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Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Reverend Samuel Longfellow, 31 March 1851
Manuscript letter
Cambridge March 31st /51
Dear Sam,
I have wished to write you before, but thought every day to see you here, altho’ I am truly glad you are able to remain in Portland so long, painful too as it must be to you to meet your loss at every turn - & miss hourly the gentle presence which has so endeared the old walls of your home. This severing of the countless links of childish memories & associations is alone so sad – but the beautiful character of your mother is an inheritance which can never be taken from you, - it has helped to mould your own, & its influence can never wholly pass away.
My memory of her is now precious to me & I trust I shall often [p. 2] derive strength & comfort from it. I wish my children could remember her, but I shall often speak of her to them, & her interest in them & her many kindnesses which they were too young to fully appreciate.
Poor Mary – how trying that long suspense must have been to her. I wrote her about a week after – I supposed the news had reached her - & went to see Mrs Greenleaf on Saturday to know if they had heard from her but did not get admitted.
The Nichols’ have had lovely weather for their visit. They were to take tea with us Sunday evening, but the Dr was quite ill with the immense excitement of Cambridge visits! & they could not come.
He took her to the Chapel & heard what I thought a noble sermon from Dr Francis touching the “higher law” – and the wickedness of people in high places sneering [p. 3] at conscience – but Mrs N. was, I imagine, too full of the emotion of returning to the once-familiar Chapel to heed much the discourse so heavily dragged forth.
They called yesterday, but tho I remained at home all the morning to see them, the servant, thro’ some stupidity sent them away – the Dr came, however, in the afternoon & we had a pleasant chat & I showed him the house & the children. I am very glad they found here this delicious Spring mildness which, yesterday, was almost oppressively warm – My crocusses [sic] have been up some days & in the midst of the late snow storm Miss Sales sent me a bunch of snow-drops, gentler than those falling from heaven, but deserving of a place in paradise if for nothing but their beautiful faith in venturing to promise brighter days thro’ such dark ones – We have been reading a very summery book – “Nile Notes by a Howadgi” [p. 4] the author being an amiable youth named Curtis, a late guest of Charles Norton. It is full of glowing Tennysonian pictures – with a style well suiting the poetical subject - & much quiet humor. He is, or has been, a disciple of Emerson I fancy.
Little Alice is undergoing vaccination very amiably & is growing prettier every day. She went to Boston for the first time on Saturday &paid her respects to Uncle Sam. Willie walked over from Medford to see us & enquire about his grandmother. The roads are now so good he can easily do that. I think Mrs N. rather hoped you would remain another Sunday, but they leave here, today, the Dr said & will be a few days in Boston I believe.
Give much love from me to Anne Sophia, & to Aunt Lucia & Annie. I hope the latter is gaining rest & comfort. She has enriched her life with too many interest for it ever to become impoverished, but her home must seem very desolate - & for Aunt Lucia too I feel [p. 1 cross] much – but we know the door is left ajar - & invisibly to us those beloved ones return to watch over us & teach us there is no real separation.
Hoping soon to see you, dear Sam,
ever affly yrs
Fanny E.L.
Dear Sam,
I have wished to write you before, but thought every day to see you here, altho’ I am truly glad you are able to remain in Portland so long, painful too as it must be to you to meet your loss at every turn - & miss hourly the gentle presence which has so endeared the old walls of your home. This severing of the countless links of childish memories & associations is alone so sad – but the beautiful character of your mother is an inheritance which can never be taken from you, - it has helped to mould your own, & its influence can never wholly pass away.
My memory of her is now precious to me & I trust I shall often [p. 2] derive strength & comfort from it. I wish my children could remember her, but I shall often speak of her to them, & her interest in them & her many kindnesses which they were too young to fully appreciate.
Poor Mary – how trying that long suspense must have been to her. I wrote her about a week after – I supposed the news had reached her - & went to see Mrs Greenleaf on Saturday to know if they had heard from her but did not get admitted.
The Nichols’ have had lovely weather for their visit. They were to take tea with us Sunday evening, but the Dr was quite ill with the immense excitement of Cambridge visits! & they could not come.
He took her to the Chapel & heard what I thought a noble sermon from Dr Francis touching the “higher law” – and the wickedness of people in high places sneering [p. 3] at conscience – but Mrs N. was, I imagine, too full of the emotion of returning to the once-familiar Chapel to heed much the discourse so heavily dragged forth.
They called yesterday, but tho I remained at home all the morning to see them, the servant, thro’ some stupidity sent them away – the Dr came, however, in the afternoon & we had a pleasant chat & I showed him the house & the children. I am very glad they found here this delicious Spring mildness which, yesterday, was almost oppressively warm – My crocusses [sic] have been up some days & in the midst of the late snow storm Miss Sales sent me a bunch of snow-drops, gentler than those falling from heaven, but deserving of a place in paradise if for nothing but their beautiful faith in venturing to promise brighter days thro’ such dark ones – We have been reading a very summery book – “Nile Notes by a Howadgi” [p. 4] the author being an amiable youth named Curtis, a late guest of Charles Norton. It is full of glowing Tennysonian pictures – with a style well suiting the poetical subject - & much quiet humor. He is, or has been, a disciple of Emerson I fancy.
Little Alice is undergoing vaccination very amiably & is growing prettier every day. She went to Boston for the first time on Saturday &paid her respects to Uncle Sam. Willie walked over from Medford to see us & enquire about his grandmother. The roads are now so good he can easily do that. I think Mrs N. rather hoped you would remain another Sunday, but they leave here, today, the Dr said & will be a few days in Boston I believe.
Give much love from me to Anne Sophia, & to Aunt Lucia & Annie. I hope the latter is gaining rest & comfort. She has enriched her life with too many interest for it ever to become impoverished, but her home must seem very desolate - & for Aunt Lucia too I feel [p. 1 cross] much – but we know the door is left ajar - & invisibly to us those beloved ones return to watch over us & teach us there is no real separation.
Hoping soon to see you, dear Sam,
ever affly yrs
Fanny E.L.
Archives Number: 1011/002.001-021#013
U. S. National Park Service
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Correspondence (1011/002), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1851 (1011/002.001-021), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1851 (1011/002.001-021), (LONG-FileUnitName)
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Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Code: LONG
Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
NPS Museum Number Catalog : LONG 20257
Title: Finding Aid to the Frances Elizabeth Appleton Longfellow (1817-1861) Papers, 1825-1961 (bulk dated: 1832-1861)
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#FEAL
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#FEAL
2016-01-30
03/31/1851
Manuscript letter in Frances Appleton Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, A. Outgoing, 1851. (1011/002.001-021#013)
Organization: Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 5:46:52 PM
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 5:46:52 PM
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