Florida October 13th
My dear Brother
Are you so much engaged
that you cannot spend time to write us how you
all do, or is it because you think we are not interested
to know, or that we do not need the consoling influence
or salutary advice which your letters usually contain
as to first I know you are satisfied & the last particular
I can only say I need it more than ever.
Only this once as a Brother I beseech you to be
candid ^with^ me & I assure you I hope it will be the last
time that I shall have occasion to introduce a subject
which to me is awful because of the very many
unpleasant associations which always accompanies it
Dr Canfield was in Florida last week, he feels
himself abused & ungenerously treated & has applied
to me for a denial or affirmation of your letter, which
I think he is correct in requiring. When I was in Auburn
and we had a conversation on this subject I relied upon
what you stated to me, I felt that the D^r had not
treated me as he should & some other circumstances.

together with a natural dread in consequence of Papas
former treatment made me almost solicitous for a termin-
ation of the business – now I declare to you that my
feelings are enlisted & as far as I can [ jude ] are unchanged
with regard to the D^r – that my confidence in his ability
to procure a maintainance was most certainly shaken or
I never could have consented to the measures that have been
taken in the case – now will you do me the kindness (as I
have not a soul to whom I may go to ask advice & feel
the responsibillity of this affair so great that I dare not act
on my own judgement) to tell me kind sincerely whether
you you still believe what you represented to me
(the D^r supposed he had satisfied you on all points) & that my decision
was not a hasty one which has done him injustice?
I do believe that it is to make me unhappy it it is given
over for home to me is detestable & the idea of seeking
another is abhorrent to my feelings – but I am not con-
vinced that I should be securing my happiness to marry
a man who could not support me, or for whom none of
my family had any respect this of the two would be the
greater evil. I wish not to be obstinate but with your
assistance to do what is right and I am sure I can
do nothing without your approbation as for Jennings
he & Papa have talked the matter over so often together I rather
suppose there is but one opinion existing now & that is mutual
but I do believe He is sincerely interested for my welfare.

I regret the course the D^r has taken on his visit
here – it is very mortifying to have had him gone
to Gen Wickham & talked the matter over in presence
of his whole family Hellen & Ann Austin to Dr Evans
Dr Austins & Mr Cummins & but for Mrs Wickham
he would have called on poor Fred to enquire what
business he had to come here. I went up to talk to M^rs
Wickham yesterday it is a subject that she can know
but little, she tried to convince me that it was not so
dreadful a misfortune as I must ever consider it
it is a discouraging case where we have nothing to hope
I see not that there is one
ray for me I have done all
that I have it my nature to
to do to make myself content at home I have not
a soul to whom I may unburthen my mind I have
not even an everyday acquaintance who is not
a subject of suspicion to my Parents. I wish you
would answer this without delay I wish to write to D^r
C immediately. Haines brought me a letter from him
a few weeks 2 days before the D^r came on I returned it without
reading. I thought I could & must but it cost me something
& if I had read it I should not have been able to ask
otherwise than according to his wishes – whether the had been
prudent or otherwise. I suspect he came on to be married –
give my love to my Sister &c – will you write without delay
to your unhappy sister

W^m H. Seward Esq^r
Auburn
New York.
Florida
Oct^b 13^th
Cornelia Seward
1825