Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, April 22, 1838
xml:
Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, April 22,
1838
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:gew
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1838-04-22
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, April 22, 1838
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: New York, NY
transcription: gew
revision: ekk 2015-06-10
<>
Page
1
Tuesday April 23d 24d
My dearest Henry,
I received your first letter from
New York Sunday. I was glad to hear from my
“soft muff” as Freddy
of ever seeing it again. So you are at the City
Hotel instead of the Astor House. Old Mrs
Hamilton
about your spiritual condition. What do you
think I told her, just what I thought, that you
are a very good man but too much engrossed
with the world to devote much time to
religious meditation - was I wrong - but the
time will come, dear Henry, “When care and weariness
and solitude will press heavily upon your heart
and you will sigh for something better greater
more permanent more satisfying.”
The weather has been cold and cheerless enough
the last four or five days, nothing has been
done to the garden since you went away
Nicholas
state of the weather will permit, the hot
bed has been frozen and the seeds which
Augustus and I planted will hardly give us any
flowers this summer. My head has been much
better this summer. My head has been much
better the last week and as health produces cheer-
fulness every thing passes along brightly and smoothly
along, cares are much less burdensome when we are
not deprived of the energy necessary to bear them
Page
2
I have no letter from Lazette
to feel anxious about her. Mrs Miller
been quite unwell with a cold. Isaac
returned home perfectly satisfied with one winter
of public service, he says it is the last life
he would choose. He brought me the book you
sent which is something of a puzzle to me.
I cannot think you ever purchased it at the
enormous price of 12$, if you did you must
have done so without acquainting yourself with
its contents, it seems to be the most approved
method of improving or retaining personal beauty,
a subject which I think you will agree
with me in thinking not very important at
thirty two if one could imagine it otherwise at
eighteen. I say all this with perfect security
my faith is so strong that you did not
purchase the book or if you did were
ignorant of its contents. I shall be very
sorry I have written so freely if it is otherwise
will you explain the riddle.
I think Clara
house occupied by Cobb
be so much more agreeable to have some fixed
home. Cobb told McClallen
it in six months if he could find
another place that suited him. Lazette
will be greivously disappointed about her
visit, it is only in this view of the
case that I can feel any regret. Capt Chase
thinks Joseph Colt will purchase his place
Page
3
Since I commenced writing I have a letter from
from Lazette, she says her cough is better but
the pain in her side encreased. I close this
letter to answer hers, my eyes are suffering
from the effect of my studies. Gus is so anxious
to have me study with and assist him in his
Latin that I have not found it in my heart
to deny him. When shall I apply to have
my purse replenished, the Donation to Mr Lucas
Nicholas’ drafts and girls wages have consumed
my resources. Isaac did not bring us any shad
it was not convenient for him to get them the
day he came away. Freddy has a bad cold
the hoarse croup
manage it without calling a physician.
Sherman Beardsley
has been a subject of much solicitude and
speculation this last week, last night the south
wall fell destroying considerable hardware, in digging
the foun cellar of the new store they destroyed
the foundation of the old, it was very well
that it fell in the night as the corner has been
the resort of the inquisitive and idle for some days
had it fallen in the day time some lives
would probably have been lost. Every one ask me
when you are coming home. O I had nearly forgotten
an important subject which I neglected to mention
in my last. Clara went last week to see Mrs Smith
found her with a letter from Henry
extremely. Henry wrote that Jennings
and seemed dissatisfied but that he could not divine the cause
unless it was because he did not attend the Presbyterian Church
Jennings mentioned to him that he had written his mother. Mrs S
wondered that she had not recieved the letter. I was strongly
Page
4
tempted to send it as soon as Clara came home but was detered
by your injunction to the contrary. I think now that it were
better sent as she may fancy it much worse than it is. Henry
seemed in no fear of losing his place so long as he retained your
confidence. I think he cannot be quite so unconscious as he
pretends of the grounds of complaint. Your own Frances.
William H. Seward
Care of the American Life &
Trust Company
New York
Auburn, N.Y.
Apr 26
Type: postmark
h
Frances A Seward
April 23 1838.
Tuesday April 23d 24d
My dearest Henry,
I received your first letter from
New York Sunday. I was glad to hear from my
“soft muff” as Freddy
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
says. I had little expectationof ever seeing it again. So you are at the City
Hotel instead of the Astor House. Old Mrs
Hamilton
Birth: 1784-10-01 Death: 1856-04-13Certainty: Probable
has just been here and made
enquiriesabout your spiritual condition. What do you
think I told her, just what I thought, that you
are a very good man but too much engrossed
with the world to devote much time to
religious meditation - was I wrong - but the
time will come, dear Henry, “When care and weariness
and solitude will press heavily upon your heart
and you will sigh for something better greater
more permanent more satisfying.”
The weather has been cold and cheerless enough
the last four or five days, nothing has been
done to the garden since you went away
Nicholas
Birth: 1801-12-24 Death: 1893-02-15
continues his white washing when
thestate of the weather will permit, the hot
bed has been frozen and the seeds which
Augustus and I planted will hardly give us any
flowers this summer. My head has been much
better this summer. My head has been much
better the last week and as health produces cheer-
fulness every thing passes along brightly and smoothly
along, cares are much less burdensome when we are
not deprived of the energy necessary to bear them
I have no letter from Lazette
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
this
week I beginto feel anxious about her. Mrs Miller
Unknown
hasbeen quite unwell with a cold. Isaac
Birth: 1791-04-30 Death: 1853-04-03
hasreturned home perfectly satisfied with one winter
of public service, he says it is the last life
he would choose. He brought me the book you
sent which is something of a puzzle to me.
I cannot think you ever purchased it at the
enormous price of 12$, if you did you must
have done so without acquainting yourself with
its contents, it seems to be the most approved
method of improving or retaining personal beauty,
a subject which I think you will agree
with me in thinking not very important at
thirty two if one could imagine it otherwise at
eighteen. I say all this with perfect security
my faith is so strong that you did not
purchase the book or if you did were
ignorant of its contents. I shall be very
sorry I have written so freely if it is otherwise
will you explain the riddle.
I think Clara
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
has concluded to wait for thehouse occupied by Cobb
Birth: 1798-09-09 Death: 1872-12-17
, she thinks it wouldbe so much more agreeable to have some fixed
home. Cobb told McClallen
Birth: 1791-09-07 Death: 1860-11-16
he would leaveit in six months if he could find
another place that suited him. Lazette
will be greivously disappointed about her
visit, it is only in this view of the
case that I can feel any regret. Capt Chase
Birth: 1785-04-07 Death: 1853-01-01
thinks Joseph Colt will purchase his place
Since I commenced writing I have a letter from
from Lazette, she says her cough is better but
the pain in her side encreased. I close this
letter to answer hers, my eyes are suffering
from the effect of my studies. Gus is so anxious
to have me study with and assist him in his
Latin that I have not found it in my heart
to deny him. When shall I apply to have
my purse replenished, the Donation to Mr Lucas
Birth: 1799 Death: 1839-08-25
Nicholas’ drafts and girls wages have consumed
my resources. Isaac did not bring us any shad
it was not convenient for him to get them the
day he came away. Freddy has a bad cold
the hoarse croup
The hinder part or buttocks of certain quadrupeds, especially of a horse;
hence, the place behind the saddle • An inflammatory affection of the larynx or trachea accompanied by a horse
ringing cough and difficult respiration. In the form in which it attacks chiefly
young children, it is known as Cynanche tracheates, and it is apt to be attended
with the formation of a false membrane which lines the trachea beneath the
glottis, and tends to produce suffocation •
cough but I hope to be able to manage it without calling a physician.
Sherman Beardsley
Birth: 1785 Death: 1862-04-30
’s brick store on
the cornerhas been a subject of much solicitude and
speculation this last week, last night the south
wall fell destroying considerable hardware, in digging
the foun cellar of the new store they destroyed
the foundation of the old, it was very well
that it fell in the night as the corner has been
the resort of the inquisitive and idle for some days
had it fallen in the day time some lives
would probably have been lost. Every one ask me
when you are coming home. O I had nearly forgotten
an important subject which I neglected to mention
in my last. Clara went last week to see Mrs Smith
Unknown
andfound her with a letter from Henry
Death: 1850-08-12
which perplexed herextremely. Henry wrote that Jennings
Birth: 1793-08-23 Death: 1841-02-24
had
been talking with himand seemed dissatisfied but that he could not divine the cause
unless it was because he did not attend the Presbyterian Church
Jennings mentioned to him that he had written his mother. Mrs S
wondered that she had not recieved the letter. I was strongly
tempted to send it as soon as Clara came home but was detered
by your injunction to the contrary. I think now that it were
better sent as she may fancy it much worse than it is. Henry
seemed in no fear of losing his place so long as he retained your
confidence. I think he cannot be quite so unconscious as he
pretends of the grounds of complaint. Your own Frances.
William H. Seward
Care of the American Life &
Trust Company
New York
Auburn, N.Y.
Apr 26
Stamp
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10William Seward
April 23 1838.