File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Anne Longfellow Pierce, 3 January 1844 (b2333e0e-51b4-4dc5-8f09-ef1891efd5f4).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-014#002

Cambridge Jan 3d 1844.
Dearest Anne,
Forgive me for not sooner answering your kind letter & good Dr Nichols’ kind questions about Henry’s eyes. If we had gleaned much hope from them I should have found time to satisfy immediately his anxiety, but as Henry has never been troubled with white motes, only, occasionally with black, and as his eyes do not appear to me deficient in moisture I fear it is a different case from those the Dr has so successfully benefited, & therefore allowed myself to be engrossed by our book, & letters to my sister & to your sister Mary, before attending to yours. Still, we should be very glad to know what the Dr would recommend, & pray thank him for his warm interest. I am rejoiced to say that during the past week Henry’s eyes showed enough improvement to give us great hopes that the dawn is breaking after the long night. My friend Miss Austin, who has been through the same trial & was cured by Dr Elliott says that it begins like that, - a faint streak of light, & then possibly a mist which promises to mar all & yet another gleam comes, & returns more frequently; stronger & broader in its gathering influence until [p. 2] it is once more perfect day. Dr Elliott is expected here next week & I shall be in fear & trembling lest he should summon us to New York during the vacation, but, at any rate, he can begin a change of remedies if it is necessary, or make us confident we are doing right in continuing the old. You shall hear his opinion without delay. And now, dear Annie, let me return your kind wishes for the New Year – to no one can I wish as much, & with more depth of feeling, for no one needs as much – at least, when my grateful heart glances over the last year & all that this promises me, & remembers that you have known & have lost such happiness, I say you need much, but when I also remember your Christian resignation, the living faith which upholds your spirit, your cheerful obedience to every duty, & the peace which is a holier inheritance than joy, I do not cease to offer the warmest wishes of my heart but feel rebuked for comparing your riches with mine. May our heavenly Father continue to dwell within thy heart & fill its desolate chambers with the brightness of his presence and of his love, may another Year appear to you not so much a new task of discipline & patience [crossed out: but] as a nearer step to him you love, to your husband & to your sisters; and if the graves of the Past open & the shadows of the dark valley oppress your spirit may blessed angels be seen to roll away the stone & invite you to enter & turn your sorrow into hope.
[p. 3] Poor Mary had indeed a weary experience of the sea, but we were happy to know that on land she was more fortunate, & had found a quiet comfortable abiding-place where she & James could ‘make believe’ housekeeping & home. Not unlike the poor Marchioness’ efforts to convert her diluted drink into lemonade it would seem to me with my feline propensity for the same chimney-corner year in & year out, but with Henry at hand I forget that the word home is much more linked to human bodies than to brick & mortar, state or country. When I last saw Mrs Greenleaf, about a week ago I think, or less, her fine face was just illumined by a letter from her darling Mary in which she complained that your first letters had not arrived. I [sup]pose, however, by this time you have answers to them. My letters from abroad now have gaps of a month between them which is hard to bear after getting some every fortnight. We took our Xmas dinner at my Father’s &, as often happens on these festive occasions, some sighs for the absent mingled with the pleasure of meeting, but we consoled ourselves by hoping that my brother & sister were together on that day as he intended crossing the Channel to enjoy his plum pudding at her table. We are very sorry to hear that Father & Mother have been ill. Give them our love & good wishes with peculiar emphasis - & also to Aunt Lucia, Alick, Marianne, Stephen, & to the gentle interesting Eliza.
ever affly yrs
Fanny –
[p. 4] Please tell Stephen from Henry that he has received his letter & has attended to his commission & will write him about it when he has leisure. He will get the books you desire immediately & send them. [p. 4 cross, HWL hand] Send your package for Sam as soon as possible as we are making up a box.
ADDRESSED: MRS PIERCE - / CARE OF HON S. LONGFELLOW. / PORTLAND. / ME.
POSTMARK: CAMBRIDGE / JAN [?] / MS
ENDORSED, PENCIL: NEW YEAR’S / 1844

• Keywords: correspondence; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; people; document; holidays; new year; subject; health and illness; social life; Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1844 (1011/002.001-014); (LONG-FileUnitName)