File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Mary (Appleton) Mackintosh, 17 April 1840 (9c3ceace-590d-4759-85a6-721320bb9b5f).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-010#012

Boston. April 17th 1840.
My darling Molly,
On the strength of the “probably”s in your letter to Tom of your sailing on the 20th & consequently being in N. York today, or tomorrow, the said youth has decided by his oracle, the turning of a copper, to set forth thither to-day but I forget he will speak for himself!
You have not given us the name of the ship or enlightened us as to whether your passages are enaged but this sounds more like a final decision than anything we have heard from you & knock on the head all my vague conjecturings that your wanderings might end with Stockbridge as Mac once hinted! I think you will have a much more agreeable passage than if you had gone on the 7th and only wish you could have foreseen this delay & been longer with us. but this is folly & beside, the consciousness that you were so near and that I could have such constant communication with you has broken, in a great manner, the abruptness of the separation & I shall be better reconciled to the dreary interval before your next letter arrives.
Your hood & fears of cold will probably be superfluous now the Spring is so well advanced & the hawthorns [p. 2] in England will be still untarnished.
I hope you will have nice passengers, good winds - & prove as admirable a sailor as you have hitherto. I think myself very wise to resist the temptation to see you again in N. York but I “couldnt stand” (as you say) the sight of the ship etc- just next that to a dentists chair. Thank Mac for his kind wish that I should still think of embarking with you. It is well I have not changed my mind as now of course it would be utterly impracticable so to do. No – I know it is much better I should remain here (even if Father gave his consent which I am very confident he never would have done!) for many reasons I have explained to you better than I can to Robert. If you should resolve to reside in England permanently or not return in a year I shall live on the hope of coming out & making you a visit when you feel at home there & have got over the embarassment [sic] of a first acquaintance with your new relations which my presence would not diminish. And still I have often felt, my darling, that I must be with you to take care of you – but I trust all in the hands of God. I will ‘hope for the best’ - & worry myself as little as I can with doubts, fears & anxieties. I am ashamed not to have given Mrs Charles an answer sooner [p. 3] about the mattrass-; [sic] in fact the letter which mentioned her concern wish for it was sent on, so immediately after its reception, to Father that I forgot utterly this matter as requiring an answer - & had an idea we decided to give it to Grandmother, but if you think Mrs Charles would find it more useful she is very welcome to it as far as I am concerned. It is not worth while to transport it out of Berkshire & we have no further need of it there. Tom will tell you what an agreeable family dinner we had yesterday at Aunt Sam’s with the big Daniel whose ponderosity rather oppressed my appetite & spirits. I contrived however to squeeze out of him a little information concerning his impressions of London society in general & its lions in particular which got merged, on his part, into s[ome] dry squeezings of the hand, tender speeches & ‘God bless you’s in his old vein. Ask Tom (an hour before you sail) for a piece of news ‘tis a pity you should not hear this side the water – those concerned with it kept secret at present & Emmeline (being one, tho’ not a principal) wont trust you before that time! Am I really then saying good bye again & for the last time? I wont think of it & shant feel it thoroughly till I see the notice of your sailing in the paper. May God bless you, every-where by sea & land my dear, dear Mary - & give you back to me when He thinketh it best. May your new sisters learn to love you as I do and do not think I have ever ceased, for a moment, to thank God for your happiness with my whole soul.-
Here is my last kiss – to you and dear Robt Your true Fan.
[p. 4 bottom] My dear Mary,
Fanny allows me the privilege of filling the ends of her letter, and I can’t resist taking it away from her just to bid you ‘good bye’, and wish you a pleasant voyage over that element unless I can of which I have such a dread unless I can go into it fish like – I was very much disappointed not to see you again, and if I had not so confidently have expected you to come to Pitts- I should have [??] called on you at Mr. Wilsons -
[p. 4 top] You have not spent much of your time at P- but I hope Grandmother is more reconciled to your departure – You know her ruling desire is to have every one she knows live in Berkshire. I am delighted to be with Fanny and while I am I will promise you to use my feeble powers to keep her in good spirits – Please remember me to Mrs. Mackintosh and I am yrs. aff – Fanny I.
[p. 1 cross] Good bye, dear Robert, & do not forget to love your second sister Fanny.
[p. 1 top] Harriet, Emmeline & baby send kisses & love in full measure.
ADDRESSED: MRS R. J. MACKINTOSH. / ASTOR HOUSE. / N. YORK / FAND BY T.G.A.
NOTE: SEALED WITH “TGA” SEAL

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