File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Mary (Appleton) Mackintosh, 31 January 1860 (363e3c66-ebec-4a0b-8807-d0311534d57f).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-030#003

Cambridge Jan 31st 1860.
Dear Mary,
You will be pained to see the announcement which I enclose. It was a sudden shock to me also, for I had only written, a few days before, to Mrs F. begging her to fix a day for coming, with Charley, to dine with us as she had long promised.
He, poor boy, is I hear overwhelmed, & hung for hours over her not being able to believe she was really gone. They have been so bound together, & her youthful, ardent nature so kept pace with his, that few mothers could claim so much sympathy & free confidence [p. 2] & the loss must be very great. She seemed to live entirely for him, since her husband’s death, & had the satisfaction of seeing him fairly launched in his profession of architect, & doing prosperously. I shall miss her greatly, tho’ I saw her rarely, - for she had so much vitality, such a glowing, enthusiastic temperament that it refreshed me like a breezy day, and such natures are rare enough among us.
I intended to go to her funeral, but I could not learn when it was. She died in Brookline tho’ the paper states otherwise.
The papers, by the way, are so unreliable I shall not often venture to quote them. I found out, after I had sent my last letter, that the story of negro disturbances in Canada [p. 3] was entirely false. I believe they have done very well there, considering many come fresh from plantations.
Congress is at last deciding on a Speaker, but it seems a pity the Republicans must give up Mr Sherman after standing out for him so long. The other parties have joined so as to make the contest much closer. I send you a Daily with Mr Huntington’s letter of resignation of his office of College Preacher, thinking it might interest you. I deeply regret his loss – but it was inevitable I only hope we shall get some one in his place who will do half as much good -. He was unpopular with many of the students, as any one would be who had such direct supervision of their morals as this new Professorship gave him, but was [crossed out: greatly] much beloved also by many, & has increased the number of communicants greatly [p. 4] since his advent. I have had such pleasant & friendly relations with him, that I shall peculiarly miss his Christian sympathy –
Harriot is making preparations for her great ball which will take place on the 14th of Feb, if nothing prevents. Hatty & Willy go out a good deal, but the former’s taste is not for gaiety, but rather for good works, she & other girls of her set working diligently for poor children & other such charitable deeds. I went to see poor old Miss Johnson on Saturday, who always asks most affly after you & found her comfortable in a boarding-house, &, as usual, living in the past. It is very touching to see what an intense feeling mother’s kindness & sympathy has left in all these old pensioners of hers. They still speak of her as of something more than mortal
I hope Eva is quite well now –
With love to her & to Robert
Yr affte
Fanny E.L.

• Keywords: correspondence; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; document; death; social life; Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1860 (1011/002.001-030); (LONG-FileUnitName)