The Andrew Wylie Family Letters - Indiana University Bloomington

able faculty.* They were as interesting as any place of amusement I have been in. As a study
the science of medicine must be exceedingly attractive, and if I had the time & means at my
disposal I should go through a course, even though I should not practise. Philad’ is truly the Paris
of America in respect to medical advantages; and there are not less than 1200 students at these
colleges. Neither does the practice of medicine in a city like this seem to be so very disagreeable.
But this I do not think should be a paramount objection; for next to the ministry I think a man
can do the most good in the prac tise of medicine. It appears to me it would be a good idea for
a talented & competent young man to study medicine; and marry into the family of a celebrated
physician--and especially if there were no sons in the said family. You therefore need not be
surprised if at some future time, I should announce my purpose to act in accordance to the above
interesting suggestion. No young man of energy & ability need fear to compete in the circle of
city practise. I am rejoiced to hear that Lib [Liz] has at last the prospect of the winter’s absence
from home. Tell her she must by all means if feasible, come on and visit these cities; especially
to N.Y. to see the Crystal Palace. For all who now visit it are charmed, and return the wiser.
Indeed I think N.Y. would be a delightful place to live, for there you can obtain every desira ble
association, with the great incentive of a moving mass, to urge you onward in your course. And
in no place is this felt as in N.Y.
You should think it a privilege to lend your aid to those who are desirous of becoming
young again, and of putting on the students cap once more. 19th. Dear Sister I began this letter
so late last night that I could not finish it on account of oppressive sleep. It is seldom that I get to
bed before 11 or 12 oclock and yet I seem to get but very little done, for most of the time seems
to be spent in running &c. As the bell of St Johns strikes the hour of six I jump from my bed and
prepare to go through my morning duties, with as much puntuality as a clock would strike the
hour. You will see the necessity of this when I tell you I have to begin teaching at 8 1/2, and there
too to walk near two miles before this time.
The families in which I have been engaged have been very late returning to town, so that
not even yet am I fully employed in teaching but expect to in the course of a few days, and then
it will be literally running from morning till night. And no small portion of time each day I am
determined to spend in the acquirement of useful knowledge. I feel my deficiency so much that
I wish to make a man out of myself, if the native material will admit of gentleman polish. Some
part of the day in which I have not been engaged, I have been escorting my precious cousins
around the city.
And one of the places I have again & again visited is the celebrated Burd Statuary in St
Stephen’s Church. a description of which I advise you to read.
One of the England Bishops visited it a few days since and said there was nothing in E- equal to
them (two groupes) in beauty, but some superior in grandeur & size.
With Aunt Ann & all the family with Mr Smith I become more & more attached to as I become
better acquainted with them. I have had no less than three invitations for Christmas holidays--in
N.Y., Washington (I may say) and Baltimore, & at this place there will be a general assemblage of
relatives. Philad’ begins now to feel more to look & feel like a home; for I have met with much
kind treatment but I can assure you the initiating process has been a very severe one, and one
which has tried me for my good. I have chiefly through Carry’s introduction, obtained teaching
in & become acquainted with some of the families of the highest stand ing, and have given them
entire satisfaction & even more --
I suppose the era of the R. Road arrival will be a bright mark in the history & prospects
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of B[loomington], and I hope too, that you all will receive the great benefit from it. You did not
mention about Dr Dodds finishing the house &c. Now I want you to tell them at home to keep
the books of the library, for they may all come in use to some of us at a future time. John seems
to be in the notion of going to California, and I hope I shall be able to communicate to him an
opportunity of going on vessel as physician. A young Dr who is a surgeon in the Sacramento
hospi tal said to me, that it is a poor country for a general practi tioner but the most perfect of all
climates, and would be almost a panacea for all diseases--that he had for eleven months slept in
the open air without even a cold.
As to his [John’s] design about the instruments I do not know that he wishes you to
understand it.
Since I learned from you that Judge Macdonald will still remain for a time, I infer the Law
School will still go on. I think to I must still write to Hume.
As for Dr Reeds going to Europe, I think I will see the country as soon as he will; however
he needs it. Speaking of Curran, minds me to urge it upon you to keep yourself dear to all those
fellows and you will not have cause to regret it hereafter.
Now do write soon & often, and excuse my hurried letters for they must often be so
especially hereafter, for it is work, work, drive, drive, and all things in a hurry.
Give my love to Mary, children, mother & all with a large portion for yourself. Excuse
errors for cannot often look over.
Your affect brother Anderson Wylie
Tell Lib she wrote messrs on the back of a letter messers--and you made several mistakes in your
last. Please correct the same in mine.
*The Medical School of Jefferson College of Canonsbury was in Philadelphia.
John Wylie to Andrew Wylie, Jr.
Richmond
Oct 20 th 1853
Dear brother,
Your kind letter was duly received. I thank you for your sympathy and kind wishes.
When I last wrote you the means to further my contemplated removal to California
seemed to be very far in the back ground, and not wishing to ask any aid from home, fearing that
it might embarrass them, I applied to you rather than to go out of the family. I am sorry to learn
the embarrassed state of your circumstances: and am glad to state that I shall probably succeed in
raising the necessary amount of cash (or nearly so) without troubling you further. I beg of you to
give yourself no further uneasiness about the matter. I have resolved to go and the means will be
found. I shall finish winding up my business by the end of this week & next week expect with my
wife & child to visit home. We will probably stay there a week or so when we will return & I shall
go on my way to New York where I shall embark. It may be possible that I may pay you a visit
before going.
Since I last wrote you my health has improved and I feel encouraged. This is a serious
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