I have no communication for the next No. of the Journal, at least none prepared and very few in embryo. Indeed, Sir, I feel as if I had nearly done with things of this sort. My bodily complaints have reached that point when mental effort is most difficult and I know not which is greatest, corporal disability or mental imbecility. I struggle along with my professional duties with great difficulty & great deficiencies: and were it in my power, I should think it my duty to change my mode of life entirely. But what can I do? in what business engage? how support my family? I have very little property but am convinced I must soon sink irrevocably unless some remedy can be devised to relieve me. Yet I ought not to fear for the kind providence that has hitherto blessed me will provide. Pardon this disclosure of private trials, not made yet so freely even to my wife. I did not intend to trouble you with it.
If you can do it without taking one additional step it may be interesting to Mr. Hovey to inform him that Mrs. H has recently been called to bring her brother Mr. Jay White of Amherst who was cut down by the pneumonia typhoides, a disorder that has made havoc with several other friends & connections of ours.
Yours respectfully & sincerely,
Edward Hitchcock
Edward Hitchcock writes to Benjamin Silliman that he has nothing to contribute to the next issue of Silliman's American Journal of Science because he is feeling physically and mentally drained, to the point that he thinks of changing his profession but he doesn't know what he might do or how he would support his family.