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  Dear Walt:

A friend of yours in Boston sends through me a little New Years gift. It comes from a good fellow. I wish I could duplicate it. I went over to Boston to the Holmes breakfast & had a pleasant time, I saw Emerson & spoke with him. He seemed to grope about in his mind for some  clew as to who I was, but I hardly think he placed me, though I told him the names of my books. There seems to be a fearful chasm in his mind & he is hardly able to bridge it over, in conversation. He does not remember the name of his own State. Whittier was standing by him & hearing my name, said to Emerson, "oh! thee knows him" with much emphasis. I then spoke to Whittier: he seemed to know me well & said he had read all I had published & was complimentary. Emerson is thin & sharp & his hair is about gone. He seemed to eat well & to enjoy the  fun. He wears the same look as of old. Holmes greeted me very heartily & said many pleasant things to me. Fields was very cordial & wanted me to stay at his house, a Mrs Fairchilds asked to be introduced to me to tell me how much she admired you & your poems &c. I went out to Arlington & saw Trowbridge He is well & made many inquiries about you. He has several children by his second wife, & they have a pleasant home.—I am making trips to N.Y.now adays​ nowadays​ to be treated for my arm & hand. The Doctor says it is Neuritis, inflammation of the nerves of  the arm. He cauterizes my back & arm with a red hot piece of platinum. I go again in the morning & shall stay down several days. The rest are all well here. I send the baby's picture taken in October. He runs all about now & begins to talk; Smith & his family are well. Mother mends a little. We have had a touch of winter here, & the river is frozen over, but to-day it is thawing again. Write, I hope you are coming East soon.

With much love from us all & a happy new year to you, John Burroughs