File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Thomas Gold Appleton, 7 January 1861 (c65506d8-1163-4dfd-a549-520d8e992064).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-031#001

Cambridge Jan 7th 1861
Dear Tom,
Many thanks for your long pleasant letter with its verses – which prove how very inspiring Parisian air must be, for you might have been here years without getting off anything so ardent. No doubt when one is happy & enjoying oneself every object is invested with a halo, not that I would infer your subject is wanting in suggestion – I am too little acquainted with the lady to make so rash an assertion.
You ask after Hattie’s hat. She said she thanked you long ago, & wears it proudly whenever she skates, to [p. 2] the admiration & envy of Jamaica Pond, having another with a lilac plume, sent her by Willy from Canada, (for horseback & sleigh riding) which was chosen by Miss Bernard. Yours is far handsomer, & is a great beauty. The shape is novel here, & the two plumes very rich & fine, & most becoming.
I suppose you read your Advertiser & naughty Courier faithfully, so keep ‘au courant’ with all our strange doings. The departure of the Palmetto Kingdom made very little stir, but the spirited act of Major Anderson in leaving Fort Moultrie, which the President refused to strengthen, & saving his devoted band by removing to Fort Sumter, which is impregnable, sent a thrill thro’ all the country, & he is the hero of the hour. Such an act of patriotism [p. 3] was so refreshing amidst the treachery of the Cabinet and the President. This has so roused the people that the latter tries now to be a little firmer & truer to his duties, - but hardly Arnold has been thought of with such indignation. His Fast-day, intended for us to confess our sins for daring to elect Lincoln, gave occasion to the clergymen to “speak out in reaction” – and they did it here patriotically but bravely.
Father has a letter from Mr Pringle (his answer you will see in the paper) in which he seems to think they can secede quietly, without disturbing any social or commercial relations, & deal with us as with Great Britain, but he forgets the public property, the forts &c, cannot be so resigned.
I think it a pity they cannot be allowed to go, but if it is allowed as [p. 4] possible in our Constitution all the states are held but by a rope of sand, & we cannot give up to them all the forts and the mouth of the Mississippi. They have helped themselves in S. C. to the Arsenal &c (thought treason when John Brown did it) & seem surprised we are so indignant. It is to be hoped bloodshed may be saved, but it looks very squally. Field thinks a little will do us good! on the Tennyson principle. The papers are as exciting as possible, but the people keep calm and patient waiting the result.
How cruel a blow young Rodman’s sudden death to his family! We have not yet heard the cause.
We had a very pleasant supper for Field lately – of Apthorp, Dana, Lowell, Norton, & Wilde (the painter). Italy, art & politics were the chief subjects – but all were cheery & gay. Holmes has written some spirited lines you will find in yr Advertiser called “A Voice from the loyal North.” “God help them if the tempest swings the Pine against the Palm” is a happy alliteration. We have our first [p. 1 cross] snow storm & a beautiful one so still & even. The sleighs are out in great force. Willy’s 21st birthday comes on Friday but we celebrate it on Saturday with an extra-grand dinner. I cannot believe he is as old as you were when first going to Europe. College is quiet ever since Felton’s spirited dismissal of the ringleaders.
Mrs. Plaisted enjoys your house. The Batchelders have the Deans. Charley got, at a Fair, a photograph of a drawing by Darley of an old tar, one of the first of his I ever saw. He is full of work, with Dickens before him.
Good bye. Yr aff Fanny
Sam Ward was here lately – very fat.

• Keywords: correspondence; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; document; birthday; family life; social life; Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1861 (1011/002.001-031); (LONG-FileUnitName)