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Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Thomas Gold Appleton, 10 December 1860
Manuscript letter
Cambridge. Dec 10th 1860.
Dearest Tom,
Your long agreeable letter reached me this morning and I thank you most warmly for it, and for all the kindnesses it announces. Your gifts will be most welcome, for it is true, as you say, that I have a great taste for handsome things, but, with so many children and such large yearly expenses I do not feel often at liberty to indulge it. I hope to do justice to your liberality in looking my very best in your beautiful dresses, - and shall wear them with far greater pleasure than if purchased [p. 2] by myself. However tastefully adorned they will have an invisible embellishment only appreciable by my eyes & heart.
Hatty’s dresses arrived just in time for a charming ball given by Mr Frank Lowell at Papanti’s, where the ladies’ toilette was more splendid than I ever saw it in Boston. It is thought, from the uncertain state of the country, that there will not be much gaiety this winter, so all came out in their freshest elegance. Mrs Brimmer was there in her diamonds & several other newly returned dames & damsels – Hatty wore her very pretty dress of the black spots, & Mr Winthrop undertook to be playful about it, that it ominously represented all the stars of the Republic in mourning – but I showed him the ‘couleur de rose’ which [p. 3] relieved the gloom every where. She is certainly one of the finest looking girls now in society, where there are no beauties but the Hortons.
Willy returned just an hour before, & is full of his western experiences, and the beauty of St. Louis’ damsels. He was, the night before, at a party given by Carry Blatchford in N.Y. for Mrs Edgar & the other bride, her husband’s father having married Angelica Hamilton. He dined too with Carry Edgar who is keeping house at Mrs Webster’s while she is here. I forget if I wrote you about the wedding. It went off very pleasantly & Carry looked charmingly in her bridal attire. His brothers, with their wives, very pretty women (Miss Rhinelanders) came on, & Mrs Newbold, & they all seemed very fond of Carry & promised to take good care of her. The wedding was at Sam’s new house [p. 4] a not very large but handsome one in Union Park, & Mrs A. did the honors with perfect self-possession & dignity. In a handsome brown moire antique she looked the lady perfectly. Fletcher Webster came up frankly to his mother & amity reigned, for the time, at least. The Bishop was rather mechanical but Carry responded very sweetly. The presents were very handsome – his family gave chiefly silver, superb silver tureen &c & hers jewels – Mrs Webster a Cachmere [sic] shawl – She had no duplicates. I gave her the handsomest book of the season & ever printed here the “Folk Songs” by Dr Palmer – Harriot a silver toilet set – Your gift arrived just in time for Mrs Blatchford to take to her – the day after the wedding, which was Thanksgiving (Mrs Brimmer reached her father’s in the morning & we dined with her at papa’s. She is very happy [p. 5 marked 2] in having Cary in New York. Things look ominous from the South, and it seems as if South Carolina would certainly go, but the other southern states are not all so ready to join her. If they do, I do not see why, when over the first shock, we should not make a noble nation by ourselves, without this perpetual cancer eating into our constitution, but some people think all will be unsettled & there is all kinds of wild talk, of N. York being a “free city” & such nonsense, & that California cannot stick by either of us. It is certain this winter will be more interesting in Congress than any in our annals, - and it is to be hoped there will not be too great disturbance in money matters while the uncertainty lasts. All seem inclined to avoid a panic as long as possible, except the newspapers, which [p. 6] live on agitation. The Presidents Message is thought miserably unsatisfactory, blowing hot & cold, & giving no good counsel to any. We need a stronger arm at the helm just now, and I wish Lincoln were already in, for I believe he would do better. His son in College came to see us the other night – a very intelligent, pleasing youth. There is something ludicrously unchivalric in the members from S.C. coming to Washington, pocketing their pay & then saying they will not vote as they are out of the Union. The President will not coerce them, but how to get the Government property, the ports &c, out of their hands is a great problem. I should think they must pay for them, but they have very little funds to begin a new government with. It is a real insanity – a monomania which has beset them for thirty years, [p. 7] and they hurry it now, for fear when Lincoln is in they shall have no excuse for indulging it.
Mr Fay & some others under took a very arrogant putting down of free speech here the other day in taking possession of a foolish John Brown meeting & stopping the mouths of the speakers. Of course every one regrets there should be such a meeting just now, but it was not to be noticed by the papers, & would have gone off harmlessly but for this interference. Politics are the one topic at present so I give it you inevitably.
Mrs Cushing gave a very handsome ball last week for her son’s bride. The flowers were in pyramids & masses everywhere & all of the choicest, & the piazza roomed in made a very pretty promenade. M Mr Lowell’s Susie Amory danced the German with Palfrey, at which “all the world wondered” - There is too much insanity they [p. 8] say in Barstow’s family for that to succeed. Henry’s cousin Anne Wadsworth is married to John Wells who is settled at Quincy. Pauline Shaw has sailed in the Arago, & you will see them doubtless in Paris, & her brother’s bride is installed here in her place.
Mr & Mrs Field are here looking very well, & will pass this week with the Nortons. Mrs Herdere S. & Maria are with the others above us. Child is the most devoted of spouses. After dragging his wife all the [???] in a Bath chair, regardless of [??] probable sarcasms, he now draws her in a light sleigh! You will enjoy Emerson’s book tho’ you heard the lectures. It is full of vigor & humor – very racy – Henry has a letter for you from Mad de Bury, she little dreaming you were so near. In consideration of the times you need not get me any service – I hope Mary will get over before Em leaves. Give much love to her & Mrs Brooks
[p. 1 cross] Papa is much better now, but anxious about the country.
We present a strange contrast to Italy, rather discouraging to them, but they have no such apple of discord, unless the Pope is.
Ned Perkins looks older – I am sorry to hear Lilly Cleveland is so ill
This will do for the present!
ever yr affte
Fanny EL.
Your friend Edgar has such a pretty young wife Harriot thinks you might follow his example
Henry has the refusal of the Nahant cottage, if you will buy it with him –
Dearest Tom,
Your long agreeable letter reached me this morning and I thank you most warmly for it, and for all the kindnesses it announces. Your gifts will be most welcome, for it is true, as you say, that I have a great taste for handsome things, but, with so many children and such large yearly expenses I do not feel often at liberty to indulge it. I hope to do justice to your liberality in looking my very best in your beautiful dresses, - and shall wear them with far greater pleasure than if purchased [p. 2] by myself. However tastefully adorned they will have an invisible embellishment only appreciable by my eyes & heart.
Hatty’s dresses arrived just in time for a charming ball given by Mr Frank Lowell at Papanti’s, where the ladies’ toilette was more splendid than I ever saw it in Boston. It is thought, from the uncertain state of the country, that there will not be much gaiety this winter, so all came out in their freshest elegance. Mrs Brimmer was there in her diamonds & several other newly returned dames & damsels – Hatty wore her very pretty dress of the black spots, & Mr Winthrop undertook to be playful about it, that it ominously represented all the stars of the Republic in mourning – but I showed him the ‘couleur de rose’ which [p. 3] relieved the gloom every where. She is certainly one of the finest looking girls now in society, where there are no beauties but the Hortons.
Willy returned just an hour before, & is full of his western experiences, and the beauty of St. Louis’ damsels. He was, the night before, at a party given by Carry Blatchford in N.Y. for Mrs Edgar & the other bride, her husband’s father having married Angelica Hamilton. He dined too with Carry Edgar who is keeping house at Mrs Webster’s while she is here. I forget if I wrote you about the wedding. It went off very pleasantly & Carry looked charmingly in her bridal attire. His brothers, with their wives, very pretty women (Miss Rhinelanders) came on, & Mrs Newbold, & they all seemed very fond of Carry & promised to take good care of her. The wedding was at Sam’s new house [p. 4] a not very large but handsome one in Union Park, & Mrs A. did the honors with perfect self-possession & dignity. In a handsome brown moire antique she looked the lady perfectly. Fletcher Webster came up frankly to his mother & amity reigned, for the time, at least. The Bishop was rather mechanical but Carry responded very sweetly. The presents were very handsome – his family gave chiefly silver, superb silver tureen &c & hers jewels – Mrs Webster a Cachmere [sic] shawl – She had no duplicates. I gave her the handsomest book of the season & ever printed here the “Folk Songs” by Dr Palmer – Harriot a silver toilet set – Your gift arrived just in time for Mrs Blatchford to take to her – the day after the wedding, which was Thanksgiving (Mrs Brimmer reached her father’s in the morning & we dined with her at papa’s. She is very happy [p. 5 marked 2] in having Cary in New York. Things look ominous from the South, and it seems as if South Carolina would certainly go, but the other southern states are not all so ready to join her. If they do, I do not see why, when over the first shock, we should not make a noble nation by ourselves, without this perpetual cancer eating into our constitution, but some people think all will be unsettled & there is all kinds of wild talk, of N. York being a “free city” & such nonsense, & that California cannot stick by either of us. It is certain this winter will be more interesting in Congress than any in our annals, - and it is to be hoped there will not be too great disturbance in money matters while the uncertainty lasts. All seem inclined to avoid a panic as long as possible, except the newspapers, which [p. 6] live on agitation. The Presidents Message is thought miserably unsatisfactory, blowing hot & cold, & giving no good counsel to any. We need a stronger arm at the helm just now, and I wish Lincoln were already in, for I believe he would do better. His son in College came to see us the other night – a very intelligent, pleasing youth. There is something ludicrously unchivalric in the members from S.C. coming to Washington, pocketing their pay & then saying they will not vote as they are out of the Union. The President will not coerce them, but how to get the Government property, the ports &c, out of their hands is a great problem. I should think they must pay for them, but they have very little funds to begin a new government with. It is a real insanity – a monomania which has beset them for thirty years, [p. 7] and they hurry it now, for fear when Lincoln is in they shall have no excuse for indulging it.
Mr Fay & some others under took a very arrogant putting down of free speech here the other day in taking possession of a foolish John Brown meeting & stopping the mouths of the speakers. Of course every one regrets there should be such a meeting just now, but it was not to be noticed by the papers, & would have gone off harmlessly but for this interference. Politics are the one topic at present so I give it you inevitably.
Mrs Cushing gave a very handsome ball last week for her son’s bride. The flowers were in pyramids & masses everywhere & all of the choicest, & the piazza roomed in made a very pretty promenade. M Mr Lowell’s Susie Amory danced the German with Palfrey, at which “all the world wondered” - There is too much insanity they [p. 8] say in Barstow’s family for that to succeed. Henry’s cousin Anne Wadsworth is married to John Wells who is settled at Quincy. Pauline Shaw has sailed in the Arago, & you will see them doubtless in Paris, & her brother’s bride is installed here in her place.
Mr & Mrs Field are here looking very well, & will pass this week with the Nortons. Mrs Herdere S. & Maria are with the others above us. Child is the most devoted of spouses. After dragging his wife all the [???] in a Bath chair, regardless of [??] probable sarcasms, he now draws her in a light sleigh! You will enjoy Emerson’s book tho’ you heard the lectures. It is full of vigor & humor – very racy – Henry has a letter for you from Mad de Bury, she little dreaming you were so near. In consideration of the times you need not get me any service – I hope Mary will get over before Em leaves. Give much love to her & Mrs Brooks
[p. 1 cross] Papa is much better now, but anxious about the country.
We present a strange contrast to Italy, rather discouraging to them, but they have no such apple of discord, unless the Pope is.
Ned Perkins looks older – I am sorry to hear Lilly Cleveland is so ill
This will do for the present!
ever yr affte
Fanny EL.
Your friend Edgar has such a pretty young wife Harriot thinks you might follow his example
Henry has the refusal of the Nahant cottage, if you will buy it with him –
Archives Number: 1011/002.001-030#028
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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
12/10/1860
Manuscript letter in Frances Appleton Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, A. Outgoing, 1860. (1011/002.001-030#028)
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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 5:12:18 PM
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 5:12:18 PM
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