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Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 24 July 1860
Manuscript letter
Nahant July 24th 1860.
Best beloved,
I have just received your letter, which was welcomed with shouts of joy by all the house, that is by the most precious portion of it. Annie hugged it, and all eyes brightened over it. It seemed to bring you near us again.
After you had gone I wished I had given you many more kisses, and vainly sent them after the ‘Nelly’ as she ploughed her way thro’ the blue water.
I was thankful it cleared into such a lovely afternoon, sunny & warm, with a very soft, south wind, [p. 2] I thought you would find it hot inland. Tom drove later than usual, & as I feared the night air for any cough, I took a walk instead to the Willow-beach, with Edie & Annie. They wanted to go as far as Bailies Hill, but the sun was too powerful & supper waiting. So Edie would not return with me, but lingered behind with very valiant intentions of an independant [sic] promenade, - soon put to flight by wandering cows.
Tom took Hatty to the Fays, & had a row on the lake, &, taking tea at papa’s, did not return until 9’o’clk. Harriet brought over a letter for you from Annie, left by mistake at Swampscott, - & said Willy & Naty had also set off for Worcester, so you will have quite a family party. [p. 3] I am very glad there is such a splendid day for the Regatta, here quite autumnal, with a cool northwest wind, & probably not too warm with you.
Little Annie slept with me, & it was very sweet to have her, but her restlessness & my cough gave me very little sleep.
Alice was disappointed not to find Hatty Spelman in the boat this morning, but is consoling herself with a bath.
Tell Charley, if he is with you, that Trap was very mournful yesterday, & whined & barked about very piteously, but was good & obedient to Erny, & slept in his room very quietly.
Today Charley Lovering begged to take Erny with him in the Dolphin for an excursion to Salem to see the Zouaves, so they have [p. 4] departed, leaving Trap to solitary meditations on the lower veranda, and will return, as they can, by rail or by sea. Tom goes over to dine at papa’s, so we shall have a very quiet dinner with the three graces, or furies, whichever they prove themselves.
Mr Ben Welles has gone, at last, by apoplexy, as he was evidently foredoomed. ‘The Bessy’ has returned, & now all Nahant looks forward to the arrival of the Cadets, tomorrow, at Camp Sears, as it is to be called in honor of David senior. Fields writes you for an autograph, to go in tomorrow’s steamer, for an English Lady—but you probably saw him. I will write him, I think, in case not. Miss Susie Amory came over fair & bonnetless, under an umbrella, to ask this morning if you would be back by Saturday, so the dinner may [p. 1 cross] be for that day. But do not hurry away from Berkshire—let the warm sun & air exorcise all the demons bronchial before you leave it.
It is hard to think this sparkling splendor of sapphire only the serpent’s eye above his cruel fang, nor will I yet.
I hope Charley is with you. If so give him my love and kiss. Remember me to all Sedgwicks—
Ever & ever thine
Fanny--
Best beloved,
I have just received your letter, which was welcomed with shouts of joy by all the house, that is by the most precious portion of it. Annie hugged it, and all eyes brightened over it. It seemed to bring you near us again.
After you had gone I wished I had given you many more kisses, and vainly sent them after the ‘Nelly’ as she ploughed her way thro’ the blue water.
I was thankful it cleared into such a lovely afternoon, sunny & warm, with a very soft, south wind, [p. 2] I thought you would find it hot inland. Tom drove later than usual, & as I feared the night air for any cough, I took a walk instead to the Willow-beach, with Edie & Annie. They wanted to go as far as Bailies Hill, but the sun was too powerful & supper waiting. So Edie would not return with me, but lingered behind with very valiant intentions of an independant [sic] promenade, - soon put to flight by wandering cows.
Tom took Hatty to the Fays, & had a row on the lake, &, taking tea at papa’s, did not return until 9’o’clk. Harriet brought over a letter for you from Annie, left by mistake at Swampscott, - & said Willy & Naty had also set off for Worcester, so you will have quite a family party. [p. 3] I am very glad there is such a splendid day for the Regatta, here quite autumnal, with a cool northwest wind, & probably not too warm with you.
Little Annie slept with me, & it was very sweet to have her, but her restlessness & my cough gave me very little sleep.
Alice was disappointed not to find Hatty Spelman in the boat this morning, but is consoling herself with a bath.
Tell Charley, if he is with you, that Trap was very mournful yesterday, & whined & barked about very piteously, but was good & obedient to Erny, & slept in his room very quietly.
Today Charley Lovering begged to take Erny with him in the Dolphin for an excursion to Salem to see the Zouaves, so they have [p. 4] departed, leaving Trap to solitary meditations on the lower veranda, and will return, as they can, by rail or by sea. Tom goes over to dine at papa’s, so we shall have a very quiet dinner with the three graces, or furies, whichever they prove themselves.
Mr Ben Welles has gone, at last, by apoplexy, as he was evidently foredoomed. ‘The Bessy’ has returned, & now all Nahant looks forward to the arrival of the Cadets, tomorrow, at Camp Sears, as it is to be called in honor of David senior. Fields writes you for an autograph, to go in tomorrow’s steamer, for an English Lady—but you probably saw him. I will write him, I think, in case not. Miss Susie Amory came over fair & bonnetless, under an umbrella, to ask this morning if you would be back by Saturday, so the dinner may [p. 1 cross] be for that day. But do not hurry away from Berkshire—let the warm sun & air exorcise all the demons bronchial before you leave it.
It is hard to think this sparkling splendor of sapphire only the serpent’s eye above his cruel fang, nor will I yet.
I hope Charley is with you. If so give him my love and kiss. Remember me to all Sedgwicks—
Ever & ever thine
Fanny--
Archives Number: 1011/002.001-030#016
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Correspondence (1011/002), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1860 (1011/002.001-030), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1860 (1011/002.001-030), (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
07/24/1860
Manuscript letter in Frances Appleton Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, A. Outgoing, 1860. (1011/002.001-030#016)
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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
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 5:14:45 PM
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 5:14:45 PM
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