellency of my health, and of some certain
improvements of my much-abused spirits; and
I serventlye hope this epistle will find the same
with you both. Now about my business: whether
it promises to be good or bad I will leave it
to you to judge by your perusal. On my arrival
at this very pretty place, I called on your
friends Messers Ashmer and Dwight, who received
me with much kindness and cordiality. Mr D.
engaged me immediately to paint his portrait
(of the size of Fred’s), and, at the same time,
promised, if my work should prove so satisfyicatory
to him as well as to his friends, that he will
serve me as he could by finding me customers.
—When it was finished, some of his friends,
saw and pronouncered it very good, and
then engaged me to paint theirs. – I am

now painting Mrs Orne , Mr Geo: Dwight (a cousin of
Mr W^m Dwight’s, to whom you introduced me) and
his lady; and I am going to paint Mrs Root and
Mrs Edwards. All of the same size, much to my
content.—According to their assurances of plenty
of work for me, it appears that I will reap a
golden harvest before it comes long. But, though
I really feel anxious to find my purse, hitherto
what a French adage says
“Le diable se danse dans la bourse.”e
well lined with glittering “Yellow Boys,” for a certain
reason, which M^rs Seward will, no doubt, guess
right; and though I am trying with might and
brain to nabobize myself in the famous “Land
of wooden nutmegs, I cannot say positively whether
it has pleased Madame Fortune to take me
in her train, or Miss-Fortune to play à la chatte
with her poor victim.—I say with Fanny Kemble
“O Poor little me!”
I am much charmed with the general appearance
of this town, in spite of the rapid approach of
Old Winter whose death-like breath has just
withered the verdant foliage; and, moreover, much
surprised to find the Springfield Girls countless
as blackberries and pretty as peaches. Don’t suppose
that I have fallen over head and ears in love with
any of them, for my heart is not within me.—
I have nothing of any importance to say at present.

but I shall write to your Lady as soon as the
first opportunity is offered, when I obtain such
matters worthy of telling.
Remember me to her, your sons, Henry, and
the Weed Family—God bless you and them
One and all! I shall be happy to hear
a word from you.
I remain,
My dear Friend,
Your sincere
and humble
servant
Jno Carlin.
To His Excellency W^m H. Seward.

To
His Excellency
Gov: W^m H. Seward
Albany.
N. York.
SPRINGFIELD
NOV 1
MA
hJohn Carlin
Oct
1842