File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Anne Longfellow Pierce, 23 July 1848 (aaec2ed3-51bf-4b78-9c4d-1c77c8eb27a1).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-018#024

Typee’s Valley.
Pittsfield July 23d /48
Dear Annie,
We have now been nearly a week among the mountains, & I flatter myself you would like to hear how we are pleased with our situation.
We are enjoying it exceedingly, & could not be more comfortably lodged. This Mellville Mansion is a grand, old house, as large as ours, with much more spacious halls running thro its centre, where enormous banquets or balls could easily be held. [p. 2] We have a drawing-room just in the position of ours at home, & quite as large, newly furnished with carpet, ottomans &c. another opposite it Mary uses as a school-room – her chamber is on the lower floor behind the drawing room, & then we have four large rooms up stairs for the two nurseries, our bed-room, & Henry’s dressing room. We take our meals with the people of the house, an intelligent man & his very quiet, timid, little wife, & fare very well. Behind the hall is a large stoop shaded by [p. 3] venetian blinds which makes a nice play room for the children & was probably intended for smoking by the Dutchman who built the house. There is a porch also in front where we sit, being as far from the road as at home, with a similar straight walk before us, but more shaded by shrubbery. A grand hill deep in shadow, rises before us, & behind us is the farm of 250 acres with a charming walk thro’ the woods to a solitary little pond paved with pebbles, where Henry meditates a bath. [p. 4[ The fine range of Pittsfield hills bounds our view, & is ever beautiful with shifting shadows. The children enjoy highly the space & freedom, but Erny is more drooping than at Nahant. I am hoping, however, for more bracing weather. Four days of south wind take vigour out of the strongest limbs. I should prefer the sea for him, but we could not interfere with Father’s wish to have us all together. I am urging Henry to go to Niagara with Sumner who delivers an address at Schenectady on Tuesday. We have taken tea at Lenox & passed a day at Stockbridge among her friends the Sedgwicks. Mrs Butleris with them, as picturesque as ever. I was so sorry just to lose Mary – I suppose she has arrived by this time, (I locked up her dress by mistake!) I have got the Farina direc [p. 1 cross] tion which I enclose & hope Mother will like it & have begun baby upon it who grows more coquettish every day. This is a shabby little note but I have no more time just now
Yrs lovingly
Fanny E.L.
Love to all.

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