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exercise and diversions they put in his way, he was compelled to write as follows to his friend
Barrett on July 17, 1841:
Nevertheless, my eyes improve so slowly that I fear I shall not be able to return to college for a year, in which case I propose to return to Massachusetts and work on a farm.
Whatever I do you shall know of my location and of me.
Unfortunately, his fears proved to be well founded, and in the absence of the means with which to secure scientific treatment, or even to give his eyes the rest they absolutely required, he returned to
Cambridge after a short visit to his father in
Ohio.
He seems to have enrolled himself for the next year in the college catalogue as a member of the junior class.
Instead, however, of resuming his studies, he decided to join the Brook Farm Association which
Dr. Ripley was just getting fairly under way.
Foreseeing that the complete restoration of his eyesight would require more time than he thought at first, and that meanwhile he would be straitened for money, he had addressed a letter of inquiry to
Dr. Ripley from
Buffalo, in July, asking the terms under which he might be permitted to join.
He had previously heard the project discussed in college circles, and doubtless was sufficiently informed as to its general scope and purpose to justify specific inquiries.
To this letter
Ripley replied from Brook Farm, August 4, 1841, as follows:
I am truly sorry that I cannot give you a decided answer at once in regard to your joining us this winter.
At present our limited quarters are completely filled, and with the arrangements that we are now making, we shall have no more room, unless we add to our buildings this season.
This we propose to do, and shall probably decide in one or two weeks. In that case, I shall rejoice to have you with us, on the conditions
