File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Anne Longfellow Pierce, 27 February 1850 (ccc17ad6-851f-4cdc-bc6a-d9f495600789).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-020#005

Cambridge. Feb 27th 1850
Dear Annie
Pray, pray forgive my long silence. The truth is I have felt miserably ill the past month & do still or my pen would not have been so idle. My thoughts have been much with you, particularly during the days when I know you were all sorely tried, & I have hoped even such an termination might seem better to you than the state of matters before.
I was charmed with the good Doctors portrait & think it remarkably like. I wish we [p. 2] might ever hope to see the original under our roof.
Mother is, I trust, enjoying this delicious weather, which is here as balmy as a Southern Spring. I have been driving a little way today, to get the air, & was rejoiced to see the happy runnels by the roadside leaping along as merrily as children out of school, but they have had very little imprisonment this winter.
Much influenza has, however, been about, & my father suffered so much from it for several weeks that he decided to go South, to break it up at once, & sailed for Charleston last Saturday with my cousin Jewett. They will probably go to Havana & N. Orleans, [p. 3] where they will see Mary, & bring us good accounts of her I hope.
The children have just now colds, but have been remarkably well all winter.
I called on Mrs McClellan the other day, who seems as well pleased with her lively quarters as ever. We have enjoyed, when we could, Fanny Kemble’s wonderful readings, which are of that rare sort to be remembered for a life-time. I am sure her aunt Mrs Siddons cannot have had her range of powers, & in dignity & pathos Fanny cannot come far behind her. Her reverential nature gives such beautiful expression to every lofty passage that the religious spirit of Shakes[p. 4] peare was never so brought out.
Did Henry write you of her magnificent reading of his “Building of the Ship” before more than 3000 people? She stood forth without her desk, & gave it off with the greatest spirit - & most perfect expression of every part. It was a nervous time for me, but I was happy too to hear it so well done.
I have not thanked you for the nice aprons. They will be very useful, particularly as the chicks have now a great mania for painting every newspaper picture they can find. I hope you are not disturbed by alarms of fires, & that your many duties keep you cheerful & content. With much love to Mother & Aunt Lucia & Alex, if he is with you,
ever yr affte
Fanny E.L.

• Keywords: correspondence; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; people; document; subject; health and illness; family life; Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1850 (1011/002.001-020); (LONG-FileUnitName)