<hi rend="bold"> Letter from Exum Lewis Whitaker to William Figures Lewis, May 4, 1844:</hi> Electronic Edition. Whitaker, Exum Lewis, 1823-1847 Funding from the University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supported the electronic publication of this title. Text transcribed by Bari Helms Images scanned by Bari Helms Text encoded by Brian Dietz First Edition, 2005 ca. 12K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2005

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 Lewis Family Papers (#427), Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Letter from Exum Lewis Whitaker to William Figures Lewis, May 4, 1844 E. W. 3 pages, 4 page images 1844 Call number 427 (Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

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 </bibl> </taxonomy> </classDecl> </encodingDesc> <profileDesc> <langUsage> <language id="eng">English</language> </langUsage> <textClass> <keywords scheme="unc_history"> <list> <item> Any special keywords assigned for this project </item> </list> </keywords> </textClass> </profileDesc> <revisionDesc> <change> <date>2005-10-24,</date> <respStmt> <name>Brian Dietz</name> <resp/> </respStmt> <item>finished TEI/XML encoding.</item> </change> </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <text id="unc11-01"> <body> <div1 type="letter"> <pb id="unc11-01-p01" n="1"/> <head> Letter from <name key="pn0001761" reg="Whitaker, Exum Lewis" type="person">Exum Lewis Whitaker</name> to <name key="pn0001009" reg="Lewis, William Figures" type="person">William Figures Lewis</name>, May 4, 1844</head> <dateline> <date>Saturday May 4<hi rend="sup">th</hi> '44</date> </dateline> <opener> <salute>Dear <name key="pn0001009" reg="Lewis, William Figures" type="person">Figures</name>,</salute> </opener> <p>Your letter of April 15<hi rend="sup">th</hi> was rec<hi rend="sup">d</hi> in due time, and according with your request I hasten to answer it immediately after the reading of of the Senior report. The first distinction was this morning conferred on Messrs <name key="pn0000361" reg="Cowan, Robert H." type="person">R. Cowan</name> <name key="pn0000786" reg="Horner, James Hunter" type="person">Horner</name> <name key="pn000" reg="Johnston, " type="person">Johnston</name> <name key="pn000" reg="Stanfield" type="person">Stanfield</name> and <name key="pn000" reg="Wetmore," type="person">Wetmore</name>, the second on Messrs <name key="pn0000120" reg="Battle, William Smith" type="person">Battle</name>, <name key="pn000" reg="Dalton" type="person">Dalton</name> <name key="pn000" reg="Fuller" type="person">Fuller</name> <name key="pn000" reg="Barbee," type="person">Barbee</name> <name key="pn0001607" reg="Steele, Walter Leake" type="person">Steele</name>, <name key="pn0001761" reg="Whitaker, Exum Lewis" type="person">Whitaker</name>, and <name key="pn000" reg="Lewis," type="person">Lewis</name>, the third <name key="pn0000085" reg="Ballanfant, John" type="person">Ballanfant</name> <name key="pn0000219" reg="Bryan, John Heritage, Jr." type="person">Bryan</name> and <name key="pn0000532" reg="Foster, Alfred Gaither" type="person">Foster</name>. <name key="pn000" reg="Stanfield," type="person">Stanfield</name> the valedictory, <name key="pn000" reg="Wetmore" type="person">Wetmore</name> the salutatory.</p> <p><name key="pn0001527" reg="Shepard, James Biddle" type="person">Jas. B. Shepherd</name> is to deliver the oration before the two Societies, and <name reg="Bryan, John Herritage" key="pn0000218" type="person">Jno. H. Bryan</name> is to preside in our society and <name reg="Bryan, John Heritage, Jr." key="pn0000219" type="person">Jno. H. Bryan Jnr.</name> alias Keats speaks the valedictory. I presume that he will feel rather ticklish in complimenting his Papy's speech at least I should guess he would. It seems to me that he ought to have resigned rather than be placed in such a situation. But it is nothing more than could be expected from him. Be sure to come up to commence and cheer us with your presence. I will be very happy to see you here a witness of my <hi rend="underscore">graceful</hi> exit from our <name key="name0001146" reg="University of North Carolina" type="organization">Alma Mater</name>. You will meet here <name key="pn0001476" reg="Sanders, Willis Henry" type="person">W. Sanders</name> and I dare say many others of your old friends. We will be happy to see as many of the faces of <name key="name0000314" reg="Edgecombe County, NC" type="place">Edgecombe</name> & <name key="name0000454" reg="Halifax County, NC" type="place">Halifax</name> as you can persuade to<pb id="unc11-01-p02" n="2"/>to come up with you. I'll task to the uttermost all my chivalric favors to make their visit agreeable. If you wish a more formal invitation I take pleasure in referring you to the Editorial of the last number of the University Magazine written by <name key="pn0001364" reg="Phillips, Samuel Field (2)" type="person">S. Philips</name>.</p> <p>Enough for <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place">Chapel Hill</name>, (<name key="pn000" reg="Dr. Summerell" type="person">Dr. Summerell</name> has been here for the last 3 or 4 days) let us for a few minutes occupy our thoughts with a subject equally as pleasing and to you, one would infer from your letter, more so, the subject of Love, Love!</p> <lg type="verse"> <l>"'Tis second life, it grows into the soul</l> <l>Warms in every vein, and beats in every pulse,</l> <l>Do you feel it there?"</l> </lg> <p>Excuse me for quoting poetry on a subject which from all accounts is dearer to you than any other, moreover you are aware that persons in love are remarkably fond of poetry, and the above is quoted for your especial benefit. You needn't try to make me believe you are not in love, for I heard of your visit in <name key="name0000454" reg="Halifax County, NC" type="place">Halifax</name> otherwise than through your letter.</p> <p><name key="pn000" reg="Joel" type="person">Joel</name> came up a few days since with his cousin <name key="pn000" reg="Sousan" type="person">Sousan</name>, and said that you and the Attorney started off together for <name key="name0000934" reg="Raleigh, NC" type="place">Raleigh</name> to see <name key="pn0000321" reg="Clay, Henry" type="person">Clay</name> but so powerful was the magnet of your love that you found it impossible to get farther than <name key="name0000454" reg="Halifax County, NC" type="place">Halifax</name>. Go ahead dear <name key="pn0001009" reg="Lewis, William Figures" type="person">Fig</name>, take some of the advice to yourself, which you gave to me on the subject of Senior Speaking and may success attend you. But if from a faint heart you fail to win and your hopes wither and die, may that time not come<pb id="unc11-01-p03" n="3"/>until your humble servant is prepared to erect the monument, and <name key="pn000" reg="Tyler, Bob" type="person">Bob Tyler</name> the epitaph.</p> <closer> <signed> <name key="pn0001761" reg="Whitaker, Exum Lewis" type="person">E. W.</name> </signed> </closer> </div1> <div1 type="postscript"> <p>I have sold the "old arm chair" but am afraid I'll have to take "tick" for it.</p> <p>Let nothing keep you from coming up, no not even love. <name key="pn0001500" reg="Scott, James Graham" type="person">Jim Scott</name> sends his best respects to <name key="pn0001009" reg="Lewis, William Figures" type="person">Fig</name> and will be happy to see him here at commence.</p> <pb id="unc11-01-bk" n="Back"/> </div1> </body> </text> </TEI.2>