File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Mary (Appleton) Mackintosh, 12 July 1858 (b0d434f8-9f1e-41df-bf55-68d0edb4bf1a).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-028#007

Nahant. July 12th 1858.
Dear Mary,
I am so sorry to have missed two steamers, but I have been so busy getting ready for Nahant that the chances slipped by before I was aware. I do not remember anything to tell you of those past weeks of much importance. I told you, I think, of Captain Leech’s present of English Turbot & how good it was, & of the good Captain’s coming to dinner to share our American Turbot (which has another name but is the same fish) & how we pronounced it as delicate, but not so high-flavored, as the other, & of our delightful fête at the Cushings, & more delightful breakfast at Mr Winthrop’s to meet the Lady Napiers. No – that I think I did not get to. Well we had Mr & Mrs Sidney Brooks, Mr Ticknor & Anna, Mr Everett &c - & we were charmed with Lady Napier, who is very gentle & soft-voiced [p. 2] & agreeable. She made much of Henry, & made many kind proffers of service at Nahant, whither she went the next day. We followed in a week on the 5th of July, after giving the children all the (to them) pleasant uproar of the 4th with endless fire-crackers, boat races &c, Alice getting her fire works at Mabel Lowell’s while we old people stayed quietly at home packing. I drove in with Tom the night before to hear the fairest & most eloquent of mediums make her 4th of July oration, or sermon, & it was certainly very wonderful. For nearly two hours she held forth in a most musical voice, with beautiful enunciation, without a moment’s jar or pause, or repetition, a finely flowing discourse – a Jeremiad on our national sins. As improvisation it far exceeded Rosa Taddei, but the whole character of it was unearthly. She chanted the Lord’s Prayer, & after all was over, with a slight shiver, recovered her natural state & sat down.
[p. 3] We had the usual fatigue & worry in getting so large a household packed & reestablished here, & at once the servants began to groan, also as usual, over their less comfortable accommodations, so we dispatched the laundress & I hope can now get on pleasantly. The cook, unused to a wood fire, set the chimney in a blaze & would have the house also if Henry had not seen it in time. So we got a cooking-stove for her & every thing is gradually smoothing down. We left the man behind to keep the garden in order, & look after the house, (as Mary Greenleaf, who only arrived an hour before we left) would not take it) & I have a stout-armed damsel, sister of the cook, to take his place & be chambermaid also, & with Tom's coachman, in case of need, we can get on. A young American girl takes care of Alice & tries to replace my invaluable seamstress, & Rachel has the two little ones. We are very much pleased with the privacy & out-look [p. 4] of this cottage, & shall try to secure it for several summers It is pretty shabby at present, but could be easily improved. Tom has a fine large room, detached from the rest, where he can paint the sunset from his chair. A few days after we came Lord Napier & his wife called, very kindly - & the next day we went to see them. They sit behind us at church, with the Winthrop’s, so we shall often exchange a few words. They have pleasant rooms at the Hotel & like it very much. This bracing air suits her who is an invalid. She has four little boys, under ten, who have a governess & tutor & will thrive in this healthy place after Washington. They are very gracious, take their meals at the table d’hôte, come down to the drawing-room in the ev’g, & take more trouble than is necessary, or expected, to please everybody. He is a fine-looking man, very agreeable & has some quiet fun. We had the Bishop of Rhode I. to preach yesterday, considered an eloquent preacher, but as we had been reading Robinson’s Sermons [p. 5] we did not think much of him.
Miss Davie has found us out, & was so sorry we had not been here a Sunday earlier to hear Mr Knight, the young clergyman Miss Tudor is engaged to. The Agassiz have sat with us on our twilight piazza, & I am sorry they are so far off.
Charley has the charge of a new boat, with two sails, & manages it with great skill, flitting about our cove like a butterfly. It is some comfort to be able to see him, tho’ it makes me anxious too. Erny & Alice are great playmates, & amuse themselves on the rocks, & among the wild roses. We have driven over to Lynn twice & papa has been here. Hetty too looks in on us on horse back.
I hope Parthe N. has made a good choice, but it is rather sad to think of her sister’s contested fate, - tho’ really not so, for her future is beyond any earthly lot, & it is one for which she has been preparing for years. Her more solemn bridal should be more joyful than [p. 6] any uncertain one. It seems the most natural termination to such a life, & as to usefulness she has crowded so much into so short a space we feel that she has done her share. How she dwarfs all our feeble efforts, - how indolent & inefficient we all appear beside her angelic power & wise goodness.
But for her family, who must have been looking forward to a quiet enjoyment of her at home, after all her toils & cares, it is very hard to see her fading again from their grasp. But such a character as her’s [sic] must elevate all about her to bear it.
You will see what fiery torture Sumner has been thro’ to recover his natural health. We trust it will do good, but have more faith in water than fire. He has borne it with wonderful fortitude without chloroform.
Mrs Amory writes that she has had a delightful visit in London & enjoyed especially your kindness. With love to R.
ever yr affte
Fanny E.L.

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