a Man, they will under Papa's wise
management increase to double their present number. With wishing you may
never be in want of such playthings and yet never too fond of them, I
remain your affectionate friend,

WM. WELLS.
MEDFORD, July 2, 1793.

Young Morse was sent away early to boarding-school, as was the custom at
that time. He was taken by his father to Phillips Academy at Andover, and
I believe he ran away once, being overcome by homesickness before he made
up his mind to remain and study hard.

The following letter is the first one written by him of which I have any
knowledge:--

ANDOVER, 2d August, 1799.

DEAR PAPA,--I hope you are well I will thank you if you will Send me up
Some quils Give my love to mama and NANCY and my little brothers pleas to
kis them for me and send me up Some very good paper to write to you

I have as many blackberries as I want I go and pick them myself.

SAMUEL FINLEY BREESE MORSE
YOUR SON
1799.

This from his father is characteristic of many written to him and to his
brothers while they were at school and college:--

CHARLESTOWN, February 21, 1801.

MY DEAR SON,--You do not write me as often as you ought. In your next you
must assign some reason for this neglect. Possibly I have not received
all your letters. Nothing will improve you so much in epistolary writing
as practice. Take great pains with your letters. Avoid vulgar phrases.
Study to have your ideas pertinent and correct and clothe them in an easy
and grammatical dress. Pay attention to your spelling, pointing, the use
of capitals, and to your handwriting. After a little practice these
things will become natural and you will thus acquire a habit of writing
correctly and well.

General Washington was a remarkable instance of what I have now
recommended to you. His letters are a perfect model for epistolary
writers. They are written with great uniformity in respect to the
handwriting and disposition of the several parts of the letter. I will
show you some of his letters when I have the pleasure of seeing you next
vacation, and when I shall expect to find you much improved.

Your natural disposition, my dear son, renders it proper for me earnestly
to recommend to you to _attend to one thing at a time_. It is impossible
that you can do two things well at the same time, and I would, therefore,
never have you attempt it. Never undertake to do what ought not to be
done, and then, whatever you undertake, endeavor to d