Tuesday morn – Dec 27^th
My dear Henry,
I received your letter Sunday morning
with one from Mr Kinsley which you will see when
you come home – it has confirmed me in my purpose
of using all my influence to dissuade Augustus
from entering the Military Academy – I wrote him
a long letter yesterday – Philip Spencer's awful
fate has more than ever sickened me regarding
all that relates to martial law or a martial
spirit – I distrusted my own judgement before I
received Mr Kinsley's letter – Nothing would have
induced me to have consented as far as I did but
a belief that Augustus had a strong desire to enter
the Academy – The conviction that in this I had
been mistaken has given me inexpressible pain
I would not willingly live over again the last
two months – I acknowledge that I have wasted

many days that might have been better employed
in groundless anticipation of evil – partly the result
of physical weakness but more the want of a proper
reliance upon the goodness of my Heavenly Father –
I trust that those shadows will not again fall upon
my path and that while I am conscious of doing
my duty I shall feel willing to leave the issue in
His hands – Such was not the case in the present
instance – I felt that I had erred in being instrumental
in placing my boy where his daily course of instruc-
tion would be at variance with the precepts of
our Saviour – This it was that made me wretched,
and many, many nights has made my pillow
a pillow of thorns —
Willie's eyes continue about the same – I hope the
poor little boy will not suffer so long as he did
last summer — Yesterday I Dr Ball buried
two children with scarlet fever – his wife and
another e child are ill with the same disease –
Tell Fred that I wrote that letter to him last
Friday to send by Mr Willard — Mr Willard did

not go and I have tried in vain to find an opportunity
to send it by a private conveyance – the skates
I fear will not reach their place of destination–
Clarence wishes to have some newspaper sent him
as he says he finds the standard "rather dry" —
If Harriet & Nicholas come with the furniture
the house will require some cleaning after they leave
will you have the goodness to remind them to
engage Jane or some other suitable person to
attend to it — Shall I expect you early next
week?– Please remember me to H. Weed –
Your affect own Frances –

William H. Seward
Albany
Auburn N.Y.
DEC 27
hMrs WH Seward
Dec 1842