File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Emmeline (Austin) Wadsworth, 21 December 1850 (8862d06b-47ae-46c7-9854-738ef22d022e).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-020#034

Cambridge. Dec 21st 1850.
“Prithee why so dumb, fond lover”? Are you aware, my darling, how many weeks have slid away since I last broke your ever welcome seal? I remember writing you just before, or after, Mrs James left these parts, & never a word have I had from you since, but I have comforted myself, when anxious, with the certainty that any ill news would have reached me without delay, tho’ your brothers & Harriot, & that you were probably absorbed with your guests young & old & your own peculiar cares. I conclude you have not yet heard of Elisabeth’s marriage or you would have been tempted to send me an account of it, which I hope you will do in full, for all details are interesting to me.
She is now, I suppose, winging her happy way to a southern sea, fit type of her changed destiny; but not forget [p. 2] ting her northern nest – the sun-shine & rain showered repose it. There is a new love-song of Tennyson’s, in the last Literary World, which might have come from her lips - & a most musical cradle-song which I wish I could sing – to sing to my baby, but, excelling as he is in songs nothing can surpass a bugle song also added to the Princess,” about “the horrors of Elfland faintly blooming” & “our echoes roll from soul to soul” And grow forever & forever –“ I see he is made poet Laureat & will have to make cradle-songs for Victoria’s babies, but I fancy, now a days, it is merely a crown to the best living poet, & exacts no especial servility.
My children have received a New Year’s gift from Ticknor & Co of a glorified mother Goose illustrated, & illustrating what you said of English artistic culture. as the etchings are by a lady amateur, but so gracefully & tastefully drawn They have also another gift book from Grace Greenwood, “the History of my Pets,” [p. 3] which is charmingly written, - full of fun & pathos, - indeed almost too pathetic for such tender little hearts. Erny’s cheek flushes & his eye dilates, & he says “stop when you come to the bad part.” Formerly I had to revise every story, even little Red Riding Hood must have a good ending or they were wretched & cried in their sleep, but they have grown a little harder-hearted, & Charley came down, the other day, with a picture of a man hanging – on his slate! Where he got the idea I cannot imagine – probably at school. My little Erny is greatly better, but I have to be very tender of him; in deed the doctor said it would be an affair of 3 months & thinks it fortunate if it does not last a year. He is very cheerful & happy at home, & has resigned school with less sorrow than I feared he might feel, for he was very fond of it, but is very busy cutting out pictures & pasting them into a book.
Payson has, at last, succeeded in winning Clara Peabody, for which I am very glad, as I took a real interest in his success. Hatty Appleton, the statuesque, is engaged to young Jeffer [p. 4] son Coolidge son of Mr Joe Coolidge, decidedly shorter, as well as a year younger, than herself. I hope the subtle flame will warm the marble paleness of her face. We are to have the Assemblies – the first in Mr Sears’ “Liberty Tea [Tree?] Hall” to try it. As nothing but Polking is danced now – the Papanti’s floor is too elastic, but I shall be sorry to desert it. Cora Shaw sends her little girl about visiting with “Baby Shaw” printed on tiny cards – She will be a school girl to the last! – My baby is very fat & cunning – shouts & coos very sweetly. We go in Xmas ev’g to Papa’s for the usual family merry-making, & the chicks look forward to it very eagerly. I sent some toys to your brothers, to go in his box – which will not probably be very new to them but may be welcome. Louisa Norton is to be married before long, I believe. We have heard from Mary at Antigua – where she arrived after a voyage of 20 days, in a fine steamer, with pleasant people & good weather. She finds it less picturesque than St Kitts, but more comfortable & English-like, & thought of going with R. to the different islands where he is sworn in. Sumner’s name is in all the papers with praise & abuse according to their complexion He has a tolerable chance of being Senator! Mrs Dr Warren has gone at last. Poor Doctor it is hard for him to look forward to a lonely [p. 1 cross] old age. We have been reading Judd’s last book “Richard Edney” which is very racy & original, tho’ sadly wanting in polish. Poor Bowen has been annihilated by Mrs Putnam, but I have no pity for him he speaks of her so rudely, & bears his defeat so badly. His arrogance has left little sympathy for him - & his false facts, so exposed by a woman, will deprive him probably of all choice of the Professorship. Mrs P. has been perfectly lady-like throughout & has not yet published the most crushing fact of her article out of magnamity. Henry’s love & mine to Wm ever thy
Fanny EL.

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