I address you and think of you as you were when I last saw you- nearly forty years ago– what old folks that makes us!– a frail, fair young maiden with transparent skin & brilliant blue eyes, cheerful, hopeful, enthusiastic; and such, having discovered the principle of eternal youth, you must be now, only robust & rosy instead of fair & frail.

By this you will doubtless understand that I have received your circulars, according to which you claim to have discovered truths of the highest importance to mankind. You may suppose I received the announcement with no small degree of astonishment, insomuch that I feared your reason was reeling. {I know you will not take offence at any thingCorrected:anything I say.}

I am persuaded better things of you, although I thus speak. I have seen so many persons even of a high order of intellectual faculties mount a theory and ride it as a hobby into the wildest regions of vagary, that I have become somewhat shy of all claimants to novel discoveries. I would be most glad to know that all you say is true, for my family are in suffering need of being benefited by your power of healing. I lost a dear daughter nearly two years ago by internal melanic cancer. My wife has been very sick nearly all th [?] Unclear or illegible e time since on occasion of "turn of life," and she is still able to do hardly any work- suffering greatly from dropsy of the womb- under doctor's care. My son, 13 yrs.Expanded:years old, is afflicted with heart complaint, or something of the kind which the doctor does not pretend to understand. In regard to my own health, I have nothing to complain of, but, much to be thankful for.

Why didn't you send your photograph? I should really like to see what changes time has wrought in you. But, I forget. You are still my fair little cousin Mary. many thanks to "Science & Health."Editorial Note: Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy

Let me hear from you, and all about present circumstances– I mean, of course only so much as you may think would be of interest to me, and a pleasure on your part to give.

I would much like to see your Book of wonder, but do not feel able to at present having just received from the doctor a bill of between two & three hundred dollarsEditorial Note: $200 in 1876 is the equivalent of $5,064.86 in 2021. $300 in 1876 is the equivalent of $7,597.29 in 2021.. You wouldn't mind, I suppose, if I were to give it a little sifting, since you are probably by this time well accustomed to such usage.