Friday Jan 2^d.
My Dear Henry, I will wish you a 'happy
New Year' although the 1st has passed by. I
was engaged the whole day yesterday with company
the gentlemen commenced early making thier
visits and when night came I was very much
fatigued. Lazette came out Thursday ^Wednesday^ night
and is still with us, she enjoyed the day
very much as did Clary. I was not quite
well enough to enter into the spirit of the times.
Clary and Lazette went to the ball in the evening
with Beardsley and I went to bed with the
four bairns who behaved uncommonly well,
but I have not thanked you yet for the long
kind, letter I received from you about two
hours after dispatching my last which was
as you probably discovered written under the
influence of the vapours. I think you must
feel relieved to be once more in Albany which
is quiet in comparison with New York. I
feel more and more sensibly every day my incapacity
for a life of dissipation and every day am better
satisfied with the prospect of living in comparative
retirement. I can hardly tell from your letter
whether to expect Mrs Cary next Wednesday or
a week from that day your next will probably
give more definite information in the mean time
I shall be very happy to see her at any time[ . ]
I hope you will be able to accompany Uncle Cary when he returns the pleasure which their
visit will afford me will be enhanced by
having you at home.
Mr Lucas who is a very good man and a
good Christian spent an hour with me Teusday
we had a long and I believe satisfactory conversation on

on the subject of religion, he is desirous that I should
become a communicant in our Church and says it
is not necessary that the rite of confirmation should
be first administered. I expressed to him my unbelief
in infant baptism, which he said you had men-
tioned to him, he said he would not attempt
to convince me with his own arguments but
would send me some books which I promised
to read. I like Mr Lucas so much that
I am apprehensive that he will not continue
long with us. The schism in the Church seems
to increase. Dr Rudd with very little of
a christian spirit persists in preaching. On
Christmas day a great proportion of the
members left the church because he administered
the sacrament. If Dr Rudd felt as he should
do he would be content to remain qr quietly
at home notwithstanding he is urged to adopt
a contrary course by his adherents. He
will undoubtedly disunite the congregation and
be the means of Mr Lucas leaving us if he
continues his present course. The evening of the
same day Mr Lucas came again in the evening
accompanied by Dr Mason, he is also a favourite
and their visit was very agreeable to me.
Lazette expects Worden to day and if he
comes early will return with him to Aurora
to day. We have invited Serene Miss Ely the
Abbotts and Mrs Porter here to tea of course
are very busy in making preparations to
receve them. I have sent for Rutherford but
think it doubtful whether he comes. Beardsley
could not prevail on him to come over yesterday.
I wish, dearest if you think you can bring it
in the carpet bag without any inconvenience
you would purchase for me a tin mould
for ice cream, not very large, we cannot
get them here, it came to my mind just at
this time because I have been troubled in
getting some made at Berner's.

Hugh comes occasionally, no day appointed.
Pa has gone to Seneca falls to day. Does Sarah
return with Uncle Cary? remember me to her.
You do not say any thing about bringing Harriet Weed I hope she has not altered her mind that
is I hope Weed has not. I write in haste
it is time to dress for my company. I shall
not dare write again unless I hear from
you that you are not to return next week.
Please to buy me at Littles the "Traducteur Francais"
and "There is nothing true but Heaven" a piece of
musick, don't you think I am very troublesome?
this is all I believe, your own Frances.

Auburn N.Y. Jan. 3 William H. Seward
Albany.
F. A Seward
Jan. 2^d. 1835