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Peleg Wadsworth to Lucia Wadsworth, 23 March 1798
Manuscript letter
Philada 23dMarch1798
My dear Lucia’s of 5 March & her Diary of 4th & 11th Inst: are before me. Her scribling[sic] never fails to afford Pleasure to her Papa. – Whether it’s owing to ^to her sprightiliness[sic], her sentiment or his partiality – it matters not as long as that is the Effect – perhaps there is a combination of the three – so let it be
You say, my dear, “Your club does not answer the purpose intended” & “that you have no secret, nor any pretty Name” tho you think your Papa might supply the latter – as to the first my dear, your secret should then be, that you have none, it is as good as any, & the same that the Free Masons & many other Societies have that answer very well, & perhaps is as easily kept as any – why then do you not keep it a secret that you have none? ^that you have divulged it well that you have heard my Dear is a misfortune (p. 2) that often – no, sometimes happens with the Ladies – I mean the young Misses – But your Name – now, if I knew what was the Intent of you Society, why I should make a better guess at a name. – If it was to cultivate good manners & gentile Behaviour, I would give it the name of Polite; if to promote the Cause of Benevolence, I would call it Charitable, if for the sake of Merriment, Romping – But Rebecca ^says you had better give it a Scripture Name. I have been reading Doctor Rush on Edu-cation lately to the Family, & he strongly recommends Scripture Names, as an ^strong Inducement to the person named to act up to the Original – So if you would have a Name from your Papa you must send me the Constitution of the Society that the Name & thing may have some affinity with or analogy to each other.
(p. 3) Did your Mama, my dear, advise or consent to the Institution? Or was it undertaken without Advice – Little Girls should take the Advice of their wise Friends on all important matters & then if they should not succeed they will ^would get clear of part of the disagreeableness of incident to a want of Success. I say want of success, for I hope there is no positive Evil has been con-sequent to the Clubb[sic] – I mean – Society –
I see my Lucia would easily become an Aristocrat – She is after the example of Great Folks for – at least she has hinted at form-ing a Drawing Room, & to restrict^ing her Company to fixed Nights – why this my Dear is what is called Aristocracy – Rank Aristocracy – nay more – tis Royalism – but then, tis to save time! – true that is always the pretense & I think a very good one too. where a person is liable to have their time to much incroached[sic] upon by Company – So if you will let me know (p. 4) which are your public Nights – I will con-form myself accordingly. But then I shall insist that the Ladies & Gent shall be admitted at the same time.
“The Sisters” I hope will weigh the Matter – well – & what ever they may undertake besides. that they will attend to assist their Mama in forming the Mind & Manners of those sweet little Boys. The Brothers – Lest the Long absence of their Papa I should leave a great hole, or what would be worse a discoloured Spot in the Education of the tenderer part of the Family – A Family which, the Partiality of a Papa thinks (or He ^every Papa certainly ought) is the prettiest He has ever seen - Adieu my dear Lucia & be assured ^that you & the whole Family are very dear to your Papa.
P Wadsworth
[Sidebar Date:] March 23d 1798
[Sidebar Number:] 44.
My dear Lucia’s of 5 March & her Diary of 4th & 11th Inst: are before me. Her scribling[sic] never fails to afford Pleasure to her Papa. – Whether it’s owing to ^to her sprightiliness[sic], her sentiment or his partiality – it matters not as long as that is the Effect – perhaps there is a combination of the three – so let it be
You say, my dear, “Your club does not answer the purpose intended” & “that you have no secret, nor any pretty Name” tho you think your Papa might supply the latter – as to the first my dear, your secret should then be, that you have none, it is as good as any, & the same that the Free Masons & many other Societies have that answer very well, & perhaps is as easily kept as any – why then do you not keep it a secret that you have none? ^that you have divulged it well that you have heard my Dear is a misfortune (p. 2) that often – no, sometimes happens with the Ladies – I mean the young Misses – But your Name – now, if I knew what was the Intent of you Society, why I should make a better guess at a name. – If it was to cultivate good manners & gentile Behaviour, I would give it the name of Polite; if to promote the Cause of Benevolence, I would call it Charitable, if for the sake of Merriment, Romping – But Rebecca ^says you had better give it a Scripture Name. I have been reading Doctor Rush on Edu-cation lately to the Family, & he strongly recommends Scripture Names, as an ^strong Inducement to the person named to act up to the Original – So if you would have a Name from your Papa you must send me the Constitution of the Society that the Name & thing may have some affinity with or analogy to each other.
(p. 3) Did your Mama, my dear, advise or consent to the Institution? Or was it undertaken without Advice – Little Girls should take the Advice of their wise Friends on all important matters & then if they should not succeed they will ^would get clear of part of the disagreeableness of incident to a want of Success. I say want of success, for I hope there is no positive Evil has been con-sequent to the Clubb[sic] – I mean – Society –
I see my Lucia would easily become an Aristocrat – She is after the example of Great Folks for – at least she has hinted at form-ing a Drawing Room, & to restrict^ing her Company to fixed Nights – why this my Dear is what is called Aristocracy – Rank Aristocracy – nay more – tis Royalism – but then, tis to save time! – true that is always the pretense & I think a very good one too. where a person is liable to have their time to much incroached[sic] upon by Company – So if you will let me know (p. 4) which are your public Nights – I will con-form myself accordingly. But then I shall insist that the Ladies & Gent shall be admitted at the same time.
“The Sisters” I hope will weigh the Matter – well – & what ever they may undertake besides. that they will attend to assist their Mama in forming the Mind & Manners of those sweet little Boys. The Brothers – Lest the Long absence of their Papa I should leave a great hole, or what would be worse a discoloured Spot in the Education of the tenderer part of the Family – A Family which, the Partiality of a Papa thinks (or He ^every Papa certainly ought) is the prettiest He has ever seen - Adieu my dear Lucia & be assured ^that you & the whole Family are very dear to your Papa.
P Wadsworth
[Sidebar Date:] March 23d 1798
[Sidebar Number:] 44.
Archives Number: 1005/4.1.1-03#58
U. S. National Park Service
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Courtesy of National Park Service, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site (1005/4.1.1-3#58)
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Peleg Wadsworth Papers (1005/004.001), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Correspondence - Outgoing (1005/004.001.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, Letterbook - 1794-1807 (1005/004.001.001-003), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Correspondence - Outgoing (1005/004.001.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, Letterbook - 1794-1807 (1005/004.001.001-003), (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 27923
Title: Finding Aid to the Wadsworth-Longfellow Family (1610-1971) Papers, 1610-1971 (bulk dates 1745-1950)
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#WL
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#WL
2021/03/24
03/23/1798
Manuscript letter in the Wadsworth-Longfellow Family Papers, Peleg Wadsworth and Family Papers, Peleg Wadsworth Papers, Correspondence, Outgoing, Letterbook - 1794-1807. (1005/4.1.1-3#58)
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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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