Letter from Louisa Cornelia Seward Canfield to William Henry Seward, October 13, 1825
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Letter from Louisa Cornelia Canfield to William Henry Seward, October 13, 1825
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:mah
student editorTranscriber:spp:crb
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1825-10-13
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Letter from Louisa Cornelia Canfield to William Henry Seward, October 13, 1825
action: sent
sender: Louisa Canfield
Birth: 1805
Death: 1839-01-04
location: Florida, NY
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: mah
revision: crb 2016-02-01
<>
Page
1
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
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 Dr had not
treated me as he should & some other circumstances.
Page
2
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 ]
Alternate Text: judge are unchanged
with regard to the Dr – 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 Dr 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.
Page
3
I regret the course the Dr has taken on his visit
here – it is very mortifying to have had him gone
to Gen Wickham
of his whole family Hellen
Dr Austins
he would have called on poor Fred
business he had to come here. I went up to talk to Mrs
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
not even an everyday acquaintance who is not
a subject of suspicion to my Parents
would answer this without delay I wish to write to Dr
C immediately. Haines
a few weeks 2 days before the Dr 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
to your unhappy sister
Page
4
Wm H. Seward Esqr
Auburn
New York.
Florida
Octb 13th
h
Cornelia Seward
1825
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
Birth: 1798-11-26 Death: 1865-01-05
was in Florida last week, he feelshimself 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 Dr had not
treated me as he should & some other circumstances.
together with a natural dread in consequence of Papas
Birth: 1768-12-05 Death: 1849-08-24
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 ]
Alternate Text
with regard to the Dr – 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 Dr 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
Birth: 1793-08-23 Death: 1841-02-24
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 Dr has taken on his visit
here – it is very mortifying to have had him gone
to Gen Wickham
Birth: 1772 Death: 1845-11-16
& talked the matter over in presence of his whole family Hellen
Unknown
& Ann AustinUnknown
to Dr Evans
Birth: 1770-03 Death: 1829-08-16
Dr Austins
Birth: 1770-06-15 Death: 1854-05-04
& Mr Cummins
Birth: 1776-07-15 Death: 1863-01-09Certainty: Probable
& but for Mrs Wickham
Death: 1864-02-05
he would have called on poor Fred
Unknown
to enquire whatbusiness he had to come here. I went up to talk to Mrs
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
A substance in the gaseous state that is normally in the form of a solid
or liquid • Any visible diffused substance floating in the atmosphere and impairing
its transparency • Wind; flatulence • Something unsubstantial or fleeting • A disease of nervous dibility, in which a variety of strange images float
in the brain; depression of spirirt • To pass off in fumes; to evaporate • To boast or vaunt with a vain display of worth; to boast •
my mind I havenot even an everyday acquaintance who is not
a subject of suspicion to my Parents
Birth: 1769-11-27 Death: 1844-12-11
. I wish youwould answer this without delay I wish to write to Dr
C immediately. Haines
Unknown
brought me a letter from hima few weeks 2 days before the Dr 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
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21
&c – will you write without delayto your unhappy sister
Wm H. Seward Esqr
Auburn
New York.
Florida
Octb 13th
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21Frances Seward
1825