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Fanny Longfellow to Zilpah Longfellow, October 1843
Manuscript letter
Cambridge Oct 1843
Dear Mother,
It gives me great joy to announce to you that we are once more under our own roof which is doubly dear to us because it is to cover us always. We arrived at home, yesterday, having returned from N. York by the way of N. Haven – a beautiful town I had been long wishing to see. I wish with all my heart, I could say that Henry’s eyes were wholly restored, but I trust you will not be disappointed to know that they are only somewhat better – for a month, after all, cannot do much for an evil of this nature under the skill of even such an experienced occulist as Dr Elliott.
He always spoke of Henry’s case as a very simple & very common one & I have full faith, myself, that with the continued application of his remedies (which I have been instructed to administer) & with obeying the admirable rules he has given him for exercise &c that he will gradually find the difficulty to disappear entirely. He can already read a few pages without pain which is something encouraging.
His health is otherwise, better from the amount of exercise he took in N. York & he has resumed his duties this morning very gladly after so long a [p. 2] pause. We both became so weary of N. York with its unending din & confusion that we feel now as happy as if we had escaped from ‘durance vile,’ & the quiet home look of things in the Craigie is most refreshing to body & spirit. I must now thank you for your very welcome & very precious letter which transported me to Portland so delightfully that I enjoyed that beautiful drive again with you & plucked the identical flowers you described - & found them as sweet as you did. I was pained to hear that your health had been feeble again & hope this bracing Autumnal weather has strengthened you.
I have just seen Mary who looks blooming & well & tells me she is to make you a little visit before her departure. I am rejoiced that I shall now be able to see something of her for I very much feared we should be detained until she had taken flight. We had the pleasure of seeing Com Wadsworth in N. York but I was unfortunate enough to lose the visit of his wife which I the more regretted as we were prevented from getting to Flushing. I had a charming note from Sam which I shall answer by the steamer as I hear we have missed the Harbinger.
Pray, give my love to Alick with my congratulations upon his safe return from the ‘outside barbarians’ to civilized life – which seems very tame to him I dare say after the game flavor [p. 3] of the woods.
With my kindest love to Father, Aunt Lucia & naughty Annie to whom I shall not write until I get one of her sweet letters, Stephen, Marianne &c believe me
Yr ever affte daughter
Fanny-
ADDRESSED: MRS LONGFELLOW. / CARE OF HON S. LONGFELLOW. / PORTLAND / ME.
POSTMARK: CAMBRIDGE / OCT 25 / MS
Dear Mother,
It gives me great joy to announce to you that we are once more under our own roof which is doubly dear to us because it is to cover us always. We arrived at home, yesterday, having returned from N. York by the way of N. Haven – a beautiful town I had been long wishing to see. I wish with all my heart, I could say that Henry’s eyes were wholly restored, but I trust you will not be disappointed to know that they are only somewhat better – for a month, after all, cannot do much for an evil of this nature under the skill of even such an experienced occulist as Dr Elliott.
He always spoke of Henry’s case as a very simple & very common one & I have full faith, myself, that with the continued application of his remedies (which I have been instructed to administer) & with obeying the admirable rules he has given him for exercise &c that he will gradually find the difficulty to disappear entirely. He can already read a few pages without pain which is something encouraging.
His health is otherwise, better from the amount of exercise he took in N. York & he has resumed his duties this morning very gladly after so long a [p. 2] pause. We both became so weary of N. York with its unending din & confusion that we feel now as happy as if we had escaped from ‘durance vile,’ & the quiet home look of things in the Craigie is most refreshing to body & spirit. I must now thank you for your very welcome & very precious letter which transported me to Portland so delightfully that I enjoyed that beautiful drive again with you & plucked the identical flowers you described - & found them as sweet as you did. I was pained to hear that your health had been feeble again & hope this bracing Autumnal weather has strengthened you.
I have just seen Mary who looks blooming & well & tells me she is to make you a little visit before her departure. I am rejoiced that I shall now be able to see something of her for I very much feared we should be detained until she had taken flight. We had the pleasure of seeing Com Wadsworth in N. York but I was unfortunate enough to lose the visit of his wife which I the more regretted as we were prevented from getting to Flushing. I had a charming note from Sam which I shall answer by the steamer as I hear we have missed the Harbinger.
Pray, give my love to Alick with my congratulations upon his safe return from the ‘outside barbarians’ to civilized life – which seems very tame to him I dare say after the game flavor [p. 3] of the woods.
With my kindest love to Father, Aunt Lucia & naughty Annie to whom I shall not write until I get one of her sweet letters, Stephen, Marianne &c believe me
Yr ever affte daughter
Fanny-
ADDRESSED: MRS LONGFELLOW. / CARE OF HON S. LONGFELLOW. / PORTLAND / ME.
POSTMARK: CAMBRIDGE / OCT 25 / MS
Archives Number: 1011/002.001-013#028
U. S. National Park Service
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Courtesy of National Park Service, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site; Archives Number 1011/002.001-013#028
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Correspondence (1011/002), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1843 (1011/002.001-013), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1843 (1011/002.001-013), (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
Unknown
10/01/1843 - 10/30/1843
Manuscript letter in Frances Appleton Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, A. Outgoing, 1843. (1011/002.001-013#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
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