File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Emmeline (Austin) Wadsworth, 11 March 1852 (90bfd8fc-7282-4e58-9093-97ebca41ab78).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-022#006

Cambridge March 11th 1852.
Dearest Emmeline,
I hope the sunny Spring mornings are cheering your wintry landscape within doors, as without, but alas! every new season must bring with it sad reminiscences & thronging memories of change. Yet at this gentler season it will not be so difficult to feel the absent nearer, bending in loving sympathy over your daily interests & cares, and almost visible thro’ the softened skies, really more entirely your own than when in that far Egypt.
What a sad pleasure it will be for you all to see Murray, & how strange it seems to me that she should be away when he is here. What a trying [p. 2] visit for him, with the remote golden past glimmering through present gloom!
My sister Mary does not come to us until May, which is a wise postponement on her part, for after so severe a winter it will take much sun to warm us to a genial glow. But it has not been a disagreeable season to me, we have all been so well, and I have been so quietly happy by my own fireside, indulging in just enough gayety to make some bright pictures to remember & talk about, but not to disturb the gentler harmony of home. We have enjoyed much lately the Opera, which has been excellent, & the other evening while listening to the touching & beautiful “Favorita” (which I had never heard before) who should I discover in the next box but Mrs Schroeder! She had come up from Newport to make a little visit to the Wormeleys. I have not [p. 3] seen her for ten years & it recalled much that is happily long in its grave. She seemed more unchanged than I must seem to her. The Admiral was, as usual, audibly applauding the singers, especially Devies, a Flemish prima donna but with a most Italian, or Spanish, face & a very noble gesture & voice. Bittom, the tenor, & Bosio’ the bewitching are attractions which should be better appreciated, but except for the “Puritani” there have been no full houses.
Lizzy Prescott is to be married next Tuesday & if I can aid you in any way, in selecting a gift, pray let me know. I saw at Jones’ some time ago a very pretty pair of salt cellars (silver) like the rough kind of shells that are so picturesque in form (about 16 $s) but perhaps you would prefer some article of dress. I am late, I fear, in making my offer but this note was to have been written two days ago when I heard of the day, but was prevented. Miss Allen has beautiful things this year. I hear the [p. 4] wedding is to be a very large one, two hundred guests at least. Poor Mr Prescott talks rather mournfully about it. He feels much, losing his only daughter. It takes much sunshine from a house, to have all the young people out of its walls. But I said “It is pleasant to visit them in their new homes – it makes at least a new interest” – “No – he answered. “I have been dining with my son today & I dont think much of it” – You can see the half droll, half sad smile with which he would say this.
We have been reading a very lively book Houssaye’s “Men & Women of the 18th Century-“ It must be a translation & the sparkling French grace is somewhat damaged thereby, but it has charming portraits of famous people, little & great, written with a pretty free pencil – but very life-like. Such a society! I should not recommend it to young people, but you may be amused by it. This is not a French compliment, but you will understand me!
How are your bairnies? All well & growing I trust. Ah enjoy them while they are little. They are not half so nice when big rude boys. With love to Wm & Mrs James
ever yr aff – Fanny

• Keywords: correspondence; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; people; document; social life; Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1852 (1011/002.001-022); (LONG-FileUnitName)