File:Caroline Frances Appleton to Fanny Appleton, 24 February 1836 (d305a6ee-f616-4436-beac-1bb0df7af7ef).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.002-002#018

Caroline / Feb. 1836 / --
[addressed:] Miss Frances E. Appleton / (Gare of [Welles?] & Co. / Paris / (Via Havre)
[rectangular stamp:] PAYS [?] / PAR [:? ?]
[round stamp:] [?]
[green wax seal - embossed relief depicts a winged boy following the taught lead of a dog:] LA FIDELITE MA GUIDE
[page 1]
Boston Feb 24th 1836.
My Dearest Fanny,
Your welcome letter of the 28th Dec_ has duly arrived and been safely received by me. You may imagine with what delight I read it, and how flattered I felt that in the midst of all your gaiety and amusement you had found time to write to me. At the present moment I am confined to my room by quite a severe cold, and being too nervous to attend to anything requiring much head work and being really [too?] frightfull [sic] to make my appearance among civilized people, I know of nothing so well calculated to employ my time pleasantly as answering your kind epistle. I cannot fully agree with you in the remark you made towards the close of your letter; naely “that I had more to say to amuse you than you could have that would amuse me” quite a decided decided mistake I do assure you for here is a month gone and hardly a thing has occurred with mentioning! No parties, no operas, no promenades, nay not one single peep have I had lately even at him of nightingale memory. The death of Mrs Mason has put a stop to the soirées of the [Sam’s?], thrown all the party givers into mourning and decidedly eclipsed our fair city. And worse than all Spring is advancing and not one sign, save the name, to tell of its approach, never was there such a winter! I wish when you departed you had been kind enough to have carried more of the cold off with you. I do not know what we shall do when the snow around us begins to melt (what a supposition!) we shall I am afraid be flooded out of house and home, and I am afraid the forests will make but a poor show, when the summer does once come, for verily I think to judge from [?] at least, wood must be very scarce in that quarter. I hope however “[mia cera?]” that you [are now?] fairly out of winter influence, and therefore will not refreeze you by dwelling on that which with us at present most fashionable. It seemed to me hardly like reality while reading you letter how strange to hear you [opease?] of the Tuilries [sic], Boulevards, Champs Elysées et cetera - as of everday sights, I would almost imagine it was [page 2] a waking reverie of what might be, not of what was. I know of no passing strange event that has occurred since I last, I suppose Aunt Sam has told you of the death of Healy’s Mother, of all the engagements that have lately occurred, marriages &c - that is particularly in her line you know, but I am certain I can relate a fact that will surprise you, solely on the account that you will sympathize with me most sincerely_ and I hope also you will give me great credit for my heroism when I inform you that a few weeks ago I honoured Dr. Flagg with my presence, for the purpose of making him a present of [five?] of my [wing ganders?]! three out at sitting. There is you know but “one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.” and I think I have made that step_ The Aspinwalls leave here for England in a month. The Colonel, keeps his Consulship and therefore we must be content to do without that interesting family, I believe I have never fully recovered Mrs. A-s good graces, since I did such a desperate deed s walze [sic] with one of the male sex! We have had a foreign arrival lately in the shape of a German, perfectly fresh! much to Sam’s horrors, for he has a furious dislike to the whole race, and things they infest the country like Sculpins! Poor “Sculpin” seems to have nothing but a train of disasters happen to him this winter, his beauty for a while has been most dreadfully marred by a large boil that made its appearance on one of his delicate cheeks, and absolutely excluded him from being seen for whole fortnight, you have no idea how interesting he looked when I caught a sight of him soon after this dire event, he shone in all the honours of sticking plaister and [???llings?] to a degree that I think even you would ^not have gaze on without emotion! Remember when you read this loud, if you do, to omit all objectionable passages, I often do so much to the amazement of my sage relatives who wonder much at the shortness of my letter!) The theatrical laurels have lately been enlivened by Mr. John Reeves from England, I have not seen him, having no particular tast [sic] for low farce after “La Sonambula” but “Chacun à son gout” my brother thought him far superior, [?] when he had the audacity in one of his peices [sic] to imitate the Woods, Sam thought that the best part of the entertainment! I quite envy you when I hear you talking of [Gnsi?] with such [raprdies?]
March 4th I have been writing, dear Fanny, a few days in hopes of something interesting to communicate to you, but in vain nothing turns up A new [page 3] engagement has lately come out, I heard of it yesterday, perhaps Aunt Sam, has already told you of it, but in case she has not, I will - it it Mr. [Thare?] the broker and Mr Francis’s daughter, the next one to Mrs Bowditch. The Lady Mayoress gives a party this week, rather a direful affair I suspect_ The Inglisss soirées flourish away, I have been once, and intend to go again if I can prevail on Sam to be bored with the music, dancing, and a few such [eleceaturer’s] which he detests__ I was quite charmed with the account you give of the French exquisites, I wish you could import a few, we are sadly in want of something to stare at, I wish would take a few sketches of such animals and send them out to me, to embellish my album and I should not care to see an occasional “Fra Diavolo” I am quite deep in studies at present_ French and Italian two hours aday, music the same_ I intend to surprise you at some future day. Indeed it were impossible to escape a slight tincture of learning of such society as we have at Mrs Jackson’s - we have no less than three Professors - Professor Silliman, who is just commencing a course of lectures on Chemistry, Professor Hubbard, his future son in law, and Professor [Bokun?] a German who is delivering lectures on German literature, quite a worthy trio I assure y[paper is cut off] and then we have a great many disciples of Graham, who live on nothing but bread and water, cheap borders certainly! Went to see Mrs. S Laurence to day, and had a sight of the son and heir, had the usual question asked if “I did not love babies” replied in the sweetest time “O yes I admire them, little beauties!” “little frights” thought I to myself. Do you miss [Jeuetl?] society I should think he would have been quite an amusing addition -- Tell Thomas I have half a mind to write to him if it is only for an answer, I hear his letters are vastly amusing -- am glad to hear he secured his valuable dog --. The other day Uncle Sam wold me to write to [Jeuetl?], I [hold?] him if I knew what to say “Oh!” said Uncle S. “Tell him here your poetry comes on, rapsodize [sic] a little”! I think he would have been edified by such an epistle. But alas! alas! I left my muse in the sands of Lowell, I have not been able to compose a stanzas since I came to this unpoetical city, even tradjidey [sic] is forgotten and left to die a natural death, but the folly that prompted those former efforts still remains as this epistle will I think fully testify, for I believe I have written nonsens[paper folded] this time, nevertheless “from evil cometh good” is sometimes the case I hope
[paper folded] [Envelope top]
[page 4] it will prove so here. I am trying to regain the roses on my cheeks, by promenading the streets every day, but here I miss you, especially in such a windy day as to day for you were a very shield from the blasts, besides the entertaining company you always drew &c -- Mother desires her best love to you and Mary -- I am interrupted by the eternal fire bells, I believe we shall be burnt up at last, most every night we have an alarm, there are quite a band of incendiaries about! They seemed to have taken the place of the vanished robbers, the exchange is anything but agreeable I suppose you heard of the attempt to burn Brattle Street Church. But I must put a
[Envelope bottom]stop to my pen for I am drawing near the end of the sheet, and it is late for I am writing by candle light as the hand will easily prove, so I must bid you good night, begging you, if you can to write me again. Remember me to all and believe me ever your most affectionate cousin.
Caroline F. Appleton_
P.S. I have just received the music, I do not know wether [sic] I am to thank you or Mary, but no matter, I am very much obliged, one of the the songs is beautiful and the walzes also, the rest are [“freneky”?] I never was so agreeably surprised.
C.F.A.

• Keywords: correspondence; document; manuscript; frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; appleton family; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters to Frances Longfellow (1011/002.002); (LONG-SubseriesName); J.W. Andrews - C.F. Appleton (1011/002.002-002); (LONG-FileUnitName)