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Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Emmeline (Austin) Wadsworth, 12 November 1860
Manuscript letter
Cambridge Nov 12th 1860.
Dearest Emmeline,
I have just heard you are in Paris, on your way to the South, so I suppose this will find you in some delicious, balmy region (if there is to be any balm in Europe this year) eating oranges off the trees at Nice (when they are in season) or climbing the picturesque hills at Pau. Wherever you have pitched your tent I trust grim Care will not follow you, & overshadow your sunshine & repose! – I hope Austin is gaining strength & manliness of body equal to what I know he has of spirit, & that the other two are well & happy [p. 2] as you could wish. When I see Robert Apthorp’s slender boy riding on horse back, alone, all over the country, I feel we need never despair of a delicate boy. They often outlive those “splendid children” whose very vigour makes them a prey to violent diseases. Mary has been thinking of Nice, & if you go there it would be most pleasant for her to be near you, but her energy fails when the decision comes, & unless Tom inspires her to the effort (of whose arrival we have just heard) I fear she will not undertake it after all, much as she needs change & diversion.
We have been very gay, as you have doubtless heard, with the visit of the charming little Prince of Wales, whose gentle, refined manners & pleasing, modest looks won all hearts, & amused us quiet Republicans to a pitch of enthusiasm equal to that of the loyal [p. 3] Canadians. He represented to us all former Princes of Wales – from Falstaff’s Hal to the “first gentleman of Europe” (so severely handled by Thackeray) & as George the 3ds great grandson had an especial historical interest for us. His visit to Washington’s tomb, with reverent, uncovered head, touched us peculiarly, & the President has ordered a national picture of it – So Time brings about its quiet revenges! While here the weather was beautiful, & his Review of the troops on the Common was a very pretty sight, thrilling also to many hearts, remembering when a red coat was last seen there, also the fête of the school children in the Music Hall, waving their twelve hundred pocket handkerchiefs & singing “God save the Queen” to new noble words by Holmes for the occasion
The ball was also a success, tho’ rather too gaudy in decoration, & too [p. 4] predominantly South End, Roxbury &c, but the ladies were very handsomely dressed, the unknown ones especially, & it went off very well. The Melvdoon made a charming supper room, the Prince having his table on the raised platform, & the walls covered with natural flowers. After the Mayoress & the Governess, various damsels danced with H.R.H. among them my sister Hatty. I was not presented to him, but Henry was one of three to escort him to the ball, & he complimented him on his writings very gracefully for such a youth. The rest of the Royal party gratified me by speaking very warmly of H’s reputation in England & of their great desire to see him. They were to have visited our old house, but had not time in their hurried visit to Cambridge, where the students turned out in a body & welcomed him very heartily. Since that – we have had all the excitement of the Election [p. 5 marked 2] with its nightly illuminations & torch-light processions, very picturesque with their many-colored lanterns, - their strange dresses, & transparencies music & songs, & well organized bands, in perfect armies for numbers, especially the Republicans, who have had a great triumph. Never have I known the people so deeply stirred as at this crisis, & we [crossed out: feel know] see it to be a very solemn rejoicing, founded on far more earnest feeling than a mere party victory. But nothing can be more conservative than Lincoln & his adherents, & it is with groundless alarm the South already threatens Secession - & regular treason. They [crossed out: can] will not, more than children, understand that they cannot always have their own way in such a big country as this - & that when such immense majorities declare the people’s will to check the spread [p. 6] of Slavery over all the Territories & its constant influence in the Government [crossed out: they] it must be obeyed.
I hope Buchanan will manage them with a firm hand, & not allow them to cut their own throats in their desire to injure us.
Uncle Wm has defeated Burlingame in the 5th district, but elsewhere we are successful [crossed out: everywhere] So much for politics, which all have been full of, even the children at school wearing medals of favorite candidates, & now the reaction will find us intensely quie, if the South does not furnish us something stirring.
Weddings go on if the Union is to be dissolved – those are unions not so easily frightened apart. Harriet Amory is to be wedded on Wednesday, & Carrie Appleton before the end of the month. Louis Stackpole is engaged to a Miss Parsons a pretty girl of Cambridge, but I suppose you hear all things.
[p. 7] Poor Lucilla Quincy died very suddenly last week of congestion of the brain. She was in society again last winter, with her daughter, & seemed very well & cheerful. It is a cruel trial to her mother now so old - & for her children. I have not so much sympathy for her spouse, & should not wonder if he consoled himself before long. Poor Lucilla! how well I remember how bright & pleasant she was in former days with her handsome hair, - fine eyes, & cordial smile. She had no sentiment – or talent, but was very sensible & kind, & is associated, in my mind, with a fine set of young women whose counterparts I vainly look for in the present – There is no great attraction in the reigning demoiselles & no beauty – Mrs Otis has got out a pamphlet with lists of all the ladies at the Ball & [p. 8] accounts of their dresses &c, which we greatly fear she will send the Prince – Little Peddlington rampant!
My boys are learning at home this winter, under Henry’s nephew, & are studying much harder than they did with Mr Bradford. Mr Miel instructs them in French, & Charley is keeping up his music & dancing, so he is pretty busy. He is growing very much of a gentleman, I am happy to say, & is very manly for his age – very polite to young ladies & fond of their society, & quite startling me with his grown up ideas. Erny is quiet as ever, & does not disdain to be a play mate for Alice when nothing better is at hand. The little girls are very well & merry. I teach them an hour a day & they get on in French & English very well Their papa has gone to a dinner for Dana but sends you his love all the same He is happy in the Election as you may suppose, & so is Sumner, who speaks nightly [p. 1 cross] but keeps well & strong. My father is rather feeble, but hopes to be better in more bracing weather. Mrs Sumner lives on miraculously. The light & paper fail me, so good bye for the present – ever [???]
Yr loving
Fanny E L
Dearest Emmeline,
I have just heard you are in Paris, on your way to the South, so I suppose this will find you in some delicious, balmy region (if there is to be any balm in Europe this year) eating oranges off the trees at Nice (when they are in season) or climbing the picturesque hills at Pau. Wherever you have pitched your tent I trust grim Care will not follow you, & overshadow your sunshine & repose! – I hope Austin is gaining strength & manliness of body equal to what I know he has of spirit, & that the other two are well & happy [p. 2] as you could wish. When I see Robert Apthorp’s slender boy riding on horse back, alone, all over the country, I feel we need never despair of a delicate boy. They often outlive those “splendid children” whose very vigour makes them a prey to violent diseases. Mary has been thinking of Nice, & if you go there it would be most pleasant for her to be near you, but her energy fails when the decision comes, & unless Tom inspires her to the effort (of whose arrival we have just heard) I fear she will not undertake it after all, much as she needs change & diversion.
We have been very gay, as you have doubtless heard, with the visit of the charming little Prince of Wales, whose gentle, refined manners & pleasing, modest looks won all hearts, & amused us quiet Republicans to a pitch of enthusiasm equal to that of the loyal [p. 3] Canadians. He represented to us all former Princes of Wales – from Falstaff’s Hal to the “first gentleman of Europe” (so severely handled by Thackeray) & as George the 3ds great grandson had an especial historical interest for us. His visit to Washington’s tomb, with reverent, uncovered head, touched us peculiarly, & the President has ordered a national picture of it – So Time brings about its quiet revenges! While here the weather was beautiful, & his Review of the troops on the Common was a very pretty sight, thrilling also to many hearts, remembering when a red coat was last seen there, also the fête of the school children in the Music Hall, waving their twelve hundred pocket handkerchiefs & singing “God save the Queen” to new noble words by Holmes for the occasion
The ball was also a success, tho’ rather too gaudy in decoration, & too [p. 4] predominantly South End, Roxbury &c, but the ladies were very handsomely dressed, the unknown ones especially, & it went off very well. The Melvdoon made a charming supper room, the Prince having his table on the raised platform, & the walls covered with natural flowers. After the Mayoress & the Governess, various damsels danced with H.R.H. among them my sister Hatty. I was not presented to him, but Henry was one of three to escort him to the ball, & he complimented him on his writings very gracefully for such a youth. The rest of the Royal party gratified me by speaking very warmly of H’s reputation in England & of their great desire to see him. They were to have visited our old house, but had not time in their hurried visit to Cambridge, where the students turned out in a body & welcomed him very heartily. Since that – we have had all the excitement of the Election [p. 5 marked 2] with its nightly illuminations & torch-light processions, very picturesque with their many-colored lanterns, - their strange dresses, & transparencies music & songs, & well organized bands, in perfect armies for numbers, especially the Republicans, who have had a great triumph. Never have I known the people so deeply stirred as at this crisis, & we [crossed out: feel know] see it to be a very solemn rejoicing, founded on far more earnest feeling than a mere party victory. But nothing can be more conservative than Lincoln & his adherents, & it is with groundless alarm the South already threatens Secession - & regular treason. They [crossed out: can] will not, more than children, understand that they cannot always have their own way in such a big country as this - & that when such immense majorities declare the people’s will to check the spread [p. 6] of Slavery over all the Territories & its constant influence in the Government [crossed out: they] it must be obeyed.
I hope Buchanan will manage them with a firm hand, & not allow them to cut their own throats in their desire to injure us.
Uncle Wm has defeated Burlingame in the 5th district, but elsewhere we are successful [crossed out: everywhere] So much for politics, which all have been full of, even the children at school wearing medals of favorite candidates, & now the reaction will find us intensely quie, if the South does not furnish us something stirring.
Weddings go on if the Union is to be dissolved – those are unions not so easily frightened apart. Harriet Amory is to be wedded on Wednesday, & Carrie Appleton before the end of the month. Louis Stackpole is engaged to a Miss Parsons a pretty girl of Cambridge, but I suppose you hear all things.
[p. 7] Poor Lucilla Quincy died very suddenly last week of congestion of the brain. She was in society again last winter, with her daughter, & seemed very well & cheerful. It is a cruel trial to her mother now so old - & for her children. I have not so much sympathy for her spouse, & should not wonder if he consoled himself before long. Poor Lucilla! how well I remember how bright & pleasant she was in former days with her handsome hair, - fine eyes, & cordial smile. She had no sentiment – or talent, but was very sensible & kind, & is associated, in my mind, with a fine set of young women whose counterparts I vainly look for in the present – There is no great attraction in the reigning demoiselles & no beauty – Mrs Otis has got out a pamphlet with lists of all the ladies at the Ball & [p. 8] accounts of their dresses &c, which we greatly fear she will send the Prince – Little Peddlington rampant!
My boys are learning at home this winter, under Henry’s nephew, & are studying much harder than they did with Mr Bradford. Mr Miel instructs them in French, & Charley is keeping up his music & dancing, so he is pretty busy. He is growing very much of a gentleman, I am happy to say, & is very manly for his age – very polite to young ladies & fond of their society, & quite startling me with his grown up ideas. Erny is quiet as ever, & does not disdain to be a play mate for Alice when nothing better is at hand. The little girls are very well & merry. I teach them an hour a day & they get on in French & English very well Their papa has gone to a dinner for Dana but sends you his love all the same He is happy in the Election as you may suppose, & so is Sumner, who speaks nightly [p. 1 cross] but keeps well & strong. My father is rather feeble, but hopes to be better in more bracing weather. Mrs Sumner lives on miraculously. The light & paper fail me, so good bye for the present – ever [???]
Yr loving
Fanny E L
Archives Number: 1011/002.001-030#026
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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
11/12/1860
Manuscript letter in Frances Appleton Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, A. Outgoing, 1860. (1011/002.001-030#026)
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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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Wednesday, November 9, 2022 5:13:00 PM
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