File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Emmeline (Austin) Wadsworth, 22 September 1851 (a434e93d-002a-4feb-b7b0-b4eec49be3de).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-021#036

Cambridge Sep 22d 1851.
Dearest Emmeline
I have felt quite out of sorts since I returned from Nahant, having taken cold from the sudden, severe change of weather from intense heat (in the midst of which we came up) to autumnal chill which affected my whole system. or, you should have heard of our return sooner.
Our climate really seems at times to have lost its wits – so capricious is it, but as I believe in “a higher law” than our short-sighted ones I have no doubt it is in some way for our good. Do all these changes reach you & how do they affect William? You wrote me [p. 2] he had already felt them somewhat and I trust he has not again been called to suffer from their influence. How full of holy satisfaction and solemn comfort is your present life my darling. I can well imagine what a tender nurse you must make & should never desire a better beside my billow in sickness – and can anything give a stronger sense of gratitude than to feel that we are so needed by one we love – so all-important to their ease & well-being. If you are obliged to lay aside your blessed office for a time yet it is but to take up another, as important probably & God grant you may return to the former with renewed strength & courage.
[p. 3] My thoughts are much with you in the quiet of your hours of watching & my prayers would gladly grow to blessings for you & yours. I hardly venture to intrude pictures of the busy world within your hallowed retreat which I fancy illuminated with portraits of saints & martyrs – faces of sorrow & resignation – such as angels secretly retouch & soften & [crossed out: smooth] brighten with heavenly oils.
Our three days of Jubilee in Boston went off very well in the main tho’ I fear our hospitalities to our crowd of guests from Canada were not of the most satisfactory kind. At least I hear room enough was not provided to make so many comfortable & citizens did not open their houses as freely as they should to save gentlemen, invited guests, from [p. 4] sleeping 7 in a room & sometimes more than one in a bed. Beacon St looked sadly inhospitable with its shut-up houses & hung no banners on its outer walls tho’ nearly every other street where the procession passed was profusely decorated. I saw the show of the Trades from our balcony (our I still call it) your brother Edward by my side & we both thought it very pretty. I saw none of the dignitaries – but a few British officers were brought out by Jewett (who had been stationed at Antigua) & Miss Fillmore, came with Martha Derby & Tom returning from a visit to Miss Hosmer a friend of Miss F’s & a girl of genius – sculptress &c. The President’s daughter seemed a very modest unassuming damsel & he looked finely on horseback & is a very gentlemanlike agreeable man. Both he & Lord Elgin made a very pleasing impression I believe. The latter looks jovial & good-humoured [p. 5] & spoke with great aptness & spirit. Webster’s speech before, tho’ not to’, the English guests was in singular bad taste, boasting of our supremacy & quoting Mr Lowell’s remark that they could not conquer the sea but by our leave. All his late speeches are highly intemperate (their only excuse) & if his friends have any hopes of his attaining the Presidency they should beg him to hold his tongue. Mrs Sam Eliot, Mrs Winthrop & Mrs Otis held Levees but few, if any, ladies were present or expected, & Boston is not yet filled up by its summer absentees – which the young officers lamented sadly. It was a pity people did not take the trouble to honour such a striking celebration – tho’ “the city” did its part very handsomely I believe except in the matter of accommodation. [p. 6] I have just been reading a very witty & clever letter of Lowells describing his voyage & safe arrival at Malta. Mrs Lowell was well as were the children. This is my baby’s 1st birthday. She sends you her best kiss. She is very strong & well & has not felt the change from Nahant here at all fortunately - & the other children are quite as well. They go to school - & have for pets a very pretty spaniel & two milk white rabbits. One of these got loose the other day & was pounced upon by the dog & we all thought it killed. Erny was quite heart broken but the vigorous arm of Mrs Patten rescued it safe & sound. My parasol alone suffered in the rencontre.
We have had here a French cel [p. 7] ebrity & a very delightful man M. Ampère. If he comes in your neighborhood I am sure James will be pleased to know him. He is a quiet literary man – like Cogswell somewhat.
Tom returned from Nahant with Miss Fillmore & is at home at present. We expect my father to arrive next Saturday. They were so homesick, Harriot not being equal to cross the Channel & see Paris, that they came to Liverpool to sail if possible in the Atlantic but could get no berths so wandered off into Wales having however welcomed Sam Longfellow & Charley A in Liverpool
This pen & ink are beyond my management so I must abruptly close & will write soon again –
With love to Wm & Mary
ever thy affte
Fanny E.L.
[p. 8] Poor Mrs Mifflin has had a sad loss in her eldest boy. He came up to town in that last week, had a violent fever & was dead in two days – I saw him 3 days before in perfect health at a child’s party at Mrs Bryants.
We dined with Julia Howe at Mrs Story’s the day we came up & found her looking thin, & rather sad, but very gentle & pleasing. I have not been able to get to see her since – but shall tomorrow – She said she never expected to leave S. Boston again, & added “Quand on est mort c’est pour long tems [sic] –“ The burden of a French song!

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