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Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Nathan Appleton, 19 September 1848
Manuscript letter
Tuesday morning.
Dear papa,
Many thanks for your affectionate note. We are very much rejoiced to hear Harriet is so far better, & that you can return so soon. I hope the autumnal weather will invigorate her rapidly, and she will recover the good looks she wore all summer.
I am trying to bear up as well as I can, but the house & the garden are so crowded with memories of my little darling that it is hard to think of her [p. 2] elsewhere, although I feel happy too to know she is where she can never know such grief as mine. I have too much left to repine at what I have lost, but this first sorrow in our happy home must darken our hearts heavily, & seems to throw its shadow over all we possess. Mrs Gorham’s death has touched me very nearly. She was one of my earliest and dearest friends, & has remained so until now, and since [crossed out: the time] she taught me at Sunday school, our mutual affection has only gathered strength by [p. 3] time. Her cordial grasp of the hand & warm interest none can replace. I feel much for poor Mr Gorham. His house must be very desolate – robbed of all its sunshine with her cheerful spirit.
Opening the Daily yesterday I saw the “Count of Death” advertised as on exhibition, & thought it a most appropriate time. It is strange that last year death came so near us, taking Miss Hastings our near neighbor, then returned this year & from us – has proceeded to tak[crossed out: en] a girl in the opposite house & a little boy in the next to that.
Mary & her chicks came yesterday. She has no nurse, [p. 4] hers having gone home from lameness, but I hope will get one in a day or two. Tom is busy taking care of a young wine merchant from Madeira, a fellow passenger of his, & passed Sunday with him at Ned Perkins’, in ecstasies with that charming ménage. The weather is beautiful, and people are flocking back to town. Love to Harriet & Mrs Sumner, from Henry &
Yr affectionate
Fanny E.L.
Dear papa,
Many thanks for your affectionate note. We are very much rejoiced to hear Harriet is so far better, & that you can return so soon. I hope the autumnal weather will invigorate her rapidly, and she will recover the good looks she wore all summer.
I am trying to bear up as well as I can, but the house & the garden are so crowded with memories of my little darling that it is hard to think of her [p. 2] elsewhere, although I feel happy too to know she is where she can never know such grief as mine. I have too much left to repine at what I have lost, but this first sorrow in our happy home must darken our hearts heavily, & seems to throw its shadow over all we possess. Mrs Gorham’s death has touched me very nearly. She was one of my earliest and dearest friends, & has remained so until now, and since [crossed out: the time] she taught me at Sunday school, our mutual affection has only gathered strength by [p. 3] time. Her cordial grasp of the hand & warm interest none can replace. I feel much for poor Mr Gorham. His house must be very desolate – robbed of all its sunshine with her cheerful spirit.
Opening the Daily yesterday I saw the “Count of Death” advertised as on exhibition, & thought it a most appropriate time. It is strange that last year death came so near us, taking Miss Hastings our near neighbor, then returned this year & from us – has proceeded to tak[crossed out: en] a girl in the opposite house & a little boy in the next to that.
Mary & her chicks came yesterday. She has no nurse, [p. 4] hers having gone home from lameness, but I hope will get one in a day or two. Tom is busy taking care of a young wine merchant from Madeira, a fellow passenger of his, & passed Sunday with him at Ned Perkins’, in ecstasies with that charming ménage. The weather is beautiful, and people are flocking back to town. Love to Harriet & Mrs Sumner, from Henry &
Yr affectionate
Fanny E.L.
Archives Number: 1011/002.001-018#029
U. S. National Park Service
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Correspondence (1011/002), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1848 (1011/002.001-018), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1848 (1011/002.001-018), (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
09/19/1848
Manuscript letter in Frances Appleton Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, A. Outgoing, 1848. (1011/002.001-018#029)
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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 6:04:42 PM
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 6:04:42 PM
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