Hudson Sept. 22. 1848


Geo. Winter Esq
     Dear Sir


After divers wanderings in other
lands, I am “at home”  I arrived here about 4 weeks
ago, & as I know nothing which will interest you
more,  I will give you some account of my visit
to the Ann. Art Union rooms.  I spent but three days in
the city &  of course had not much time to spend in seeing
one collection.  The great attraction of the hand is Cole’s “Voy
-ages of Life.”  I ful my inability to give you any true idea
of them.  The first is “Infancy.”    On the left of the picture you see
a cavern from when issues a rapid stream. The morning
is just open & the sun is burnishing the hill tops; the banks
are high & precipitous but covered with gorgeous flowers.  A
boat has just issued from the cavern.  Its bow is ornam
-ented with a figure of time holding up his hour glass.
the sides of the boat are composed of cherubs with thin
wings overlapping.  These are the hours.  The whole picture
has the freshness & beauty of the morning.  “Youth”, the next
in the series was in the hands of the engraver for dis
tribution next year & I did not see it, but it is said to
be the best of the whole.  “Manhood”, has lost it flowns [flounce?]
and every thing has become more bold.  The fall of the stream
is more rapid & not far before the boat is a fearful
concussion of water among huge rocks.  Storms lower in
the distance & the Guardian Angel has left the boat and
is seen looking down from the heights above.  You