Letter from Frances Adeline Seward to William Henry Seward, August 1, 1866
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Letter from Frances Adeline Seward to William Henry Seward, August 1, 1866
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:maf
student editorTranscriber:spp:lmd
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1866-08-01
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Letter from Frances Adeline Seward to William Henry Seward, August 1, 1866
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1844-12-09
Death: 1866-10-29
location: Auburn, NY
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Washington D.C., US
transcription: maf
revision: zz 2021-06-06
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Page 1
Auburn. Wednesday.
1st August. 1866
My dearest Father,
This morning brought
me your letters of Sunday
and Monday – also Anna’s
Birth: 1834-03-29 Death: 1919-05-02
of the former date. I
am sorry to learn that
you do not go to Newport
too – I hoped for pleasure
& benefit to you in such
a visit.
Many thanks for your
instructions about Louisa
Weightman
Birth: 1843-02-20 Death: 1932-12-23
. I was very
much perplexed as to what
to do – but you have made
my course very plain and
easy.
I am glad to think of
you less harassed – now that
the long session of Congress
has terminated. Your
resumé of our causes for
thanksgiving in the great
events of the last eight
months is as cheering as
it is just and comprehensive.
I am so glad of all
you write me of political
affairs – no one else –
can make me understand
them so much.
Thank you for advice and
directions about preparing for
Newport. The bank is
very liberal to me. One
of these days I shall ask
you to come into this room
of mine and see the desk
at which I am writing –
such a charming desk with
shelves, & drawers little & large,
and pigeon – holes in which
to keep my letters. It
is of oiled walnut, with
satin wood interior – It is
a much less moderate affair
than I proposed at first
to get – but there was
no choice between this
and very poor ones – and Will
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
advised me to get this – &
thought you would not
object – so I took it at
$65.
I send a letter for Miss
Cushman
Birth: 1816-07-23 Death: 1876-02-18
, enclosed to you for
the foreign mail.
Aunty
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
is here spending
part of the day. It has
been rainy – and I could
not go to the garden – but
as I write I stop to look
up at a bouquet of rare
phloxes & verbenae, with
a center of stately gladiolas –
soft variegated pink, and
brilliant scarlet flecked with
2
yellow. They were sent me
by Dr Horatio Robinson
Birth: 1804-02-04 Death: 1889-07-28
who came to see me
yesterday. You ask me
to tell you about my
health. I will tell you
how we came to have him –
and what he said.
It was last Saturday that
Will decided to write
Dr Norris
Birth: 1828-03-09 Death: 1895-11-10
for advice. He
thought that I ought also
at once to have some
one who could see me
look into my case – and
that while waiting for the
doctor’s answer – I ought to
have somebody trying to break
up my chills. The day
we were at the lodge Dr
Horatio was asked to see
me – and to call when
he came in town. He
inquired a little into my
symptoms that day. Yesterday
he came, and made a
long & thorough examination
of my lungs. He tells me
they are in a bad con-
dition. The right one
does not receive air in
cells in the upper part –
This is the lung which
was the healthy one in
the spring – it does not give
me pain – while the left,
which was the one affected
then, is subject to pains
which he says are more
neuralgic than anything
else. He attributes my
chills and fever, as well
as cough, to the state of
my lungs – and says I
have a sub-acute in-
flammation. He thinks
I have a slight fever much
of the time. It is most
in the morning after the chill.
He advises against my going
to Cape May – or to any
sea atmosphere – thinking
the risk too great, as while
it might bring health it
might bring incurable disease.
He thinks the Western air –
as St Paul for instance,
would be very beneficial –
& tells me of cases much
aided by that change. Does
not say I must go away
now. He left me a powder
for each night this week –
& will see me Sunday when
he comes from the lake.
All this he said to me –
and referred the rest to
me for his statement.
Today I have had a
chill – and fever. It is four
3
o’clock, and I am cool again.
Mrs Perry
Birth: 1819-10-04 Death: 1898-02-12
spent last
evening with me in the
library. Mrs Gray
Birth: 1841 Death: 1925-09-18
is here
with her children
Birth:
Death:
Birth: 1864
Death:
Birth: 1846-11-19 Death: 1938-10-20
returned with her from
Yonkers – and was gone
to a party at Mrs
Wise’s
Birth: 1825-08-13 Death: 1879-12-15
, on William St.
From her mother’s account
she must have looked
very charming, with her
white dress and
scarlet flowers. When
I came to my room
I heard the sound of
the music of the party –
and knew they were dancing
the same dances in which
I took such delight at Mr
Cobleigh’s
Birth: 1812-02-16 Death: 1879-11-20
school, “before the
war.”
Ellen
Birth: 1844-09-14 Death: 1920-04-14
is gone to Rochester
with a cousin
Unknown
– to visit
her uncle
Unknown
who has a
modest farm. She returns
Saturday or Monday.
Oh! What a long letter – Writing
at this hour with no breakfast
bell to check me I find it
hard to stop – I must
finish this and send
Alice Hall
Birth: 1842-08-01 Death: 1920
my thanks
for a beautiful picture
which came from Utica
by express yesterday. A photograph
of a bas relief – called
“The Pilgrim” – a female figure
leaning on the trunk of a
tree. There is such a pretty
walnut frame – all draped
with carved ivy leaves.
Good bye till tomorrow, dearest
Father – I am delighted
that you feel well –
Most affectionately your daughter
Fanny