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Farmington June 18th ’38.
Monday Afternoon
My Dear Brother,
Father received a letter from you by today’s mail. I have been expecting to hear from you since you wrote that short note in the carpet bag, but I suppose you are very busy. How I wish you could come home now! The garden and yard are full of Burgundy and white roses, and all the yards in town are looking most beautifully. Mr Henry Cowles’ fence is completely lined with roses and syringas. We have had a great many beautiful yellow roses from Mr Norton’s.
Aunt Lucy arrived in Britain Friday last, with Charles, Mary and Elizabeth. They came in their own carriage, with a driver whom they intend to keep all summer. This week they expect to get a woman in Hartford. Their furniture arrived only the day before they did, and, of course, everything was in confusion. I think it will look very pleasant there when they get things arranged. Isaac was intending to leave tomorrow, and Uncle, Ann, Julia, Grace and Ellen are coming in about three weeks. The house in Boston is to be locked up, and Susan Ketchum is going to find another boarding place till her father comes. I believe I have told you nearly all that they told father and me, for we only rode over Saturday morning and staid a little while. I hope you will find a little leisure to go over and see them.
The story of the pursuit, &c, is now common talk at Unionville, & probably will be here soon. I fear, too, that it got out through the imprudence of some of the abolitionists. Mr Bull told of it out there; our next door neighbor, South, heard of there, and came home and told his wife, and she is telling it about, as every one likes to tell a great and strange piece of news. Don’t you know men always say that women cannot keep a secret--? The story of Philip and John’s coming here was spread abroad by the men, and so was this; while the many women who knew it held their tongues. Father laughs about it, and I believe he feels troubled too; he thinks Mr Williams must have told Mr Bull. He says the women seem to be rising, under the influence of Grimkeism. For my part, I think there are but a precious few men or women in the world who canbe contented to keep to themselves what they know will astonish and interest every body. – Oh, if you could only have been at home that Saturday night! I never saw such a time before in this house, or any other. It seems to me that I never thought seriously before what a blessing it is to be free.
Miss Hurlbut has received a letter from Mr Day today. He says he is going to take his revenge on you by publishing some of you letters. – Did you know that notice was given, Sunday before yesterday, that Miss Smith of New York was to deliver a Moral Reform Lecture to the ladies at the Hall on Friday afternoon? Austin went over to H. after her Friday morning, but she had not come. The ladies were very much disappointed. Almost all were going, -- the greater part, I suppose, from mere curiosity. Mr Day thinks it is dreadful for a woman to speak, even to women. For my part, I think it is a very puzzling question, and ten times more so than it would be if Victoria were not on the throne. By the way, how much time are you going
to spend on Wednesday in thinking of the coronation? I shall be at most afraid to think of it, lest I should afterwards find that that was not the day. There have been so many accounts of the day that was fixed, that I am not quite sure the 20th is the right one.
I forgot whether I have told you that I have finished Lamartine. I am now reading a book Mrs Norton lent me, Stevens’ Travels in Egypt, Arabia and Palestine; and the third volume of the life of Scott I have finished except a few pages. It seems as if he must have been the happiest author in the world; nothing seemed to trouble him. I am trying to draw a little, but do not make much progress in any thing. All the little life and energy I ever possess forsake me entirely when warm weather comes on so suddenly.
I felt tired when I began to write, but I have forgotten all about that in driving my pen on from one thing to another. [missing] not sure, however, that the pleasure you take in reading my [missing] is to be measured by that which I take in writing; for as Mrs Edgeworth said of a boy who wrote a prize essay in three hours, “what is easily written is not always easily read.” The boy lost his medal, & I shall lose my credit if I do not take a little more pains.
Let me see – what is the news? Mr Spalding and Julius D. Cowles have arrived. Mrs Crosby and Mary have come to spend the summer at Thomas’s. Mr Walter Cowles issaid to be paying his devoirs to Miss Nancy. This is all I can think of – Do write to me whenever you can—Mary feels very much slighted that you do not write to her.
Tuesday morning. Aunt Lucy and her children came just as I had so far yesterday. They staid only a little while. I have got one more piece of news to tell you. Mr Van Arsdale is very much fascinated with Miss Nancy Cowles. Do send me as much nonsense as I have sent you.
Yours – C.
Mr. Samuel S. Cowles.
Hartford
Conn.
[annotated by Samuel Cowles:
Charlotte
June 18, 1838]