File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Anne Longfellow Pierce, 25 August 1847 (b8f23da7-1bd4-411a-85ac-7f98f15a7c93).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-018#016

Nahant Wednesday
Dear Annie,
I should have written you ere this of our journey & arrival here, but we have been so unsettled I have not had a spot to open an inkstand upon.
To begin with the journey. We came down very pleasantly with Mary as far as Lynn, except that, thro’ some carelessness, the engine was clogged up & we went at snail’s pace, halting ever half hour to clear it out, which delayed us more than an hour. Consequently, when landed at Lynn we found the stage which take passengers to Nahant from the cars had gone without us, & there we had to wait two or three mortal hours in a hot station-house, without dinner, of course losing the one here. There we encountered Mrs Alex Wads [p. 2] worth changing one country abode for another for the benefit of one of her little girls who had the hooping-cough [sic]. Finally we got off, & the beauty & freshness of the beach with the great sapphire waves rollingin & breaking into fringes of snowy foam comforted our weary spirits. We found the Hotel crowded, & were deposited in the attic, which at first looked picturesque with its sloping roof, & I joked Henry upon finding, at last, his true poetical elevation, but when my poor baby was buried in an unpainted, wooden cradle, & our whole position assumed the discomfort of poor wretches “distrained for rint,” we were not sorry to descend a little lower, into the smallest of rooms to be sure, but where we can, at least, stand upright. But, despite all this, I am enjoying Nahant as I always do – peculiarly. From the broad, airy [p. 3] piazzas the watery horizon almost encircles you, & the grandeur of the docks, - the strong force of the tides, & the myriad sails passing continually like winged angels ‘that on God’s errands run’ are a perpetual charm. It is all on a larger scale than any other shore, & then is almost sacred to me from a thousand associations. I found to my joy some very dear friends here; Mrs Sidney Brooks – Mrs Gorham &c. There are some nice English people too from Canada, with smartly dressed children some very beautiful boy, & a very dashing Mrs Jones daughter of Toronto’s bishop. Besides these, many Bostonians I know, the Rices, Belknaps &c & in the village Mary Dixwell. But this is now so thickly sprinkled with cottages, that it is but Boston in summer clothes.
At church Sunday, where Mr Hun [p. 4] tion preached nobly, were more familiar faces than I ever saw before under a sacred roof.
The Hotel is quiet too, tho’ yesterday it indulged in an excursion in the steamer & danced after by moonlight on the piazza to the music of a brass band. The house is not so [crossed out: well] cleanly as the Verandah but the table much better. Eggs at breakfast in every possible fashion & chowder daily of course. Dinner proceeds more slowly, each course broken by a pause in proper style, but I miss the attention of Mr Kingsbury in little comforts very much.
Next week a fancy ball is talked of! So you see we are likely to be amused. Henry has gone up today for the ceremonies, - & I fear will find it a very oppressive day in Cambridge. Here the sea is like glass, & the steamer coming seems cracking a mirror – this is so vile a pen I can hardly scratch a word. The papers arrived from St Kitts, with accounts of the reception & the rare sight of “four rosy children” – with Robert’s speeches &c. I hope to see Mary Greenleaf down some [p. 1 cross] fine day – How I wish you could enjoy this morn with us. As I lie in bed I can see the sun rise from the sea all rosy red.
Love to all including Marian who I hope is picking up her stray wardrobe. How she would delight in the tasteful dressing of the ladies here for breakfast & dinner I feel very shabby but cant help it –
ever thine
Fanny L.
Jewett has lost his father.

• Keywords: correspondence; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; people; document; travel; social life; subject; places; united states; ma; nahant; Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1848 (1011/002.001-018); (LONG-FileUnitName)