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Peleg Wadsworth to Zilpah (Wadsworth) Longfellow, 3 February 1794
Manuscript letter
[Previous page missing.]
V
Philada 3Feby1794
Monday Evening 11 Oclock
with Ms Fenno & five Gentlemen all talking as if they were distracted –
As I was saying – The Table thin magnificently spread in the a lower Room or bow parlour, one End of which was chiefly cover’d with two enormous Looking Glasses & otherwise hung round with rich Pictures, Branch Lamps & Sconces to the number of twenty - & other furniture in rich profusion – The Company, consisting of about fifteen Mem-bers of Congress, 4 or five other Gent. & Heads of Departments, being in the Chamber over the Parlour with the President were noticed that Dinner was ready. The President Said there was a sum-mons to Dinner & that He would shew us the way – We descended accordingly & bowed to Lady Washington - & her Niece a young lady &c – the Company was 25 in all – We were seated pretty much as (p. 2) at a venture without Ceremony. The Pre-sident at one Side & his Lady next to him but one – I took my seat opposite[sic] to Lady W – The young Lady next but one to Lady W – And now the puzzle was for each one to find out what to begin with – For there was Soupe Maper & Soupe Me-gre[sic], boil’d Tonngue[sic], Mutton & Jowls, Beef Almonde, Venison, Turkey roast & boil’d, Goose, Ducks, roast Beef, chicken pye, pudens[sic] of various kinds, Custard, Tarts Syllabubs, Creamer, Flummeries, Sweet Meats of various sorts, Fruit with a great variety of Liquors – of all of which when each one has eat & drank what & as much as he pleased, He gets up from the Table & leaves the Room with out either Bowing or Saying a word to any one – the Ladies withdrew when the eating was over & they had taken a few Glasses of Wine about the beginning of candle – (p. 3) or rather Lamp-lighting, the rest fell off as the Spirit mov’d – I decamp’d about the midst – so as to be neither early of late – This is Dining with the President of the United States – What think you of it? It may do for once or twice, but I am sure that I should dine much more agreeably[sic] at home in the midst of my sweet little hearty family – upon a plain Indian Pudden[sic] with a piece of corn’d Beef & perhaps a roast Dish or without it. just as the Case might be where a good Appetite Supplies the place of Dainties & the Call of Business. that of sweet meats. –
Adieu my Dear Daughter
P Wadsworth
Miss Zilpah
[Date:] From Papa Feby/3d Philadelphia 1794/received at Gorham
[Addressed:] Miss Zilpah
[Note:] Dining with/the President./Philadelphia 1794.
V
Philada 3Feby1794
Monday Evening 11 Oclock
with Ms Fenno & five Gentlemen all talking as if they were distracted –
As I was saying – The Table thin magnificently spread in the a lower Room or bow parlour, one End of which was chiefly cover’d with two enormous Looking Glasses & otherwise hung round with rich Pictures, Branch Lamps & Sconces to the number of twenty - & other furniture in rich profusion – The Company, consisting of about fifteen Mem-bers of Congress, 4 or five other Gent. & Heads of Departments, being in the Chamber over the Parlour with the President were noticed that Dinner was ready. The President Said there was a sum-mons to Dinner & that He would shew us the way – We descended accordingly & bowed to Lady Washington - & her Niece a young lady &c – the Company was 25 in all – We were seated pretty much as (p. 2) at a venture without Ceremony. The Pre-sident at one Side & his Lady next to him but one – I took my seat opposite[sic] to Lady W – The young Lady next but one to Lady W – And now the puzzle was for each one to find out what to begin with – For there was Soupe Maper & Soupe Me-gre[sic], boil’d Tonngue[sic], Mutton & Jowls, Beef Almonde, Venison, Turkey roast & boil’d, Goose, Ducks, roast Beef, chicken pye, pudens[sic] of various kinds, Custard, Tarts Syllabubs, Creamer, Flummeries, Sweet Meats of various sorts, Fruit with a great variety of Liquors – of all of which when each one has eat & drank what & as much as he pleased, He gets up from the Table & leaves the Room with out either Bowing or Saying a word to any one – the Ladies withdrew when the eating was over & they had taken a few Glasses of Wine about the beginning of candle – (p. 3) or rather Lamp-lighting, the rest fell off as the Spirit mov’d – I decamp’d about the midst – so as to be neither early of late – This is Dining with the President of the United States – What think you of it? It may do for once or twice, but I am sure that I should dine much more agreeably[sic] at home in the midst of my sweet little hearty family – upon a plain Indian Pudden[sic] with a piece of corn’d Beef & perhaps a roast Dish or without it. just as the Case might be where a good Appetite Supplies the place of Dainties & the Call of Business. that of sweet meats. –
Adieu my Dear Daughter
P Wadsworth
Miss Zilpah
[Date:] From Papa Feby/3d Philadelphia 1794/received at Gorham
[Addressed:] Miss Zilpah
[Note:] Dining with/the President./Philadelphia 1794.
Archives Number: 1005/4.1.1-03#06
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#6)
Public domain
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
02/03/1794
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#6)
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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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