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Dearest Mary, How horrid it is to begin writing again and yet, do you know, a letter, if such a thing could be, would have said many more of the things I wished to say than we managed to say by word of mouth provided it could have been as long as our 2 days. I did not say half I meant to say, nor did I say at all to my content what I did say. I wonder if you feel that so many things were left. I feel like drawing out a big needle and picking up the stitches. I knew it would take time to subordinate the novelty of seeing you to the necessity of saying everything and crowding both into 2 days. You must not think, please, that my conversational power have totally gone. I feel as if I had said nothing myself and had not even responded to what you said, but apart from this - which after all was not altogether unexpected - it certainly was extraordinary satisfactory. In one thing however I am much disappointed. I supposed I should not want to see you anything like as much again, say for another 15 months and that up to Oct 15 or 25th say I should only wish to see you one tenth as much but I believe I wish just as much to see you as I did before Innsbruck now. Tell me how you feel, are you somewhat satisfied? I felt as if I did not answer your question about the 2nd day at Innsb - Yes, I think to an outsiderGÇÖs eyes everything went off much better than might have been expected, but nothing but one thing can ever make things really better - that is a straightening out of the misunderstanding since Thanksgiving a year (and by the way if we could manage it do you not thing [sic] it would be very nice if you could arrange to be at the Deanery next Thanksgiving and if I could arrange not to go home. We might create it a little anniversary of our own but this is far afield, a by way indeed). And I have felt since and before Innsbr - that perhaps I ought not to have asked Mamie to stop over those 2 days. But as we did stop over - I am glad that it was so charming. And if things had not been as they are - oh why did you not think of it - how charming too it would have been if you could have come with us to Venice for no better trip could have been devised and you know we might have had a night or two of moon in Venice before you went back to your cure and I really believe it would almost have been worth a week away from your tyrants. For our 4 hours yesterday were through most picturesque scenery, Toblach beautiful among its mountains and crags, and our drive in our 2 horse carriage here (the [illegible] outside places were taken) simply splendid - one of the finest drives I have taken. Cortina is as beautifully situated and the air from the moment we left Innsb like an icy tonic. Tomorrow we drive on to Puve du Cadore, have a day there and see both the Veronese villas and Castelfranco on the 30th and reach Venice that evening. So you see it would have combined art for you, nature and bracing air - all very 1st class - as our trips seldom do. There is one thing I do so hope we can all do together some day (and I feel like waiting till it can be done) in our own Norfolk Broads barge go through the Holland canals. It would be such fun. Now my needle must be threaded. You will excuse me if my stitches are far apart. I could not say much about what you said about the med. sch because I care too much but you know that even if it should come to nothing how much I care to have you wish to do it. And I am sure that in your place I should wish to do it. No words can say what my delight would be if in addition to opening the sch. - this could be used to secure what is on the whole almost more important one - two - women on the Univ. Board (the hosp. hardly counts for our purposes) but this as far as I can see now is wholly impossible. I believe they would be as willing to put two as one and a dozen as two, and would sacrifice any amount rather than put one. Still I think as soon as the question because a practical one almost as good a scheme for the management of the med. sch. proper could be devised. I wanted to be sure you understood why I said so little. Then too about all you said in regard to seeing people. I see your point of view of course and think there is much in it. If I were you I should try it in the way you speak of, but I think you exaggerated the influence you, or I, or anyone with our views can have on soc. people whose whole standing of thought is different. They are in the majority and the danger is for us, not for them, in such association. No one who does a great deal of it can remain as nice. Mrs. Fields for instance is just what a long life of such association has made her and she is I should think as favourable a specimen as possible, but to succeed one has to reach mutual ground and the laws of gravity control the attitude of this ground. The difficulty is very great for me it is in the nature of the careless because I have a fixed pursuit. For you it would be greater because you have not and because you really care much more about them. (You know that was my other reason for thinking we could never be friends so long ago) You care a little even now sometimes what stupid unintelligent people seem to me to think, whose point of view is so childish and unreasonable that their disapproval ought to be an honour. It seems to me therefore that much and prolonged seeing of people has more pitfalls than almost any other one thing, and idealist after idealist falls into them by the way. This is why I think much less of family life and the constant chatter that it means than you - it is this that presses into obscurity and failure girl after girl. One cannot stand up against it. Mt. Desert was a nightmare to me for months. Nothing I cared for before seemed the same for the time being. You see then why I am afraid to have you do too much unless you are - and doubtless you are - much stronger than I am. But a little you ought to do (and above all enough to conquer your morbidness about it which is you know of course in my opinion so wholly groundless. Please then do not think I am unsympathetic about it - as you are about my college reluctancies [sic]. But I realise that you care more for that side than the other and that all my land of enchantment away from it does not appeal to you quite as much. You need not be afraid - although I am - for I fear my growing (I supposed its giant growth had been manhood before this) passion for womenGÇÖs interests will never let me leave my present vantage ground from which to give a helping hand to that chained woman in her desert sands. It is just twelve oGÇÖclock and I wish you could call me back once more tonight Lovingly yours Minnie C Th
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, August 27, 1892
M. Carey Thomas discusses her personal relationship with Garrett and mentions the medical school plot.
Thomas, M. Carey (Martha Carey), 1857-1935 (author)
Garrett, Mary Elizabeth, 1854-1915 (addressee)
1892-08-27
12 pages
reformatted digital
Europe--Austria--Niederösterreich--Kaltenleutgeben
BMC-CA-RG1-1DD2
M. Carey Thomas Papers, 1853-1935 --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/repositories/6/archival_objects/98852
BMC_1DD2_ThomasMC_Outgoing_0431