Succassunny, March 14^th. 1850.
My dear Madam.
My delay in answering Caroline's last
letter has turned out better than an omission of
duty is apt to do. To it I am indebted for your very
kind letter which came today. –
I had promised myself a short visit at W–
during the winter but the loss of time & business &
expense consiquent to the long illness of my son
made it expedient for me to stay at home &
regain what I had lost – a thing much more
easy to do than for my poor boy to repair his health
which I sometimes fear is ruined beyond hope.
At the best he will be a long time in recovering.
He gets better by time but the pains in his side will
return & as he suffers extreme pain the little strength
which he may have gained is taken away & he is left
quite as helpless as before. His disease was an
acute inflammation of the liver & bowels.
He is now at the house of my Uncle, Judge Dickerson
at Paterson, where he is sure of the best attention
& the utmost kindness, I had a letter from him
yesterday, in which he hopes to be able to come home
by April, but I look upon it as very doubtful.

Caroline had written to me f about the
disease of her Tonsils & an operation for relief &c
I do not like the plan & can by no means consent
to it unless in the last necessity & then under the
advice of Dr. Mott. Treatment by medicine is greatly
to be preferred if not kept up too long. It had better
be tried. It will not take long to determine if any
impression is made on the disease though to effect
a cure will require some time. –
If in any event Dr Mott should be consulted it would
be well for him to know that the dear little patient
is my daughter. I have some slight acquaintance with the
Doctor & he & my my Brother e were intimate in
Paris, & both, I believe, on quite a friendly footing
with an illustrious family now in hopeless exile.
There are in our profession certain recognized cour-
tesies which few or none disregard. The great surgeon
of New York – I mean of the world, has never charged
me any thing for advice. It should be the same for any
professional service done for one of my children. But I
hope we shall not be obliged to trouble him.
I am very glad to hear of the expected return of
Augustus. How changed you will find him, I hope he
has a good long leave of absence.
Your Nephew & namesake is at Princeton, making
me happy by his industry & good conduct.
The Faculty send me regularly, the best reports of
him. In one thing only does he grieve them. The Institution is

Presbyterian, but Frank's conscience not at ease
unless he can worship with the highest fashion & the
prettiest girls, compels him to add one to the Episcopal
Church, for which departure from the only true way, he
is obliged to ask of the good old President of the
College a special dispensation, granted at my special
request.
I would be obliged to the Hon. Senator from New York
for a copy of his late speech & also for any Documents
which he will take the trouble to frank.
I am particularly anxious to have Col. Fremont's
report on California with a Map of the same
made to the Senate. I think, last winter.
Say to Caroline that I will write to her the first leisure
evening.
Forgive me this long letter & believe me
Very affectionately yours
M. D. Canfield
Mrs Frances A. Seward.
Washington.

Mrs Frances A. Seward
hDr Canfield
1850
S. V. R. Mallory Esq