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Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Anne Longfellow Pierce, January 1860
Manuscript letter
Cambridge Friday –
Dear Annie,
I am ashamed not to have sent my New Year greetings before, but the recurring steamers keep me so busy writing to my sister & my friend Mrs Wadsworth (people abroad are so hungry for news) that I get very lazy about those nearer home.
I intended to have sent both you & Lizzy a note, with the little box, but Xmas is a very hurried time, & I was absorbed in getting up a Xmas Tree for the children, & some of their little [p. 2] friends, to console them for losing their usual party at my father’s, which the whooping cough made impossible – They have all had it but Charley, but fortunately very lightly, &, tho rather pulled down in flesh & strength, especially Edie, are now nearly well. I was sorry to hear from Dr Wyman that Caroline Croswell had been very anxious about little Simon who had lung-fever. She sent for him, & I trust the child is better, as I have not heard to the contrary.
We have a nice little school in the house (Mrs Sparks having suddenly dropped Miss Davie) [p. 3] & Henry teaches the half dozen French. It came very à propos as Alice could not have gone to school & Edie & Annie were too young to go abroad for it. They are very happy in it, & I am sorry it must be broken up at the end of next month, as Miss D. has got a situation as governess.
I had the photograph of Rowse’s drawing of me (made for Tom) all done up to send you at New Years’, but Henry was afraid to trust it to the untender mercies of the Express - & so it awaits some gentler messenger. With it you shall have a lithograph of Read’s picture of the children which I have not yet seen, but the boys say is not as good as the original. [p. 4] It was made by Grozilier, at the request of Williams & Everett, thinking it would sell.
I am glad to hear Harry is safely at sea, & fervently hope he will do better there, & become manly & strong, mind & body. Is it not sad that we must lose Dr Huntington? I deeply grieve over his change of faith, & the inevitable separation from the College, where he has done so much good among the young people, tho’ very unpopular with some of the students, as any one would be who looked into their morals closely – I cannot imagine whom we shall have in his place. I hope no dull, old fogy, to bring us back to the deadness we had before. Mrs Nichols at once deserted to Mr Newell’s, when she found out Mr H. was Trinitarian, but that was a virtue beyond me. The good Doctor’s [p. 1 cross] book I like much, but am reading it slowly. I praised to her warmly its exterior, but she did not seem quite pleased with the engraving. We have been so afloat with the January thaw that I could not easily walk so far, but shall soon.
The death of your uncle is sad for you & Aunt Lucia. Give her my love & true sympathy. I hope this mild weather has been of service to her. All send love – Yr aff sister
Fanny E.L.
[p. 2 cross] Give Lizzy my warmest congratulations. I hope she is quite well again. I have lost a very dear friend in Mrs Follen’s death.
[p. 3 cross] Little Annie pronounces French so well, & improvises verses as Alice used to.
Dear Annie,
I am ashamed not to have sent my New Year greetings before, but the recurring steamers keep me so busy writing to my sister & my friend Mrs Wadsworth (people abroad are so hungry for news) that I get very lazy about those nearer home.
I intended to have sent both you & Lizzy a note, with the little box, but Xmas is a very hurried time, & I was absorbed in getting up a Xmas Tree for the children, & some of their little [p. 2] friends, to console them for losing their usual party at my father’s, which the whooping cough made impossible – They have all had it but Charley, but fortunately very lightly, &, tho rather pulled down in flesh & strength, especially Edie, are now nearly well. I was sorry to hear from Dr Wyman that Caroline Croswell had been very anxious about little Simon who had lung-fever. She sent for him, & I trust the child is better, as I have not heard to the contrary.
We have a nice little school in the house (Mrs Sparks having suddenly dropped Miss Davie) [p. 3] & Henry teaches the half dozen French. It came very à propos as Alice could not have gone to school & Edie & Annie were too young to go abroad for it. They are very happy in it, & I am sorry it must be broken up at the end of next month, as Miss D. has got a situation as governess.
I had the photograph of Rowse’s drawing of me (made for Tom) all done up to send you at New Years’, but Henry was afraid to trust it to the untender mercies of the Express - & so it awaits some gentler messenger. With it you shall have a lithograph of Read’s picture of the children which I have not yet seen, but the boys say is not as good as the original. [p. 4] It was made by Grozilier, at the request of Williams & Everett, thinking it would sell.
I am glad to hear Harry is safely at sea, & fervently hope he will do better there, & become manly & strong, mind & body. Is it not sad that we must lose Dr Huntington? I deeply grieve over his change of faith, & the inevitable separation from the College, where he has done so much good among the young people, tho’ very unpopular with some of the students, as any one would be who looked into their morals closely – I cannot imagine whom we shall have in his place. I hope no dull, old fogy, to bring us back to the deadness we had before. Mrs Nichols at once deserted to Mr Newell’s, when she found out Mr H. was Trinitarian, but that was a virtue beyond me. The good Doctor’s [p. 1 cross] book I like much, but am reading it slowly. I praised to her warmly its exterior, but she did not seem quite pleased with the engraving. We have been so afloat with the January thaw that I could not easily walk so far, but shall soon.
The death of your uncle is sad for you & Aunt Lucia. Give her my love & true sympathy. I hope this mild weather has been of service to her. All send love – Yr aff sister
Fanny E.L.
[p. 2 cross] Give Lizzy my warmest congratulations. I hope she is quite well again. I have lost a very dear friend in Mrs Follen’s death.
[p. 3 cross] Little Annie pronounces French so well, & improvises verses as Alice used to.
Archives Number: 1011/002.001-030#004
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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
01/01/1860 - 01/30/1860
Manuscript letter in Frances Appleton Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, A. Outgoing, 1860. (1011/002.001-030#004)
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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 5:16:51 PM
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 5:16:51 PM
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