d keep pace
with the progress of humanity....

If, by telling you that my mind dwelt more upon religious subjects now
than formerly, I have led you to suppose that I ever investigate or
ponder creeds, theologies, dogmas, or systems of faith, I have given you
a false impression. But I live alone--much alone bodily, more alone
mentally; I have no intimates, no society, no intellectual intercourse
whatever; and I give myself up, as I never did in my life before, to
mere musing, reverie, and speculation--I cannot dignify the process by
the title of thought or contemplation.

My mind is much less active than it was: I read less, write less, study
little, plan no work, and accomplish none. It is curious how,
immediately upon my return to England, my mind seemed to flow back into
its former channels; how my thoughts were roused and awakened; and how
my imagination revived, and with what ease and rapidity I wrote, almost
_currente calamo_, the only thing worth anything that I ever have
written, my "English Tragedy." Here, all things tend to check any
utterance of my thoughts, spoken or written; and while in England I
could not find time enough to write, I here have no desire to do so, and
lament my inability to force myself to mental exertion as a mere
occupation and fill-time: _I dare not say kill-time, "for that would be
a sin."_ ... I ride and walk, and pass my days alone; and lacking
converse with others, have become much addicted to desultory thinking
(almost as bad a thing as desultory reading), which is indeed no
thinking at all. Real thinking is what Cleopatra calls "sweating labor,"
to which the hewing of wood and drawing of water is a joke; but this I
carefully avoid, knowing my own incapacity for it; so I dawdle about my
mind, and, naturally, arrive at few conclusions; and among those few, no
doubt, many false ones....

We are established here during the rest of the Session of the
Convention, which is a gain to me, as here I get companionship. There is
a recess of a couple of hours, too, in the middle of the day, which the
members avail themselves of for their very early dinner, but which we
employ, and I enjoy immensely, in riding about the neighboring country.
It is not thought expedient that I should ride alone about this strange
region, on a strange horse, so I am escorted, at which I rejoice for all
sakes, as everybody's health here would be the better for more exercise
than they take.

This place, which is