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Charles Sumner to Thomas Crawford, 5 October 1839
Manuscript letter
[Letterhead for “PALAZZO DUCALE” with color illustration and “Venezia G. Kier Eit. Edit”]
Milan Oct. 5th ‘39
Dear Crawford,
Tomorrow I quit Italy – with a beating heart I love it, & am sad at leaving it. I have taken my place in the Malle Poste to cross the Alps by the Stelvio to Innsbruck – I hope your labors go as well. There will be many of our country-men in Rome this winter, & I feel confident you will reap a full harvest. By accident I encountered, in this ^place two friends, of my own age, who are bound for Rome, via Naples, so that they will not reach you short of a month or six weeks. One is Mr. Preston of Virginia, brother of the distinguished author [p. 2] & senator, & the other Mr. Lewis of Connect. Both of them wish to spend some money in paintings, engravings & sculpture. I have promised them yr friendly council; & have given them a letter of introduction to you, & also to Greene , & wish you would shew them what you can about art in Rome. So to the Vatican with them, & let them see the work of yr studio. Preston is willing to spend on some work of sculpture about $1,000, & I doubt not he will give you some order to that amount. He is quite my friend. But, further, he is authorized by his brother [p. 3] to get something for him, & I have done my best to induce him to order the Orpheus on his brother’s account. At present, however, he does not feel able to command so large a work without writing to his brother. I have just drawn up a little [crossed out: “sketch”] account of yr statue, which he is going to send to his brother from Milan, so as to get an answer while he is in Rome. He seemed to think there would be little doubt that his brother would command it; &, in that event, he said, it should be exhibited in all the principal cities. So, be of good cheer! And yet, I do not know that all these grounds of hope may not fail. I would not have you, therefore, be too sanguine; though you should never lose the confidence of ultimate & distinguished [p. 4] success. I am in a devil of a hurry & cannot write more. I wish to be kept informed of yr works, & am as evr vry sincerely, Yours,
Charles Sumner
[Addressed to]:
All [Mano] [Ills-?]
Il Signor Thomas Crawford
Scultore Americano
Caffe Greco
Via Condotti
Roma
[Ink annotation in a different hand]: “Charles Sumner Milan / Oct 5th 1839”
[postmark stamps]
Milan Oct. 5th ‘39
Dear Crawford,
Tomorrow I quit Italy – with a beating heart I love it, & am sad at leaving it. I have taken my place in the Malle Poste to cross the Alps by the Stelvio to Innsbruck – I hope your labors go as well. There will be many of our country-men in Rome this winter, & I feel confident you will reap a full harvest. By accident I encountered, in this ^place two friends, of my own age, who are bound for Rome, via Naples, so that they will not reach you short of a month or six weeks. One is Mr. Preston of Virginia, brother of the distinguished author [p. 2] & senator, & the other Mr. Lewis of Connect. Both of them wish to spend some money in paintings, engravings & sculpture. I have promised them yr friendly council; & have given them a letter of introduction to you, & also to Greene , & wish you would shew them what you can about art in Rome. So to the Vatican with them, & let them see the work of yr studio. Preston is willing to spend on some work of sculpture about $1,000, & I doubt not he will give you some order to that amount. He is quite my friend. But, further, he is authorized by his brother [p. 3] to get something for him, & I have done my best to induce him to order the Orpheus on his brother’s account. At present, however, he does not feel able to command so large a work without writing to his brother. I have just drawn up a little [crossed out: “sketch”] account of yr statue, which he is going to send to his brother from Milan, so as to get an answer while he is in Rome. He seemed to think there would be little doubt that his brother would command it; &, in that event, he said, it should be exhibited in all the principal cities. So, be of good cheer! And yet, I do not know that all these grounds of hope may not fail. I would not have you, therefore, be too sanguine; though you should never lose the confidence of ultimate & distinguished [p. 4] success. I am in a devil of a hurry & cannot write more. I wish to be kept informed of yr works, & am as evr vry sincerely, Yours,
Charles Sumner
[Addressed to]:
All [Mano] [Ills-?]
Il Signor Thomas Crawford
Scultore Americano
Caffe Greco
Via Condotti
Roma
[Ink annotation in a different hand]: “Charles Sumner Milan / Oct 5th 1839”
[postmark stamps]
Archives Number: 1002/9.3-157#002
U. S. National Park Service
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Courtesy of National Park Service, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site; Archives Number 1002/9.3-157#002
Public domain
Collected Materials (1002/009), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Miscellaneous Famous People (1002/009.003), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, Sumner, Charles (1811-1874) to Thomas Crawford (1814-1857), 1839-1850 (1002/009.003-157), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Miscellaneous Famous People (1002/009.003), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, Sumner, Charles (1811-1874) to Thomas Crawford (1814-1857), 1839-1850 (1002/009.003-157), (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
Title: Finding Aid to the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Dana (1881-1950) Papers, 1744-1972 (bulk dated: 1850-1950)
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#HWLD
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#HWLD
2023/01/06
10/05/1839
Manuscript letter in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Dana Papers, Series IX. Collected Materials, C. Miscellaneous Famous People. (1002/9.3-157#002)
Public Can View
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
Tuesday, February 20, 2024 11:34:08 PM
Tuesday, July 9, 2024 1:20:54 PM
1002-9-3-157 05.jpg
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