File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Emmeline (Austin) Wadsworth, 1 April 1852 (8d67db6a-82be-4687-8af7-a630ded152f3).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-022#009

Cambridge April 1st 1852.
I have been impatient to hear from you again, dear Emmeline, as you said Wm was not so well and the children also had been ill. I trust all are now better. – I was, last night, at Marion Shaw’s wedding visit & a very brilliant & agreeable one it was with delicious music & exquisite flowers wafting their perfumes thro the spacious rooms, & the most beautiful bride to crown the occasion I have ever seen. A person does not always look their best, you know, in the bridal array, but to this one the rich veil & dress were very becoming [p. 2] She was not nervous, nor pale & agitated (perhaps because she has not overmuch sentiment) but very serene with a lovely bloom upon her cheek. Some pretty children were frolicking about, &, especially clinging to her, little Oliver, a boy of four years old, with long curls & velvet sack & striking countenance, but not so handsome as either father or mother. But despite all these pleasant things I had an oppressive feeling that house is so haunted by associations & a violent storm was raging without, & a huge marble bust came thundering down upon the stair case, & there was such confusion in getting carriages, all wishing to get away early as the bride was to depart in the morning for New Yor (her spouse to pass his honey-moon under Dr Elliott’s hands for his eyes!) Nobody seems to like much this mar [p. 3] riage – all think him too feeble a character to deserve so much beauty. The terrible fire & destruction of the Tremon Temple had so filled the street with people that the church (Stone Chapel) where they were married at dusk was crowded with rabble, & the bridesmaids could not get to their places until the ceremony was begun.
It was a melancholy pleasure to see some of my contemporaries at the party, looking still well but no longer young as I remembered them. Anna Shaw – Mary Channing & Miss Oliver, Mrs Dabney now. Anna I have not actually seen before since her marriage
The day before I went to Lizzy Lawrences reception in the morning. She looked remarkably well in a most becoming blue brocade with rich lace mantle, & had a prettily furnished house in Mt Vernon St just opposite Mrs Charles Amory’s. Poor Miss Timmins has been bridesmaid to all these girls & it is time she should appear as prin [p. 4] cipal. Mr Thayer has a ball tonight for Mrs Lawrence to which I think I shall go & so end the season. I hope to hear from Mary again in a day or two & can then know what plans to make for the summer. Last night every person (& there must have been many hundred present) received a box of wedding cake, both ladies & gentlemen, on departing. Generous certainly – but it was the last of all that blooming household. I begin now to feel so much for the poor mothers left in this way. Their age must come upon them at a blow when all this young life goes out of the house. Mr & Mrs Prescott are both very sad about it & he said when he saw all the carriages at Lizzy’s door he thought it looked very like a funeral.
Sam Longfellow has sent us some charming plays of George Sands – full of simple feeling. My head is too confused today to write sense but I thought you might like to hear of the brides so scribbled off this very confused epistle With kisses to the children & love to Wm
ever yr aftte
Fanny E.L.
Henry’s love.
[p. 1 cross] Of Lizzy Lawrence’s presents I have not heard much. I saw a very handsome bronze clock from Mrs Rotch. More & more luxurious people are getting in Boston with bois de rose furniture &c. Tom’s new club is far too elegant for gentlemen

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