I hoped before this to have reached my last proofsheet, but shall have two or three more yet.  In a fortnight or three weeks my little raft will be afloat.* Expect nothing more of my powers of construction,—­no shipbuilding, no clipper, smack, nor skiff even, only boards and logs tied together.  I read to some Mechanics’ Apprentices a long lecture on Reform, one evening, a little while ago.  They asked me to print it, but Margaret Fuller asked it also, and I preferred the Dial, which shall have the dubious sermon, and I will send it to you in that.—­You see the bookseller reverendizes me notwithstanding your laudable perseverance to adorn me with profane titles, on the one hand, and the growing habit of the majority of my correspondents to clip my name of all titles on the other.  I desire that you and your wife will keep your kindness for

—­R.  W. Emerson

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* The first series of Essays.
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LXII.  Emerson to Carlyle

Boston, 30 April, 1841

My Dear Carlyle,—­Above you have a bill of exchange for one hundred pounds sterling drawn by T.W.  Ward & Co. on the Messrs. Barings, payable at sight.  Let us hope it is but the first of a long series.  I have vainly endeavored to get your account to be rendered by Munroe & Co. to the date of the 1st of April.  It was conditionally promised for the day of the last steamer (15 April).  It is not ready for that which sails tomorrow and carries this.  Little & Co. acknowledge a debt of $607.90 due to you 1st of April, and just now paid me; and regret that their sales have been so slow, which they attribute to the dulness of all trade among us for the last two years.  You shall have the particulars of their account from Munroe’s statement of the account between you and me.  Munroe & Co. have a long apology for not rendering their own account; their book keeper left them at a critical moment, they were without one six weeks, &c.;—­but they add, if we could give you it, to what use, since we should be utterly unable to make you any payment at this time?  To what use, surely?  I am too much used to similar statements from our booksellers and others in the last few years to be much surprised; nor do I doubt their readiness or their power to pay all their debts at last; but a great deal of mutual concession and accommodation has been the familiar resort of our tradesmen now for a good while, a vice which they are all fain to lay at the doors of the Government, whilst it belongs in the first instance, no doubt, to the rashness of the individual traders.  These men I believe to be prudent, honest, and solvent, and that we shall get all our debt from them at last.  They are not reckoned as rich as Little and Brown.  By the next steamer they think they can promise to have their account ready.  I am sorry to find that we have been driven from the market by the New York Pirates in the affair of the Six Lectures.* The