Spring Farm Phalanx, Oct^r 11^th 46.

Friend Amy

Here we are in the woods 23 miles from

Lake Michigan, 17 from a school house, and the same from a

Post Office, till [sic] last week, now we are but eight, which we consider

a Telegraphic proximity, we are seventeen from a rum shop and 60

from a church so that our Spiritual and Spirituous interests are

rather poorly provided for; We arrived at Sheboygan after a very

– I had almost said pleasant voyage, but I verily believe that

would be something new under the sun; true there is a great deal

that is novel and sublime in riding o’er the vast exhause [sic] of water[e];

it is terribly magnificent to view the wild commotion of the elements

in a storm, it is beautiful to sit upon a vessel’s deck in pleasant

weather communing with the kindred spirits that may chance

to be your fellow passengers, or perusing the productions of the giant

minds who have illuminated earth with intellectual sun beams;

there is something of primeval grandeur in the interminable

range of forest trees that greet the eye on either shore, unbroken,

except occasionally by an Indian hut or white man’s clearing;

Yet for all this, the confinement to the vessel for so long a

time, the bad temper of some of your “co mates and brothers

in exile”-ship, the want of convenience for cooking, eating,

sleeping and bathing, the lack of cleanliness on the part of

some, and the prevalence of music from the “Cherubim and

Seraphine that continually do cry,” are sources of unpleasantness

for which an antidote can scarcely be found on ship-board.

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war is certainly the most suicidal policy that could possibly be pursued,

it is like the conduct of the Jews during the last siege of Jerusalem, divided into

numerous bands they waged a war of internal extermination, and except the

immediate presence of the enemy nothing could stay their fratricidal hands, what

fate could they expect but such as they met with? and yet the lesson they left us

is scattered to the winds, we blindly steer our vessel to the strand on which

they were wrecked, and throw ourselves headlong into the whirlpool which engulphed [sic]

them, verily experience does not make man wise until it thunders at his own

door, but let us hope for the best, although the storm is howling around us now

we may yet reach the desired haven. be so good as to give my best respects

to Isaac and Sarah, Eliab and Rebecca, and all the rest of my Rochester friends.

tell Eliab and M^r Kedyie that I shall be glad to have my papers and Phrenological

Journals directed to * [Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin,]

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*Please to direct to Plymouth P.O.

Sheboygan C^o

Wisconsin

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I shall be thankful if Eliab

will send a paper back to the Herald with my P.O. address, as he can do it

so much quicker than I can. with my best wishes for the success of your

approaching Fair, and best hopes for the progress of the cause, and sincere regards

for yourself I remain

Thy Friend,

John W Burn

P.S. I have said nothing about Sarah because she is going to speak for herself.

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