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Philadelphia
Oct. 21st
1866
My dear Sir -
I am sorry I was obliged to quit Boston without even a chance to say 'goodbye' to you, or to receive the '[pears?] and spelling book' which (the book) I am daily expecting - my friend Mr Tompkins having promised to send it to me.
This is the first opportunity I've had - since I left Boston - to acknowledge yr last kind letter, and even now I write in little less than agony; being somewhat crippled by a severe pain in my kidneys - an affliction which has troubled me many years, and which is aggravated by every little cold I take or any great exertion.
I cannot tell you, sir, how dearly I prize such
tokens of encouragement as those I have received from you and a few others, whose judgment I value above all the fulsome laudations so lavishly bestowed by the unthinking many upon a favorite.
Although unseen by other eyes, I draw from them renewed energy [&?] I sometimes turn to them for that encouragement, which all the newspaper "puffings" and applauding audiences fail to [provide?].
I think sometimes I must be a little dead inside - then I feel [sated?] and weary of my good fortune, and believe myself to be the most ungrateful of animals. It is only when I turn to these few cherished letters that I feel myself
to be of some little use; and then I hope again to be one day of service to my kind.
Not seeing you in the seat I selected for you I feared you were prevented from attending - I wish I had known the reason, I cd easily have procured you another. I am glad you were not disappointed with the 2d performance you witnessed - it only proves how little one can judge of his own work; I was terribly dissatisfied that evening.
I will certainly bring my darling to see Mrs Sargent - in the Spring, if life and health are granted us. I was obliged to leave her in New York, the journey hither - without
rest - would have been too great for her, and besides, my mother needed the "sunshine" a little -but I miss her dreadfully.
Again thanking you for your kindly thoughts of me, and wishing you many, many years of health and happiness
I am very
Sincerely yours
Edwin Booth