Sunday Dec 11^th. 1842
My dear Henry,
I received your letter yester-
day, with Mr Kinsley's, it was some relief to
my mind to hear from Augustus – he has
hardly been absent from my thoughts a moment
sleeping or waking for the last 10 days –
I am afraid I shall never become reconciled to
the path you have chosen for him – my
continual anxiety is wearing away my heart –
I wrote last week to Mr Kinsley on the subject
he seems to appreciate Augustus, and ought to be
capable deciding whether a military Academy
is the best place to educate a boy of his
disposition and abilities – You perhaps did
not understand the reference in his letter, to singing[ . ]
Augustus desired me in his last letter to ask to have
him excused as his other studies occupied his

whole time – I did so – the conversation with Augustus
seems to have taken place subsequently –
I shall never be able again to rally Mr Bowen
about not coming to see me last Summer – I had
been all the morning busily engaged in bringing
furniture from the carriage house arranging the rows &c
&c – and was sitting in the dining room with my
dress torn and soiled when the street door
bell rang – William answered the bell – said a
gentleman came in to see Mr Miller whom he
left in the south room, where there had been a
fire all day – What should Pa do but walk in
and ask him into my dressing room, out of which
I had not one article of clothing that I could put
on – in the mean time coming to the head of the stairs
and calling "Frances" — without an intonation who
it was that wished to see me – I told Abbey to step
up to the south room, see if the fire burned and ask
them to walk in there – she had hardly got up stairs
before Pa came again and in an angry tone said
Mr Bowen was going in two minutes to the cars –

I was vexed that I could not be allowed one of the
two minutes to arrange my dress, but as they
continued in the North room until the last moment
I was compelled to send up word that I desired
to be excused – I was very very sorry but
these are greivences for which there seems to be no
remedy – I was half tempted to move immediately
up stairs but the recollection of my former
experience deterred me – I received a letter
from La[ zette ] Tuesday – she had a pleasant ride
home – I have missed her very much – She sends
love to you and Fred – Worden sent me one of
40 lard candles which J. Granger brought from
Cincinnati, and sent to Lazatte as a curiosity –
Mine will not be lighted until you come home –
it looks like sperm – Do you hear any thing from
Florida – I wrote to Mother last week – The
scarlet fever prevails here – our dear little boy has
been preserved so far – his eyes were inflamed
a little last week – better again – Harriet said
when I came away she should like to come here
for the purpose of seeing her boy, if Nicholas

remained in Albany — I promised to pay her passage
if she came – will you enquire about it —
I will write to Freddy tomorrow – your own
Frances —
William H. Seward
Albany
AUBURN N. Y.
DEC 12
hMrs Seward
Dec 12. 1842.