Canandaigua, February 21, 1851.
My dear Friends,
It has been in my mind all day to day,
spite of any attempt to hope that it would not be noticed, that
my last letter had in it an expression which in appearance
is ungentle and in mean spirit; It is in the line in which
I say that they who take wine at dinner ought to drink the
glasses to the bottom. I cannot escape the conviction to day that
this looks like trying to sting. I trust you each know me
well enough to believe that I would not do that; I am unwilling
any apparent fact should war against such belief. I hope
you will burn the mentioned letter, at least do strike out
the line. It is true I am indeed sorry that any body drinks
wine as a beverage, believing as I do that many evils naturally
flow from its use, but this is a proper way it to say it if
I say anything. In writing that letter my object was not
to write a temperance Lecture at all. The line stole in
under the temptation temptation of the ludicrousness of
offering such a cure for such a case as I was naming of
Edward's. It was wrong.
I feel that this whole sheet may be boyish,
but I am glad I have written it. You can burn this
sheet and the other.
Mr. Worden is better of his recent
attack of the lumbago. He was in court today about all

day (as long as the cause lasted) trying a cause. Mr. Theron
R. Strong, of Palmyra, was counsel upon the other
side.
Affectionately,
Myron OWilder.
Mrs. Worden,
Mrs. Seward.

Mrs Worden and Mrs Seward
h Mr Wilder
March 1851