Letter from Henry to Edward, September 17, 1887
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Henry to Edward, September 17, 1887
Subject
Birthdays; Old age; Eyeglasses; Associations, institutions, etc; Phrenology
Description
Henry writes to Edward on his birthday which also happens to be mail day. Henry talks about how he got a new pair of spectacles and how that signifies that he is getting older; a lot of his siblings also have glasses. The consul has started "The Mutual Improvement Association." A paper read by Dr. Swan and Mr. Parker mentioned phrenology which men in the customs service studied because Chinese men had their heads shaved.
Creator
Noyes, Henry Varnum
Source
Loose, The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1887-09-30
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_816
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton Sept 30th 1887
Dear Bro Edward
It so happens that your
53rd birth day is mail day. I
wish you a happy day, and many
returns. You & I have got past the
up hill side of life a good ways.
My getting a pair of spectacles the
other day makes me feel distinctly
that I am entering the old age part
of my life. Father will have a good
deal of company soon in the way of
spectacles. Mattie tells me that Sarah
wears them. You wrote that you are
beginning to use them. I am, and
Mattie can see better with them. Hattie
I expect will be coming along before
a great while so that we can be-
gin to call ourselves "[u] The Spectacle Club [/u]."
We shall look quite venerable. I got
mine in this way. I was over at the
Consuls the other day & Mr Cunningham
was there too. The Consul remarked that
he had just got a pair of spectacles from
a Chinese shop for ten cents that he
could see with better than with any other
pair he had. I asked him where the
shop was. He asked me if I wanted to
get a pair. I said I was beginning to feel
the need of them. He said I bought
three pairs you had better try them.
The first pair I tried was made too
[?hard?]. The second pair did fairly only
I had to hold the book tolerably near.
He said "you just take those and
keep them until I call for them"
which I understand to be a
[u] perpetual [/u] [u] lease [/u]. I thought however
they were a little too old and went
and got another pair with a
longer focus which suit me
first rate. They are marked 20
which I suppose means [u] 20 [/u] inch
focus. The Consuls were marked
[u] 16 [/u].
They have started here in
Canton what they call "The Mutual
Improvement Association". It meets
once in two weeks. They have
singing declamation, lectures &c
Last night it was at the Consuls
and well attended. It is suc-
ceeding better than I anticipated
there are what are called the
out-door customs staff that have
always seemed to [--be--] be a
rather neglected class, not going
to meeting or having any thing
done for them. There is a good
christian man in the Customs who
feels a great deal of interest in these
and it is largely through him and
his wife that this society has been
started. The Missionaries have a
good deal to do with it. The meetings
are always opened with singing reading
a chapter of the Bible and prayer &
closed with a hymn and prayer.
Last night we had [--two--] one declamation
several solos, one instrumental
piece with the flute and piano, and
an instrumental duet on the
piano. The two "original papers"
authors unknown but the
papers read by Dr Swan and
Mr Parker, one on the head
going into some account of the
brain & the face, phrenology, physiognomy
[--are--] &c. [u] Eight [/u] minutes were
allowed after the papers for speeches
In that first eight minutes were three
speeches made by Dr Graves Consul
Seymour & your humble servant.
The consul made quite a humorous
speech, said the men in the Customs
service had a capital chance to study
phrenology, because the Chinese had
[u] shaved [/u] heads and you could see
every lump that was on them.
For himself he did not believe in
phrenology, thought you could tell a great
deal more by the feet than the head. He knew a
man that had to have a special block to
make a hat for his head. The biggest head
he ever saw, but the man hadnt a
[u] spoonful [/u] of trains, was the most [u] stupid [/u]
man that ever had leave to be away from
home over night, while another man he
knew that only wore a 6 3/4 hat, was
the liveliest man and [u] made [/u] [u] the [/u] [u] most [/u]
[u] trouble [/u] of any man he ever knew.
Combativeness is located in the [u] big-toe [/u] because
it is the point of resistance. Cowardice
in the [u] bed [/u] because it turns away from
the [?enemy?]. [u] Conscience [/u] in the middle
of the foot because it is most elastic &c
&c. Why said he "If a man should
recommend Dr Graves here, to Mr Jackson
the Manager of the Hong Kong & Shangha Bank
as a fine man with [u] a [/u] well [/u] [u] made [/u] [u] head [/u]
he would'nt take much stock in that,
but if you should say "He has a good
[u] understanding [/u]. He is a square toed
man, he stands firm on his feet,
he is a regular flat-footed man
to do business with, he stands straight
up and down, no tottering about this
way and that way with him. Why
said he "Mr Jackson would give
him any amount of money he
wanted" So on the whole we had
a very good time. But it is about time
to go and hear a recitation so I will close.
The School is not so large yet as before
recitation. There are 30, I presume there
will be more. I have received the services
of [?To-Ting-U?] who has come back from Mr Damon
in the Sandwich Islands & is [?apt?] to be a very good
teacher. Love to all Your aff Bro, Henry.
[Written vertically on the first page]
I have a cat here as white as milk and quite fat that the children used to play with
She used to always go to Willie's chair at meals & sometimes Richards, but now when I
am eating she comes along as quietly [--pu--] jumps up with one foot against the chair & then reaches
up the other paw
and gives my
arm a soft
touch or two
where of course
I fix up some
victuals
& hand
them down
to her.
[Continued vertically on the fourth page]
Some of them told me where your wheat fields are this fall so that I can
imagine how they look. It was a capital thing for the children that they had "Old Ned"
I wonder if he will know me when I am home.
广州 1887 年 9 月 30 日
亲爱的爱德华兄弟
碰巧你的
53岁生日是邮寄日。我
祝你一天快乐，还有很多
返回。你和我已经过去了
上山边生活的好方法。
我得到一副眼镜
前几天让我感觉很明显
我正在进入老年部分
我生命中的。父亲会过得很好
公司的交易即将在
眼镜。玛蒂告诉我莎拉
穿着它们。你写道你是
开始使用它们。我是，并且
与他们在一起，马蒂看得更清楚。海蒂
我希望会在之前
很长一段时间，这样我们就可以——
杜松子酒称自己为“奇观俱乐部”。
我们会显得非常可敬。我有
我以这种方式。我在
前几天的领事和坎宁安先生
也在那里。领事说
他刚从
十美分的中国商店，他
比其他任何人都看得更清楚
他有一双。我问他在哪里
店是。他问我想不想
得到一对。我说我开始觉得
他们的需要。他说我买了
三双你最好试试。
我试过的第一双也是做的
难的。第二对只做得相当
我不得不把书拿在附近。
他说“你就拿那些和
保留它们直到我召唤它们”
我理解为
永久租约。然而我想
他们有点太老了，去了
又买了一双
适合我的更长的焦点
一流的。它们被标记为 20
我想这意味着 20 英寸
重点。领事被标记
16.
他们从这里开始
广州他们称之为“相互
改善协会”。它符合
两周一次。他们有
歌唱宣言，讲座等
昨晚是在领事馆
和出席。它是成功的
比我预期的要好
有什么叫做
有的户外海关工作人员
似乎总是一个
相当被忽视的课，不去
见面或有任何事情
为他们完成。有一个很好的
海关里的基督徒
对这些很感兴趣
这主要是通过他和
他的妻子，这个社会已经
开始了。传教士有一个
很好的处理它。会议
总是以唱歌朗读打开
圣经的一章和祷告 &
以赞美诗和祈祷结束。
昨晚我们有一个宣言
几首独奏，一首器乐
长笛和钢琴曲，和
器乐二重奏
钢琴。两篇“原论文”
作者不详，但
斯旺博士阅读的论文和
帕克先生，一个在头上
考虑到
脑与脸、颅相学、面相学
等八分钟
在演讲论文之后允许
在前八分钟是三
格雷夫斯领事博士的讲话
西摩和你卑微的仆人。
领事说得很幽默
海关的人说
服务有机会学习
颅相学，因为中国人有
光头，你可以看到
他们身上的每一个肿块。
对于他自己，他不相信
颅相学，以为你能说得很好
用脚做的比用头做的多。他知道一个
必须有一个特殊的块的人
为他的头做一顶帽子。最大的头
他见过，但那个人没有
一勺火车，是最愚蠢的
曾经有过离开的人
晚上回家，而另一个男人他
知道只戴一顶 6 3/4 的帽子，是
最活泼的人
他认识的任何人的麻烦。
好斗性位于大脚趾，因为
这是抵抗点。怯懦
在床上，因为它转身离开
敌人。良心在中间
脚的，因为它是最有弹性的 &c
＆C。为什么说他“如果一个人应该
向杰克逊先生推荐 Graves 博士
香港上海汇丰银行经理
作为一个头颅精良的好人
他不会对此进行太多评估，
但如果你应该说“他有一个很好的
理解 。他是方趾
人，他站稳脚跟，
他是一个普通的扁平足的人
做生意，他站得笔直
上上下下，毫不犹豫
方式和方式与他。为什么
说他“杰克逊先生会给
他 多少钱 他
想要”所以总的来说我们有
一个很好的时间。但现在是时候了
去听朗诵，所以我会关闭。
学校没有以前那么大了
朗诵。有30个，我猜有
会更多。我已收到服务
从达蒙先生那里回来的To-Ting-U
在桑威奇群岛 & 很容易成为一个很好的
老师。爱你所有的兄弟，亨利。
[第一页竖着写]
我这里有一只猫，白得像牛奶，而且很肥，孩子们经常玩
她过去总是在吃饭时去威利的椅子上，有时是理查兹，但现在当我
正在吃东西，她悄悄地跳起来，一只脚靠在椅子上，然后伸手
举起另一只爪子
并给我
手臂柔软
触摸或两个
当然在哪里
我修了一些
食物
并给
他们下来
给她。
[第四页垂直续]
他们中的我告诉我今年秋天你的麦田在哪里，这样我就可以
想象一下它们的样子。 对于孩子们来说，他们拥有“老内德”是一件很重要的事情
我不知道当我在家时他是否会认识我。
Dear Bro Edward
It so happens that your
53rd birth day is mail day. I
wish you a happy day, and many
returns. You & I have got past the
up hill side of life a good ways.
My getting a pair of spectacles the
other day makes me feel distinctly
that I am entering the old age part
of my life. Father will have a good
deal of company soon in the way of
spectacles. Mattie tells me that Sarah
wears them. You wrote that you are
beginning to use them. I am, and
Mattie can see better with them. Hattie
I expect will be coming along before
a great while so that we can be-
gin to call ourselves "[u] The Spectacle Club [/u]."
We shall look quite venerable. I got
mine in this way. I was over at the
Consuls the other day & Mr Cunningham
was there too. The Consul remarked that
he had just got a pair of spectacles from
a Chinese shop for ten cents that he
could see with better than with any other
pair he had. I asked him where the
shop was. He asked me if I wanted to
get a pair. I said I was beginning to feel
the need of them. He said I bought
three pairs you had better try them.
The first pair I tried was made too
[?hard?]. The second pair did fairly only
I had to hold the book tolerably near.
He said "you just take those and
keep them until I call for them"
which I understand to be a
[u] perpetual [/u] [u] lease [/u]. I thought however
they were a little too old and went
and got another pair with a
longer focus which suit me
first rate. They are marked 20
which I suppose means [u] 20 [/u] inch
focus. The Consuls were marked
[u] 16 [/u].
They have started here in
Canton what they call "The Mutual
Improvement Association". It meets
once in two weeks. They have
singing declamation, lectures &c
Last night it was at the Consuls
and well attended. It is suc-
ceeding better than I anticipated
there are what are called the
out-door customs staff that have
always seemed to [--be--] be a
rather neglected class, not going
to meeting or having any thing
done for them. There is a good
christian man in the Customs who
feels a great deal of interest in these
and it is largely through him and
his wife that this society has been
started. The Missionaries have a
good deal to do with it. The meetings
are always opened with singing reading
a chapter of the Bible and prayer &
closed with a hymn and prayer.
Last night we had [--two--] one declamation
several solos, one instrumental
piece with the flute and piano, and
an instrumental duet on the
piano. The two "original papers"
authors unknown but the
papers read by Dr Swan and
Mr Parker, one on the head
going into some account of the
brain & the face, phrenology, physiognomy
[--are--] &c. [u] Eight [/u] minutes were
allowed after the papers for speeches
In that first eight minutes were three
speeches made by Dr Graves Consul
Seymour & your humble servant.
The consul made quite a humorous
speech, said the men in the Customs
service had a capital chance to study
phrenology, because the Chinese had
[u] shaved [/u] heads and you could see
every lump that was on them.
For himself he did not believe in
phrenology, thought you could tell a great
deal more by the feet than the head. He knew a
man that had to have a special block to
make a hat for his head. The biggest head
he ever saw, but the man hadnt a
[u] spoonful [/u] of trains, was the most [u] stupid [/u]
man that ever had leave to be away from
home over night, while another man he
knew that only wore a 6 3/4 hat, was
the liveliest man and [u] made [/u] [u] the [/u] [u] most [/u]
[u] trouble [/u] of any man he ever knew.
Combativeness is located in the [u] big-toe [/u] because
it is the point of resistance. Cowardice
in the [u] bed [/u] because it turns away from
the [?enemy?]. [u] Conscience [/u] in the middle
of the foot because it is most elastic &c
&c. Why said he "If a man should
recommend Dr Graves here, to Mr Jackson
the Manager of the Hong Kong & Shangha Bank
as a fine man with [u] a [/u] well [/u] [u] made [/u] [u] head [/u]
he would'nt take much stock in that,
but if you should say "He has a good
[u] understanding [/u]. He is a square toed
man, he stands firm on his feet,
he is a regular flat-footed man
to do business with, he stands straight
up and down, no tottering about this
way and that way with him. Why
said he "Mr Jackson would give
him any amount of money he
wanted" So on the whole we had
a very good time. But it is about time
to go and hear a recitation so I will close.
The School is not so large yet as before
recitation. There are 30, I presume there
will be more. I have received the services
of [?To-Ting-U?] who has come back from Mr Damon
in the Sandwich Islands & is [?apt?] to be a very good
teacher. Love to all Your aff Bro, Henry.
[Written vertically on the first page]
I have a cat here as white as milk and quite fat that the children used to play with
She used to always go to Willie's chair at meals & sometimes Richards, but now when I
am eating she comes along as quietly [--pu--] jumps up with one foot against the chair & then reaches
up the other paw
and gives my
arm a soft
touch or two
where of course
I fix up some
victuals
& hand
them down
to her.
[Continued vertically on the fourth page]
Some of them told me where your wheat fields are this fall so that I can
imagine how they look. It was a capital thing for the children that they had "Old Ned"
I wonder if he will know me when I am home.
广州 1887 年 9 月 30 日
亲爱的爱德华兄弟
碰巧你的
53岁生日是邮寄日。我
祝你一天快乐，还有很多
返回。你和我已经过去了
上山边生活的好方法。
我得到一副眼镜
前几天让我感觉很明显
我正在进入老年部分
我生命中的。父亲会过得很好
公司的交易即将在
眼镜。玛蒂告诉我莎拉
穿着它们。你写道你是
开始使用它们。我是，并且
与他们在一起，马蒂看得更清楚。海蒂
我希望会在之前
很长一段时间，这样我们就可以——
杜松子酒称自己为“奇观俱乐部”。
我们会显得非常可敬。我有
我以这种方式。我在
前几天的领事和坎宁安先生
也在那里。领事说
他刚从
十美分的中国商店，他
比其他任何人都看得更清楚
他有一双。我问他在哪里
店是。他问我想不想
得到一对。我说我开始觉得
他们的需要。他说我买了
三双你最好试试。
我试过的第一双也是做的
难的。第二对只做得相当
我不得不把书拿在附近。
他说“你就拿那些和
保留它们直到我召唤它们”
我理解为
永久租约。然而我想
他们有点太老了，去了
又买了一双
适合我的更长的焦点
一流的。它们被标记为 20
我想这意味着 20 英寸
重点。领事被标记
16.
他们从这里开始
广州他们称之为“相互
改善协会”。它符合
两周一次。他们有
歌唱宣言，讲座等
昨晚是在领事馆
和出席。它是成功的
比我预期的要好
有什么叫做
有的户外海关工作人员
似乎总是一个
相当被忽视的课，不去
见面或有任何事情
为他们完成。有一个很好的
海关里的基督徒
对这些很感兴趣
这主要是通过他和
他的妻子，这个社会已经
开始了。传教士有一个
很好的处理它。会议
总是以唱歌朗读打开
圣经的一章和祷告 &
以赞美诗和祈祷结束。
昨晚我们有一个宣言
几首独奏，一首器乐
长笛和钢琴曲，和
器乐二重奏
钢琴。两篇“原论文”
作者不详，但
斯旺博士阅读的论文和
帕克先生，一个在头上
考虑到
脑与脸、颅相学、面相学
等八分钟
在演讲论文之后允许
在前八分钟是三
格雷夫斯领事博士的讲话
西摩和你卑微的仆人。
领事说得很幽默
海关的人说
服务有机会学习
颅相学，因为中国人有
光头，你可以看到
他们身上的每一个肿块。
对于他自己，他不相信
颅相学，以为你能说得很好
用脚做的比用头做的多。他知道一个
必须有一个特殊的块的人
为他的头做一顶帽子。最大的头
他见过，但那个人没有
一勺火车，是最愚蠢的
曾经有过离开的人
晚上回家，而另一个男人他
知道只戴一顶 6 3/4 的帽子，是
最活泼的人
他认识的任何人的麻烦。
好斗性位于大脚趾，因为
这是抵抗点。怯懦
在床上，因为它转身离开
敌人。良心在中间
脚的，因为它是最有弹性的 &c
＆C。为什么说他“如果一个人应该
向杰克逊先生推荐 Graves 博士
香港上海汇丰银行经理
作为一个头颅精良的好人
他不会对此进行太多评估，
但如果你应该说“他有一个很好的
理解 。他是方趾
人，他站稳脚跟，
他是一个普通的扁平足的人
做生意，他站得笔直
上上下下，毫不犹豫
方式和方式与他。为什么
说他“杰克逊先生会给
他 多少钱 他
想要”所以总的来说我们有
一个很好的时间。但现在是时候了
去听朗诵，所以我会关闭。
学校没有以前那么大了
朗诵。有30个，我猜有
会更多。我已收到服务
从达蒙先生那里回来的To-Ting-U
在桑威奇群岛 & 很容易成为一个很好的
老师。爱你所有的兄弟，亨利。
[第一页竖着写]
我这里有一只猫，白得像牛奶，而且很肥，孩子们经常玩
她过去总是在吃饭时去威利的椅子上，有时是理查兹，但现在当我
正在吃东西，她悄悄地跳起来，一只脚靠在椅子上，然后伸手
举起另一只爪子
并给我
手臂柔软
触摸或两个
当然在哪里
我修了一些
食物
并给
他们下来
给她。
[第四页垂直续]
他们中的我告诉我今年秋天你的麦田在哪里，这样我就可以
想象一下它们的样子。 对于孩子们来说，他们拥有“老内德”是一件很重要的事情
我不知道当我在家时他是否会认识我。
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Henry Varnum, “Letter from Henry to Edward, September 17, 1887,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 20, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/893.