File:Caroline Frances Appleton to Fanny Appleton, 28 June 1835 (dffa044e-815e-43b0-927f-af86b08ddc21).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.002-002#015

C.F.A. / June 1835.
[addressed:] Miss Frances E. Appleton / Care of Hon. N. Appleton / Boston / Mass.
Lowell June 28th 1835
My Dear Fanny,
Thank you kindly dearest Fan, - for your pretty present, it is a sweet tune, and I am infinitely charmed with ^it how sincerely do I echo back your wish, ‘May we sing it together some day!” - How often when I am [sining?] in a most solitary mood, ‘What fairy like music” (any by the by than that) do I imagine I can hear you in your Secondo, chiming in with your voice, and urging me to scream! What a pleasant thing it is to be blest with a memory we can live over the past and enjoy it ten times the more as distance and time a sort of vail [sic] round it, and what appears [crossed out: shadow] shadowy and indistinct we can colour to our own imaginations. Dear me, what a sentence ^for your unsentimental coz to write, I wonder what I was thinking to let my pen ramble on so, [‘mea??cus?] ‘ what is wit, is wit,“ and therefore it must go. Here I left off suddenly, as the darkness was approaching and paid a visit to Mrs. Smith; but here I am again and intend to pen you a long, I will not say interesting epistle. This surprising railroad! The world on every tongue, and a sight for every eye, an excuse for every idler. The front of our house looks more like a fair, than the entrance of a quiet residence of ours. Such a procession of stages, carriages, carts [page 2] and [?] of all descriptions! And then such a crowd! With a little trouble we could walk over their heads -- I often contemplate this concourse in nervous fidget, I expect every day to see of the little Paddy wretches crushed under foot, for nothing frightens them, now under the horses feet, now upon the tracts, and now sitting on top of the Steamer! But it is delightful to me, something new at least! I find quite a delightful acquaintance in Miss Lyman I have seen considerable of her lately, she is very pleasant and affable, and very delicate manners. We are [annoyed?] by the scraping of the younger branches over our heads, screaming of the baby, thumping of Willie and Arthur and [sining?] of the nurse. But dreadful to relate ‘King George’ had his ears boxed today! Imagine what an indignity! he seemed however to bear it patiently, used to it probably! I congratulate you on your escape from ‘Sculpin’ how could you be so barbarous as to kill him with a hook, I can [easily?] imagine its effect, for I have seen them myself! but fortunately never fell under their influence.’ What an influx of foreign rubbish you appear to be enjoying, now if you only had a handsome, young titled Englishman, to complete the boquet [sic] of spring arrivals. Dont let any of these interesting Spanish youth charm you away with their [too-origing?] and barbaraous French, I like any foreigner [baccing?] - English, and French, but give me one who can speak at least the same language I do -- Fanny, “ma chère,” do you remember our nightly squabbles on politics, religious, &c -- I am afraid my “[?] of the yardstick,” has lost the remembrance of the mall walkers, for [lo?], Miss [Nacaissa?], has allured Mr. B- into her barren regions, and has returned completely done up!
[page 3] The handsome Dr. -- has gone - so no more of your insinuations! You see the commencement of this epistle, and know the handwriting, mind you the address was none of mine, I was out of the room, quite a strange action for one of such sober habits. I pray you never need any more of Willie’s ridiculous postscripts, they are just like him, not a word of truth in them! I am glad to hear your brother bore his journey well, do not forget to tell us of his welfare whenever you write. I must conclude sooner than I intended for it is waxing late and Mother is asking me if I have not finished, as her curls are waiting fro my nightly curling. Remember me to all your family and [anxious?] friend -- Goodnight!
Your truly affectionate
Coz - CFA.

• Keywords: correspondence; document; manuscript; appleton family; frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters to Frances Longfellow (1011/002.002); (LONG-SubseriesName); J.W. Andrews - C.F. Appleton (1011/002.002-002); (LONG-FileUnitName)