Dear Sister. You have no doubt been looking for a letter
from me for several weeks. Business & close application to
visiting must be my apology. . . I found our friends all
enjoying health, and much pleased to see me. Indeed, I
never before felt so sensibly, the sincerity of friendship.
Harry tells me that any neglect you may have felt and
imparted to him, has been the result of a want of time to
write you. . not merely the time to make a letter, but the
necessary time to sit down, reflect , & make a letter to
suit himself as well as you, for you must know that he
wishes not only to write you letters but, good letters.
It seems by your last letter to him that you have taken
up several erroneous opinions, from what I said to you
in regard of our family. At least I suspect so from
the [ maner ] of your expressions. It was not my intention
to intimate any thing that should reflect upon any one
of its members — you know that we should love our par-
ents, our brothers, and connexions, every one — Peace
harmony and happiness at home, and [ thir ] good repu-
tations abroad, should be objects dear to us all — As
I shall not be here, you will please answer this letter
and direct it ^to^ Papa, and give him an explicit account
of the conversation we had when I was there.—
I have had three letters from home since I came
away - Augustus has entirely recovered his illness and
grown fat— Poor little fellow how I do wish to see
him. He talks many pretty little stories, no doubt about
his papa & can by this time, I expect point the way he
has gone - but he gets no teeth yet. —
Mama enjoys her health pretty well this winter.
The sleighing has been very good this winter and she has
improved it in a number of little rides, but you know
that Bethlehem would be almost too long a ride
for her in the winter — the summer would suit her
much better, and Papa has been forced away on
business quite to Onondaga, so that he seemed to get
a plenty of sleighing in this way— .. You shall hear
from me again when I get home— It is doubtful whether
I shall return your way. Adieu. B.J Seward
Feb 23. 1821. Florida

Miss Louisa C Seward
Bethlehem School
Pennsylvania
B. J. Seward
to
Louisa C. Seward
Letter—