File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Mary (Appleton) Mackintosh, 29 September 1857 (7db0a9f3-4dd3-4e07-9842-dac20df8fd66).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-027#011

Cambridge. Sep 29th 1857.
Dear Mary,
In the bustle of getting settled at home, putting down carpets, getting the children ready for autumn weather &c I let slip the Boston steamer, which I usually write by, so I fear you will think there has been a long vacuum. Your last letter too claimed something cheering & comforting. It grieves me greatly you should have so many troublesome symptoms, and I sometimes think you might be quieter & better here, but then the worry and anxiety which would beset you away from Robert and the children make me shrink from urging it. You have care & sorrow enough in your illness without borrowing any from the future, & I wish you would try to live from day to day and not anticipate life so much. The happiest & the strongest of us might easily [p. 2] rob ourselves of both strength & happiness if we thought, for more than a moment, of the possible loss of both. I say this in tenderest love, and I know, darling, that this is a very part of your disease, and cannot be helped, but I wish you could be surrounded by people who would cheer & amuse, without fatiguing you, & brighten every possible outlook.
Many of our friends here are in sad gloom just now, from this financial crisis. The Sam Eliots have lost every thing, which is very hard at their time of life, but they bear it bravely. They must, however, part with their house, & immediately have four offered them. Their daughter’s Mrs Guild, & the papa Guilds, - & the Nortons, who must go away this winter on Charley’s account, who looks miserably ill & is I fear too good to live long, & Mr Charles Lymans (who goes to Europe) which latter they have decided to take. The J. H. Will’s & Charles Wills & Edmund Dwight [p. 3] were involved in the same disastrous concern & have all failed likewise. Mrs Charles Wills will live with Mary Parkman, whose fortune, as well as that of the other girls, was fortunately not involved, so the Twisletons will lose nothing. Mary had thought her house rather too expansive for her means, so this arrangement will be pleasant for both. Edmund Dwight & his wife retreat to her father’s, Mr Joe Coolidge’s, but such a breaking up of happy homes is very sad to witness. Soon the gold will be pouring back from England and relieve the pressure. Yesterday Miss Dwight was married to Cabot, very quietly. In the midst of all this panic John C. Thayer lies dying.
I was told, yesterday, that papa & others had helped to save Sam Lawrence from failing. He is abroad, & his agent was scared into a brain fever. He has been concerned, I believe, in new manufacturing towns, which do not pay, there being rather too many.
I hope Robert enjoyed his Irish tour.
[p. 1 cross] I hope Miss Eliza Wedgwood is gaining strength & recovery. Poor Crawford is dying but his case was too hopeless. The American doctor succeeded perfectly with the Beavor’s aunt.
[p. 4] We are expecting to see Mrs Wedgwood every day. She wrote Tom she should be at the White Hills at this time with her friend Mrs Gordon, & stop for a day or two at papa’s on her way west. She will be with us in November. She has lovely weather this week & no doubt has enjoyed it. Tom has been long doubting between getting a house in town, or here, inclining more to the country, & thought much of Judge Fays, but as it is needing much repair, he, yesterday, decided to buy Mr Newells, still nearer to us, which I think will suit him very well. It is in perfect order, - a new house, & of a good size for him, with a little garden behind. It is next door to Dana’s. It will be very pleasant to have him here, & he will send out Paul to beautify it at once, & with his pictures & pretty things it will soon look charmingly no doubt. Alice has just had her 7th birthday, & is the best & brightest of little girls – a great pet of her papa’s. Edie, tho’ lovely as an angel, is rather obstinate & willful, but so caressing & sweet all are drawn to her, & Annie is the sweetest little thing you ever saw. [p. 5 marked 2] I carry her round the Library and ask her the names of the busts. She says – Homer, Sophocles &c with amusing correctness, and is very eager to learn. Charley & Erny have commenced school with Tom Bradford, who has many boys they know, and they like it much, & dont mind the trouble of going into town in the horsecars, every day, & a long walk after they get there. He is so amiable & such a perfect gentleman I hope much from his influence. Charley has now taken to football with all the fury he put into sailing, & comes home stiff & bruised, battling with even students at the game. He is studying ‘training’ to get himself into a strong condition, & insists upon all the food recommended! Erny is of quieter taste & is the devoted ally and companion of Alice. I hope your darlings are all well & gaining in every way.
Poor Georgie Appleton has lost her youngest child a girl. She has 2 boys & four girls now. Mrs Latimer (Miss Wormeley that was) has lost her baby I hear.
George Sumner was here yesterday [p. 6] from Newport. He & his family have generously resigned to the Barclay youths all the property bought by their mother to Albert, - tho’ legally it was theirs. Charles has been visiting Tocqueville, in his ancient chateau, & since, from Paris thro’ Switzerland & even into Italy a little. I suppose he is now in England. It is singular that so many of his enemies have been overthrown. Brooks & Butler by death, & Sam Eliot, one of his bitterest, & the Wills by misfortune.
Mrs Kemble is at Lebanon, I suppose, & will soon be here. Mrs Monti Ritchie (Miss Wadsworth) I have called on but not seen. Tom drove us yesterday to see Annie Bangs, who is looking very delicate, but our fine, bracing, autumnal weather will, I hope, soon bring back her usual vigour. She was very ill at her accouchement, & may therefore be slow in recovering strength. Her baby, to be named Alice, is a fine, fat little thing. Louisa Bangs & Fanny have accepted Mrs Robert Sedgwicks [p. 7] tempting offer to go abroad, & sail in October – so Ned sold again a house he had just bought for them in town, & luckily made 1,000 dollars by the transaction! Uncle Sam’s noble house is a wreck, & apparently James Lawrence is spoiling the Homers. Mr Sturgis (brother of Russell) has two very pretty statues of Evangeline & her lover in his drawing-room.
We went also to see Hatty Hosmer our sculptress - & she took us into her sanctum which is a very curious room, filled with gatherings from wood & field, all kinds of birds stuffed in all kind of attitudes, eggs, butterflies, a skeleton &c She is a very bright, simple-hearted girl full of talent. Mrs Ticknor looks delicate after her illness, & is saddened by these family troubles. She seemed to have much enjoyed seeing you & Robert & spoke warmly of the latter’s agreeability.
Please tell Mrs Rich Tom did receive the sermons of Robertson, & has them safely here. Well, I have written you for two this time – such as it is. Love to Roert & the children & best Mrs Rich. With Henry’s love Yr affte Fanny.
[p. 8] I have seen Mrs James Russell Lowell for the first time & thought her very sweet looking. All praise her to the skies. Mabel seems very happy with her new mamma.
Mrs Shattuck is living in the Sparks’ house. Where are they?

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