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Caroline Frances Appleton to Fanny Appleton, 24 December 1834
Manuscript letter
C.F.A. / Dec. 1835. - / [squiggle]”-- --
[addressed:] Miss Frances E. Appleton / Boston / Mass.
Lowell December 24. 1834.
A happy Christmas to you ‘ma chere et belle cousine” fair weather and a good turkey and a wondrous surprise in the sight of the bearer of this letter. Winter alas! indeed commenced here, a tremendous snow storm a week ago last Sunday, told us of it [sic] approach; plants and windows freezing, high fires and blue finger, tell us to bid farewell for the next few months, the hopes of seeing any human being, or tolerable walking! You from your last letter are so busy I doubt weather [sic] you have had the least consciousness of what I so dread! Are you still as gay as ever? Last tuesday there was a grand cotillion [sic] party here, the music and noise of which reaches even to our snug dormitory, and certainly sounding on very dull ears, for Mother was suffering with one of her bad headaches, and I undergoing the worst of all pains, a most excruciating toothache! The party I hear was not very splendid, for more than half that [where?] expected were prevented attending, from sickness, death, and a variety of ills, one young lady however, had only heard of the untimely death of her brother a few days before, yet there she was dancing, and laughing “the gayest of the gay”! What say ye now cousin to the [page 2] morality or etiquette of our town? I do not attend any of the festivities of the place, Mother thinks I had quite enough of it while with you. This must be delightful weather for Mary’s harp, does she find it very ecstatic [sic] to play with the cold finger? I am the same as ever “most musical most melancholy.” Trajedy [sic] I left behind me “table vengeance” has tasted the fire, and Lowell air dissipated all my [heroics?], Jubilate, Amen! I suppose you have been to see Matthews, how do you like him, is tragedy or comedy your favorite, or are you one of those envied mortals who like each in their turn the last always best. What would I not give for some kind genius to envlinen my dull pen, what shall I say, “what can I write” is my only thought, and the only words I can make creep to the end of my pen, you tell me write anything no matter what, sense or nonsense either is impossible, nonsense alas I am afraid I exhausted all that the last time I saw you, sense, sense in Lowell! Ah! Pardon me I have not found it out yet. What would it profit you to tell you of this person’s death, that body sickness, or this one’s marriage, true it is something to us here, but most likely you never heard of the person, much less care about hearing of their various tubulations. How does the monster? Does he still watch Mary’s musical progress, with the same zeal, or does still glance across you at every corner, methinks I can now see his never to be forgotten waistcoat [shining?] by its lustre the brightest coal fire, or hear his ‘Miss Aa-pil-[town?]” Aw! -- -- We had a visit from a gentleman not long ago, whose Uncle “is a [baron?] in Sicily,” I was out of the room when I [page 3] entered but could I mistake the [writing?] figure in the chair before me? He behaved pretty tolerable considering; in his exit he continued only to kick one chair over; nothing worth speaking of! -- a mere trifle - but at the same time not quite pleasant, as our chair are not noted at any time for the most stable legs, and the fewer blows they get that that way the better, I thought it fortunate at the time that the bedroom door near which he was standing was not open! -- I am much obliged to you for the trouble you took about “William Tell” I can assure you that ‘william’s [woman?]” had no mercy from me, to cut short all my long cherished hopes! and all the antic[missing paper]ated spouting by which I was to astonish the natures, [hole in writing paper]t woman had better evacuate the city [missing paper] I make my appearance again! Have you read [missing paper] last days of Pompeii?” I have just finished it, I am much charmed, I think there are some beautiful thoughts expressed in it especially in the first volume, only one over sight, which doubtless you have or will see when you [crossed out: see] [^]read it. I think now I had better bring this epistle to a close, begging you to read it thro’ first before you assign it to utter oblivion. Remember me to all your family and believe me ever your most
affectionate cousin
Caroline F.
P.S. The two drawings that accompany this, I beg dear Fany [sic] you do me the pleasure to accept, I promised them to you long ago, but as I have been so long fulfilling my word, and as it will come quite a’propos you may take them as a small Christmas offering, the first I believe I ever made you, I wish it was more [worthy?] but you will take the “will for the deed.” C.F.A.
[addressed:] Miss Frances E. Appleton / Boston / Mass.
Lowell December 24. 1834.
A happy Christmas to you ‘ma chere et belle cousine” fair weather and a good turkey and a wondrous surprise in the sight of the bearer of this letter. Winter alas! indeed commenced here, a tremendous snow storm a week ago last Sunday, told us of it [sic] approach; plants and windows freezing, high fires and blue finger, tell us to bid farewell for the next few months, the hopes of seeing any human being, or tolerable walking! You from your last letter are so busy I doubt weather [sic] you have had the least consciousness of what I so dread! Are you still as gay as ever? Last tuesday there was a grand cotillion [sic] party here, the music and noise of which reaches even to our snug dormitory, and certainly sounding on very dull ears, for Mother was suffering with one of her bad headaches, and I undergoing the worst of all pains, a most excruciating toothache! The party I hear was not very splendid, for more than half that [where?] expected were prevented attending, from sickness, death, and a variety of ills, one young lady however, had only heard of the untimely death of her brother a few days before, yet there she was dancing, and laughing “the gayest of the gay”! What say ye now cousin to the [page 2] morality or etiquette of our town? I do not attend any of the festivities of the place, Mother thinks I had quite enough of it while with you. This must be delightful weather for Mary’s harp, does she find it very ecstatic [sic] to play with the cold finger? I am the same as ever “most musical most melancholy.” Trajedy [sic] I left behind me “table vengeance” has tasted the fire, and Lowell air dissipated all my [heroics?], Jubilate, Amen! I suppose you have been to see Matthews, how do you like him, is tragedy or comedy your favorite, or are you one of those envied mortals who like each in their turn the last always best. What would I not give for some kind genius to envlinen my dull pen, what shall I say, “what can I write” is my only thought, and the only words I can make creep to the end of my pen, you tell me write anything no matter what, sense or nonsense either is impossible, nonsense alas I am afraid I exhausted all that the last time I saw you, sense, sense in Lowell! Ah! Pardon me I have not found it out yet. What would it profit you to tell you of this person’s death, that body sickness, or this one’s marriage, true it is something to us here, but most likely you never heard of the person, much less care about hearing of their various tubulations. How does the monster? Does he still watch Mary’s musical progress, with the same zeal, or does still glance across you at every corner, methinks I can now see his never to be forgotten waistcoat [shining?] by its lustre the brightest coal fire, or hear his ‘Miss Aa-pil-[town?]” Aw! -- -- We had a visit from a gentleman not long ago, whose Uncle “is a [baron?] in Sicily,” I was out of the room when I [page 3] entered but could I mistake the [writing?] figure in the chair before me? He behaved pretty tolerable considering; in his exit he continued only to kick one chair over; nothing worth speaking of! -- a mere trifle - but at the same time not quite pleasant, as our chair are not noted at any time for the most stable legs, and the fewer blows they get that that way the better, I thought it fortunate at the time that the bedroom door near which he was standing was not open! -- I am much obliged to you for the trouble you took about “William Tell” I can assure you that ‘william’s [woman?]” had no mercy from me, to cut short all my long cherished hopes! and all the antic[missing paper]ated spouting by which I was to astonish the natures, [hole in writing paper]t woman had better evacuate the city [missing paper] I make my appearance again! Have you read [missing paper] last days of Pompeii?” I have just finished it, I am much charmed, I think there are some beautiful thoughts expressed in it especially in the first volume, only one over sight, which doubtless you have or will see when you [crossed out: see] [^]read it. I think now I had better bring this epistle to a close, begging you to read it thro’ first before you assign it to utter oblivion. Remember me to all your family and believe me ever your most
affectionate cousin
Caroline F.
P.S. The two drawings that accompany this, I beg dear Fany [sic] you do me the pleasure to accept, I promised them to you long ago, but as I have been so long fulfilling my word, and as it will come quite a’propos you may take them as a small Christmas offering, the first I believe I ever made you, I wish it was more [worthy?] but you will take the “will for the deed.” C.F.A.
Archives Number: 1011/002.002-002#010
U. S. National Park Service
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Courtesy of National Park Service, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site; Archives Number 1011/002.002-002#010
Public domain
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)
, Letters to Frances Longfellow (1011/002.002), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, J.W. Andrews - C.F. Appleton (1011/002.002-002), (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 Catalog Number : 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
2019/05/29
12/24/1834
Manuscript letter in Frances Appleton Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, B. Incoming. (1011/002.002-002#010)
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
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