File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Mary (Appleton) Mackintosh, 22 June 1858 (fa7f9d86-9435-4530-801b-71bd23113f01).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-028#006

Cambridge. June 22d
Dear Mary,
I am so sorry I missed the Boston steamer & truly hope this will get to N. York, in time, as you desire so much frequent letters.
My next will possibly be dated from Nahant, as we shall try to get there next week, urged by the impatience of the children. It is so lovely here now that I feel myself in no hurry to move, & it seems a pity to run away from the strawberries & roses to that barren rock.
We had a very interesting meeting here on the 17th (Battle of Bunker hill) of the Historical Society, & they were so pleased to come to this house on that day, that they came in unusual force, & had a great deal to say. [p. 2] Mr Winthrop, Mr Everett, Mr Adams, &c spoke of the associations of that time, & the former quoted Henry's lines in the poem on Charley, & they all seemed so full charged with reminiscences & facts that they could be hardly got to break up for supper. I wondered, too, they could resist the invitations of the birds to come into the garden, but they were listening to other more spiritual voices even. They refreshed themselves copiously with ice & strawberries & coffee & tea, & went off declaring, in all their annals, they had never had so interesting a meeting. Mr Bodielian Henry invited to be present, but I am afraid he had a dull time. I did not make out to see his wife tho’ Henry did. He looks very like an African, the Algiers sun has so bronzed him.
On Saturday we had a boat race in Boston on Charles River, in which we took great interest. The Harvard students rowed against 7 other boats [p. 3] of stalwart Irishmen & others, & beat them triumphantly. Beacon St had contributed the cup, & of course was highly elated at the result. The ladies crowned the students with flowers, & we all cheered like mad. We had an excellent place to see at Hetty Coolidge’s, & Alice was as excited as her papa. Charlie was out in his boat, with his friend Bob Newell, both dressed alike in blue shirts, - & enjoyed it highly of course. He takes to the water like a duck, but I hope he will exhaust his passion for it before he grows up. Caspar Crowninshield, his cousin & young Agassiz are the best rowers among the students, & they starve themselves into good condition & practise perpetually, but their rivals were men boatmen by profession. It was the triumph of spirit over matter.
How sad is all this gossip about Dickens. I cannot believe the most of it, but it is a pity, since people [p. 4] will invent reasons, he cannot give the plain story of the trouble. I am very glad Robert has been so kind to Motley, for I know he will truly appreciate it, & he is such an excellent fellow he deserves to be known.
It is fortunate you can enjoy seeing old friends without too much fatigue.
Sumner has arrived we hear, having a much less suffering passage than usual. You will have heard of Mr Wm Otis’ death in Paris. It is very sad for poor Emily, who was left behind. Mary has returned to her.
We go this afternoon to a fête champêtre at Mrs Cushing’s which will, no doubt, be very pretty, as the weather is charming. I went to see Harriet C. as soon as she returned to hear about you. But as it was really the first time I had seen her since her husband’s death she seemed too much subdued to say much.
Yr affte
Fanny E.L.
[p. 1 cross] Tom goes tomorrow to Berkshire to have some fun with Mrs Kemble & Sally, who are there in Mr Hagerty’s big house & will be glad to see him.
I believe they come to Nahant for part of the season. The Napiers also.
We had Agassiz & Tom yesterday to dinner to enjoy a turbot brought from England by Capt Leach. It was in perfect condition & very fine.

• Keywords: correspondence; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; people; document; subject; social life; Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1858 (1011/002.001-028); (LONG-FileUnitName)