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Peleg Wadsworth to Lucia Wadsworth, 21 April 1798
Manuscript letter
Philada 21st. April1798
My dear Lucia, I am afraid is not particularly noticed so often as she has a right to expect. When the frequency of her Communications are taken into Consideration. Her Diaries & Letters are always interesting to her papa as well as the rest of the Family – that is, that part of it, who are honour’d ^favoured with the penisal[sic] – it is only the best part of it tho, that has the honour, I mean the young Ladies – tho I am not sure but Mathew has – taken a peep! but that’s no matter, you know, as long as it is done privately & with-out our knowledge – This same Math-ew Wallace, If I remember right, has got a dimple in each Cheek, but if he han’t[sic] he (p. 2) is said to be very handsome, & he is a student of the Divinity & a Tutor in the College of this City – Be that as it may, Miss Ann has certainly got a Dimple begun in her left Cheep[sic] & it makes a very rapid progress, since it has been so confidently asserted From Maine that “Dimples are an infallable[sic] good sign.” – tho I don’t know what odds there need be on that account, as all our Family are handsome enough without, & do not stand in need of Dimples –
You say, my dear, that MSonday[sic] 1st April was such bad weather that you (the Girls) could not sing & consequently did not play – I am at a loss my dear for your meaning, as much as when the Man said He could not set the Psalm because he had no shoes – tho it was plain enough, when it was understood that (p. 3) For want of Shoes, He had taken a Cold, which prevented him singing – was that the case with You? – I long to hear your mus-ick[sic] join’d with the little Boys, I suppose they can sing, all weathers –
There seems to be a large proportion of Knitting amongst your Family Ex-ercises. Is it in imitation of my Lady President? For she frequently knitts[sic] when she has not Company, that is when she has not a public company. I fear I shall slacken your zeal of ^for Knitting when I tell you that I have purchased, by the Help of Mrs Wallace, two half dozn of my nice Whit Cotton womens Hose – O no! Womens Cotton Hose – they are as fine as a hair & as white as snow – but this need not hinder the Knitting for the little Boys, for they will not want stockens[sic] or Mittens the less because your Mama & her Daughters have divided a dozn pr Stockens ^amongst themselves
(p. 4) Your old Visitor Major Thrasher keeps up his attention I see – the old man is really a pitiable Spectacle, however I believe it is a good ^thing to pay him some little atten-tion, (as you do,) It is a comfort to the Af-flicted ^old man, which costs ^you not much; but a total neglect would be a real evil to him & would cost much more ^to your Feelings. Besides the old man has some wit, “as well as all manners.”
Was Miss Hanford, the invalid, a mate of yours? & how does She do? –
You ask “If you shall sit with the singing Choir” - I have no objection, my Dear if all things are agreable to you – but ^what says your Mama? She is the best judge as to the propriety of your sitting with them. If a falling off would be likely to be any Dis-couragement, I think it will be best to join them there, by all means – tho, but for a little time; till they get underway – I have now just run thro your Diary & touch’d upon here (p. 5) & there a line; which has taken up the usual pages of a Letter, tho I think it generally most entertain-ing. (when a special answer is not as ne-cessary) to give Anecdotes & observations of things about us, when we are dis-tant from our Correspondents, rather than to spend many Observations on those things communicated to us – The latter leads us abroad, in imagination, in quest of Novelty; & the former leaves us at home, where we have the same story over & over again – Apropos – It is Saturday in the afternoon, there is no Congress, nor School, & the Weeks Work is over, consequently. I have the honour & the pleasure of seeing sitting in my Chamber here & there whilst I am writing this scroll All the younger part of the Family. Miss Edith (p. 6) & Rebecca are each sitting by the table with a Magazine in their hands – perusing them very demurely & little thinking that I am engaged in making any Observations on their Acct. Miss Ann sitting on the foot of the bed sewing her white gloves, such as are usual when a young Lady becomes a bride. Polly standing by the window reading, David looking over Miss Edith’s shoulder, tho I have often ^before told him not to do it. Robert & Marga-ret are rather noisy about the room playing with a little black turtle about as big as a dollar – the little young thing puts out his head & runs & creeps to their great diversion – (Children don’t make seashon ^quite so much – Noise, if you please) Add to this a brisk April Shower abroad with thunder & Lightening mix’d with hail, (p. 7) pattering on the Roof of the Kitchen before my window & you have a view of your papas as He sits scribling[sic], with his new Coclico Strip’d Silk Gown, put on this Afternoon for the first time, because the weather is warm – Miss Edith made my Gown & it suits nicely – Ay, & she has got her trade too, as nicely; for in making up the Piece, only two Gowns, one for Mathew & the other for myself, She has, by dint of the Art made & saved Cabbage enough to make herself a short gown or what ever it may be called – Who could have thot there had been so much Art in so plain a piece of Work!!!
- Ladies, what do you find in the magazines -? Miss Duffield is married – nothing else? I was only looking of ^for the Marriages! So you see my dear Lucia how it is
Adieu – PW.
[Dated:] April 21st 1798
[Numbered:] 45.
My dear Lucia, I am afraid is not particularly noticed so often as she has a right to expect. When the frequency of her Communications are taken into Consideration. Her Diaries & Letters are always interesting to her papa as well as the rest of the Family – that is, that part of it, who are honour’d ^favoured with the penisal[sic] – it is only the best part of it tho, that has the honour, I mean the young Ladies – tho I am not sure but Mathew has – taken a peep! but that’s no matter, you know, as long as it is done privately & with-out our knowledge – This same Math-ew Wallace, If I remember right, has got a dimple in each Cheek, but if he han’t[sic] he (p. 2) is said to be very handsome, & he is a student of the Divinity & a Tutor in the College of this City – Be that as it may, Miss Ann has certainly got a Dimple begun in her left Cheep[sic] & it makes a very rapid progress, since it has been so confidently asserted From Maine that “Dimples are an infallable[sic] good sign.” – tho I don’t know what odds there need be on that account, as all our Family are handsome enough without, & do not stand in need of Dimples –
You say, my dear, that MSonday[sic] 1st April was such bad weather that you (the Girls) could not sing & consequently did not play – I am at a loss my dear for your meaning, as much as when the Man said He could not set the Psalm because he had no shoes – tho it was plain enough, when it was understood that (p. 3) For want of Shoes, He had taken a Cold, which prevented him singing – was that the case with You? – I long to hear your mus-ick[sic] join’d with the little Boys, I suppose they can sing, all weathers –
There seems to be a large proportion of Knitting amongst your Family Ex-ercises. Is it in imitation of my Lady President? For she frequently knitts[sic] when she has not Company, that is when she has not a public company. I fear I shall slacken your zeal of ^for Knitting when I tell you that I have purchased, by the Help of Mrs Wallace, two half dozn of my nice Whit Cotton womens Hose – O no! Womens Cotton Hose – they are as fine as a hair & as white as snow – but this need not hinder the Knitting for the little Boys, for they will not want stockens[sic] or Mittens the less because your Mama & her Daughters have divided a dozn pr Stockens ^amongst themselves
(p. 4) Your old Visitor Major Thrasher keeps up his attention I see – the old man is really a pitiable Spectacle, however I believe it is a good ^thing to pay him some little atten-tion, (as you do,) It is a comfort to the Af-flicted ^old man, which costs ^you not much; but a total neglect would be a real evil to him & would cost much more ^to your Feelings. Besides the old man has some wit, “as well as all manners.”
Was Miss Hanford, the invalid, a mate of yours? & how does She do? –
You ask “If you shall sit with the singing Choir” - I have no objection, my Dear if all things are agreable to you – but ^what says your Mama? She is the best judge as to the propriety of your sitting with them. If a falling off would be likely to be any Dis-couragement, I think it will be best to join them there, by all means – tho, but for a little time; till they get underway – I have now just run thro your Diary & touch’d upon here (p. 5) & there a line; which has taken up the usual pages of a Letter, tho I think it generally most entertain-ing. (when a special answer is not as ne-cessary) to give Anecdotes & observations of things about us, when we are dis-tant from our Correspondents, rather than to spend many Observations on those things communicated to us – The latter leads us abroad, in imagination, in quest of Novelty; & the former leaves us at home, where we have the same story over & over again – Apropos – It is Saturday in the afternoon, there is no Congress, nor School, & the Weeks Work is over, consequently. I have the honour & the pleasure of seeing sitting in my Chamber here & there whilst I am writing this scroll All the younger part of the Family. Miss Edith (p. 6) & Rebecca are each sitting by the table with a Magazine in their hands – perusing them very demurely & little thinking that I am engaged in making any Observations on their Acct. Miss Ann sitting on the foot of the bed sewing her white gloves, such as are usual when a young Lady becomes a bride. Polly standing by the window reading, David looking over Miss Edith’s shoulder, tho I have often ^before told him not to do it. Robert & Marga-ret are rather noisy about the room playing with a little black turtle about as big as a dollar – the little young thing puts out his head & runs & creeps to their great diversion – (Children don’t make seashon ^quite so much – Noise, if you please) Add to this a brisk April Shower abroad with thunder & Lightening mix’d with hail, (p. 7) pattering on the Roof of the Kitchen before my window & you have a view of your papas as He sits scribling[sic], with his new Coclico Strip’d Silk Gown, put on this Afternoon for the first time, because the weather is warm – Miss Edith made my Gown & it suits nicely – Ay, & she has got her trade too, as nicely; for in making up the Piece, only two Gowns, one for Mathew & the other for myself, She has, by dint of the Art made & saved Cabbage enough to make herself a short gown or what ever it may be called – Who could have thot there had been so much Art in so plain a piece of Work!!!
- Ladies, what do you find in the magazines -? Miss Duffield is married – nothing else? I was only looking of ^for the Marriages! So you see my dear Lucia how it is
Adieu – PW.
[Dated:] April 21st 1798
[Numbered:] 45.
Archives Number: 1005/4.1.1-03#59
U. S. National Park Service
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Courtesy of National Park Service, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site (1005/4.1.1-3#59)
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Peleg Wadsworth Papers (1005/004.001), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Correspondence - Outgoing (1005/004.001.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, Letterbook - 1794-1807 (1005/004.001.001-003), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Correspondence - Outgoing (1005/004.001.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, Letterbook - 1794-1807 (1005/004.001.001-003), (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 Catalog Number : LONG 27923
Title: Finding Aid to the Wadsworth-Longfellow Family (1610-1971) Papers, 1610-1971 (bulk dates 1745-1950)
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#WL
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#WL
2021/03/24
04/21/1798
Manuscript letter in the Wadsworth-Longfellow Family Papers, Peleg Wadsworth and Family Papers, Peleg Wadsworth Papers, Correspondence, Outgoing, Letterbook - 1794-1807. (1005/4.1.1-3#59)
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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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